Event Set for Thursday, June 1, 2017 NEW YORK, NY (May 19, 2017) – The historic Stonewall Inn, the very place where the spirit of LGBTQ Pride was born, is launching The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative on June 1st. The event will feature remarks by special guest Chelsea Clinton and a performance by out … More Historic Stonewall Inn to Launch “Stonewall Inn Gives Back” Initiative
Yesterday I was honored to be invited as a featured speaker for the San Francisco Castro IDAHOT rally: Gary Virginia from Gays Without Borders organized and emceed the rally that featured speakers: • Tom Ammiano, former CA State Assemblyman; • Patrick Carney, Pride Week Pink Triangle , SF Twin Peaks; • Melanie Nathan, Executive Director, African Human … More IDAHOT 2017 Rally Pictures and African HRC Speech in Castro
The date of Chelsea Manning’s liberation coincides with the IDAHOT, on May 17 The San Francisco Bay area community will gather for International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) on Wed., May 17, 2017, 6 to 7pm, at Harvey Milk Plaza (2401 Market at Castro Street.) Participants in IDAHOT events globally will be posting … More San Francisco LGBTI Community to Rally for IDAHOT in the Castro
This is an update reflecting some new pictures: We wrote an article this week following the story of 18 LGBTI refugees detained and beaten by Kenyan police while outside UNHCR gates: In general when a refugee escapes war or persecution by entering a host country, they can be assured of support and protection, as by … More Pictures of Police Using Force on LGBTI Refugees in Kenya outside UNHCR gates
Donald Trump’s choice to be the next Army secretary is Tennessee Republican state Sen. Mark Green. Although trying to walk some of this back, Green could not be a worse choice for the job, and not only for failure to respect diversity but also for his active statements which only serve to harm inclusion and acceptance … More Army Secretary Nominee Mark Green hurtful to LGBT and Muslim Americans
Earlier this month an influential body of rabbis passed a resolution calling for synagogues to be “explicitly welcoming” of transgender people. As the country debates which bathrooms transgender people can use, the rabbis of Conservative Judaism officially declared their support of transgender rights. The Conservative movement is comprised of institutions including congregations, schools, camps and seminaries worldwide. The Rabbinical … More Conservative Rabbis Pass Transgender Welcoming Resolution
An ever-growing chorus of cities and states are not fooled by North Carolina’s discriminatory “bait and switch” on HB2 WASHINGTON — Today, Equality NC hailed the news that Chicago and California are maintaining their bans on taxpayer-funded travel to North Carolina. The announcements come after North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Senate President Phil Berger, and House Speaker Tim Moore passed … More Growing List of Cities and States Banning Official Travel to North Carolina
The European Court of Human Rights today found that the sterilization requirement in legal gender recognition violates human rights. Setting the legal precedent for Europe, this decision will force the remaining 22 countries using the infertility requirement to change their laws. This historic decision is delivered in three joined cases against France about the lack … More European Court Ends Forced Sterilizations of Transgender People
New York, NY – Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund joins millions throughout the world in celebrating the Transgender Day of Visibility. Transgender Michigan Executive Director Rachel Crandall started TDOV in 2010 “to bring attention to the accomplishments of trans people around the globe while fighting cissexism and transphobia by spreading knowledge of the trans … More TLDEF Commemorates Transgender Day of Visibility
WASHINGTON – The Montana House Judiciary Committee defeated a bill calling for a statewide ballot initiative that would have prohibited transgender individuals from using the restroom that matches their gender identity. House Bill 609 would have also allowed citizens to sue businesses and entities that do not prohibit transgender individuals from using the restroom that matches … More Victory in Montana as Lawmakers block dangerous anti-transgender ballot measure
Appointment of Roger Severino yields an Anti Reproductive Rights Director to Lead Office for Civil Rights At Department of Health and Human Services WASHINGTON, DC, March 24, 2017 –Today, Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law issued the following statement in response to the appointment of Roger Severino … More New HHS Appointment Severino is Anti Planned Parenthood And Anti Choice
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week President Trump’s administration quietly appointed Roger Severino, a longtime opponent of transgender equality, as the head of the Office of Civil Rights in the Department of Health and Human Services. Severino formerly ran the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at the Heritage Foundation, an anti-LGBT think tank and lobbying … More Trump Admin Selects Anti-Transgender Activist to Lead HHS Civil Rights Office
New York, NY- Today, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund responded to news that the United States Supreme Court has sent the case of Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board back to the Fourth US Circuit Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court also vacated the Fourth Circuit’s previous decision in favor of Gavin Grimm. Grimm … More TLDEF Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Send Gavin Grimm’s Case Back to Fourth Circuit
Order follows Trump administration’s withdrawal of nonbinding federal guidance on how to protect transgender student WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Supreme Court announced that it will not hear G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board, the historic transgender equality case on behalf of a Virginia transgender boy named Gavin Grimm. In light of President Trump’s decision to … More Supreme Court Sends Historic Transgender Equality Case Back to Lower Court
February 23, 2017 – The Trump Administration has withdrawn two letters providing guidance to schools across the nation about transgender student protections under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Guidance was put in place by the Obama Administration in May of 2016 to clarify legal protections previously in place to shield transgender students … More TLDEF Statement Regarding Removal of Federal Guidance That Protects Transgender Children
School Districts Must Still Comply or Risk Being Sued SACRAMENTO—Chair of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus, Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley) released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s recent reversal of transgender bathroom protections. “President Trump’s unrelenting assault on the LGBT community is shameful. This latest directive singles out transgender youth and proves that … More California LGBT Caucus Chair Comments on Trump Admin Reversal of Transgender Protections
The Kenyan Court has handed down a compulsion order, requiring the Principal Registrar of Persons to change the names in the identification documents for five transgender individuals in Kenya. The Principal Registrar of Persons has 21 days to effect the name changes in the national identification cards. A lawyer representing the trans clients told Justice George Odunga … More Kenyan Court Compels Trans Name Changes
Quoting the NBC Article by Julie Compton: African LGBTQ refugees hoping to come to the United States got the news they had hoped for Thursday night — they would not have to remain in countries where they face persecution or even death. The news came after a three-judge federal appeals court panel refused to reinstate President … More Court Decision Allows LGBTQ Refugees to Continue Entering U.S.
