Transgender / Transsexual

/ /

House Republican introduces measure to ban transgender women from female bathrooms in Capitol

 Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., introduced a resolution Monday that would ban transgender women from using female bathrooms in the Capitol just weeks before Democratic Rep.-elect Sarah McBride of Delaware is set to become the first out transgender member of Congress.

The measure would prohibit any lawmakers and House employees from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.”

Asked by reporters whether her resolution was meant to target a marginalized person, Mace said, “Sarah McBride doesn’t get a say in this.”

“This is a biological man trying to force himself into women’s spaces, and I’m not going to tolerate it,” she added.

McBride, who won the race for Delaware’s lone House seat this month, slammed the measure Monday.

“This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing. We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars,” she said in a statement.

“Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness,” she said on X.

Mace told reporters that her resolution is about “women’s rights” and protecting them in “private spaces,” arguing that the “radical left” was trying to erase those rights.

A spokesperson for McBride told NBC News that Mace did not reach out before she introduced the measure and that McBride found out about it in the media.

Mace’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The House sergeant-at-arms would be tasked with enforcing the resolution if it passes. The measure would not require passage by the Senate or a signature from the president.

Mace said Monday that she plans to reintroduce the measure in the next Congress, when Republicans will retain control of the House.

Republicans spent more than $200 million on network television ads targeting trans people this year, according to data shared with NBC News this month by AdImpact, a firm that tracks political ad spending.

The Republican Party platform this year leaned heavily into anti-trans rhetoric, calling for banning trans people from competing in sports that align with their gender identities, proposing undoing Title IX protections for LGBTQ people and calling for barring the use of taxpayer dollars for funding gender-affirming surgery.

In the days following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, some Democrats blamed their party’s position on transgender rights as contributing to Vice President Kamala Harris’ defeat.

Those Democratic lawmakers said the party went too far and pandered to what they called “the far left” while trying not to offend anyone.

The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group, said Monday that Mace was cruel and discriminating against her incoming colleague, calling the resolution a “political charade by a grown-up bully.”

“It is also another warning sign that the incoming anti-equality House majority will continue to focus on targeting LGBTQ+ people rather than the cost of living, price gouging or any of the problems the American people elected them to solve,” spokesperson Laurel Powell said in a statement.

/ /

Trans teacher’s ‘grief’ at having to move states to escape anti-trans sentiment

,

“Realising I would have to start anew was really hard,” a trans teacher, who wishes to be known only as Derek, tells PinkNews about his move from Missouri to Washington.

“Uprooting all your connections,” was one of the hardest parts, he adds.

To mark Trans Awareness Week, which runs until Tuesday (19 November), Derek opened up about his life-changing uprooting from Missouri to Washington in 2022.

The teacher, who is in his 20s, says he felt “grief” at having to move but had been “forced out”. While the decision was “scary,” he’s now “really happy” and feels “certain aspects” of his life are “better here than they could have been in Missouri”.

Missouri was ranked among the worst US states for LGBTQ+ people last year thanks to a number of bills targeting the community, with 40 of these still being tracked by the American Civil Liberties Union.

In contrast, Washington has been ranked as one of the safest for queer individuals.

Derek came out as trans at the age of 13. His decision to leave the Show-Me State was a “long, drawn-out one”, and he recalls becoming increasingly aware that the “political climate was getting worse”. 

But it was after Donald Trump’s first term in the White House that the “writing really was on the wall… especially because I am a teacher, and I worked for a year in a public school district in Missouri where I saw how much these policies affected not only my ability to teach but also my sense of safety”.

Deciding where to move presented its own challenges. “I looked up online the top states that are best for trans folks. I compared them and eliminated all the states that were too cold for me. We had the option to visit both Oregon and Washington and settled on Washington,” he says, adding that his partner, who is also trans, works in the public sector as a librarian.

‘I don’t feel like I can put my guard down entirely’ 

Derek says anti-trans discrimination in the Evergreen State has been “significantly less” than what he experienced back home in Missouri, although he has always lived in metropolitan areas, which tend to have more liberal environments. 

Nonetheless, his job has required him to work in some suburban areas, where he notes that “things crop up pretty fast”, even in Washington.

“I don’t feel like I can put my guard down entirely, especially as things continue to progress at a national level and incite more reactivity,” he says of his new home.

Derek is even more thankful he moved following Trump’s second election triumph. The president-elect has repeatedly vowed to “return” responsibility for education to the states and has pledged to abolish the Department of Education, which administers federal grant programmes and oversees student loans.

Missouri is also home to Valentina Gomez, a failed Republican candidate who ran to be its secretary of state and frequently promotes anti-LGBTQ+ hate online, including a video in which she burned queer-themed books with a flamethrower.

Republican’s anti-trans rhetoric ‘directly impacts’ the trans community 

By contrast, Derek highlights Washington’s robust unions, which make it easier to be a teacher, and the broader variety of job opportunities. However, as the educational environment shifts, he’s had to become “way more flexible on what kind of job I do”.

And he admits he couldn’t have managed the move without his partner. Together, they’ve made a conscious effort to reach out to trans communities and build new connections. Many of the people they’ve met also moved from Missouri for similar reasons.

Looking ahead to Trump’s second term, Derek emphasises that legislation can have a “huge impact” on minority communities. However, he’s equally concerned about the discrimination fuelled by hateful rhetoric.

“The recent way Republicans are equating being a queer adult or trans person with being a sex offender or paedophile, especially as a teacher, is directly impacting us,” he says. 

A lawyer has previously warned that individuals who aim slurs such as “groomer” and paedophile at LGBTQ+ people online could face serious legal consequences.

Moving is ‘scary’ but ‘totally worthwhile’ 

Reflecting on Trump’s campaign, Derek says: “Some of these parties choose their scapegoat of the year or month, and trans and queer folks are having their moment.”

However, he remains hopeful that people will begin to “swing back the other way” and points out that some of his family, who previously voted for Trump, “couldn’t bring themselves to do so this time”.

To mark of Trans Awareness Week, trans pastor Lazarus Justice Jameson also shared their story with PinkNews, saying they too had to leave Missouri “to live.” Despite moving to Oregon, one of the most LGBTQ-friendly states they still encounter discrimination and harassment.

In addition, three trans journalists have spoken to PinkNews about the significance of their work and their fears as Trump nominates his team for the next four years.

/ /

Trump picks anti-trans, anti-vaccine Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head Health and Human Services

,

Donald Trump announced that he’s chosen vaccine denialist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be secretary of Health and Human Services, Trump said on social media Thursday afternoon. 

“I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health,” Trump wrote. “The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country. Mr. Kennedy will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!”

Kennedy, who ended his independent presidential run in August and endorsed Trump, has a long history of embracing conspiracy theories and has been repudiated by his famous family. Among his bizarre theories are that the environment turns children transgender and that vaccines cause autism. He’s also said that HIV does not cause AIDS. It does. 

His campaign was marked by many strange stories. He had been “accumulating negative headlines — an allegation that he groped a former family babysitter (to which he responded to by declaring, ‘I am not a church boy’); a revelation that he used a dead bear he found on a roadside to stage a fake bicycle accident in New York’s Central Park; and a claim by Kennedy that doctors found a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, among other things,” NBC News reported earlier. He has painted both himself and Trump as victims of the media and the political establishment, and contended that President Joe Biden and now Vice President Kamala