Formerly Incarcerated, Michelle-Lael Norsworthy, Scheduled for Surgery Today, February 10 San Francisco, Calif. (February 10, 2017) – Michelle-Lael Norsworthy, most notably known for setting a precedent that the state of California needs to provide gender reassignment surgery for trans inmates, is finally undergoing her surgery today, February 10. In April 2015, in the landmark decision … More Surgery Today for Precedent-Setting Transgender Former Inmate
February 6, 2017 Some LGBTI refugees in Africa, who were scheduled to travel under the United States Refugee Resettlement program had their travel plans revoked last week under Trump’s illicit Executive Order which suspended the refugee program. Now several have been rescheduled for travel this week, with thanks to the court order halting Trump’s ban/ suspension and … More African Human Rights Coalition Advocates Against Trump Ban
The following from African HRC: With a cruel stroke of his pen, Donald Trump on Friday suspended the U.S. refugee program. This has stopped the admission of all refugees to the United States for four months, causing uncertainty and terror for the refugees who had already spent years being vetted for resettlement and who had finally … More LGBTI Refugees Hurt by Trump Ban
WASHINGTON – Prominent officials from the tourism, convention and meeting planning industries gathered in Austin today to warn Texas lawmakers that SB 6, the discriminatory bill mirroring North Carolina’s HB 2 law, would damage the Lone Star State’s economy and brand. SB 6 bans transgender people from using restrooms in public schools, universities, and government buildings. … More Tourism & Convention Leaders Warns Anti Trans Bill Would Devastate Texas’ Economy
HB 1612 Would Also Create Costs for State Businesses, Budget and Economy On January 11, a Virginia lawmaker offered House Bill 1612 (HB 1612), which would require transgender people to use bathrooms in public schools, government buildings, and public universities based on “sex,” as determined by one’s “original birth certificate.” Additionally, the bill would require schools to inform … More Virginia House Bill 1612 Would Negatively Impact Transgender Adults and Trans Youth
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call 1-800-273-8255 Call for acceptance: “Remember how loving and passionate an activist Jai was…. Together we can make this world safer and softer for youth like Jai by treating everyone we meet with dignity and respect no matter how different they may appear.” After Bakersfield police confirmed that search crews found the body … More Appeal by Family After Trans Teen Suicide
New York, NY- Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund announces a name change victory for a transgender man in New York. A state appeals court has granted a legal name change for Ben Stanford, reversing a lower court decision that initially denied his name change petition because he declined to share “medical evidence” of his … More Name Change Victory for Transgender Man in New York
At Annual Community Health Awards Event Monday, November 7, 6 PM to 9 PM Tribeca Rooftop at Three Sixty, 10 Desbrosses St, New York New York, NY- Callen-Lorde Community Health Center announces its upcoming Community Health Awards honoring outstanding leaders in the fields of LGBT health and wellness. The Community Health Awards draws hundreds of … More Callen-Lorde Awards to Celebrate LGBT Health and Wellness Trailblazers
New York, NY- Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund is set to host the 2016 Freedom Awards, commemorating 11-years of transgender advocacy. This year TLDEF honors U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, whose unwavering support and leadership at the Department of Justice has helped advance transgender rights. TLDEF will also honor HBO for its work on … More TLDEF to Host 2016 Freedom Awards
New York, NY—Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) has filed a friend of the court brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in support of a Minnesota mother fighting for health coverage for her teenage transgender son. Brittany Tovar sued her employer (Essentia Health) and her health plan administrator … More TLDEF Files Brief in Mother’s Lawsuit Against Employer Denying Son Transition Related Health Care
New York, NY – Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund responded to news that U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor of Texas had issued an injunction against a federal directive protecting transgender students in schools across the nation. In May, the U.S. Education and Justice Departments sent a letter and guidance to every school district in the U.S. reminding them … More Federal Judge Halts Nationwide Protections for Transgender Students
TLDEF Denounces Federal Court Ruling in Favor of Michigan Funeral Home that Fired Employee for Being Transgender New York, NY- Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) condemns a federal court ruling in favor of a Garden City, Michigan funeral home that fired an employee for being transgender. The court ruled that the funeral home … More TLDEF Denounces Federal Court Ruling in Michigan Funeral Home Case
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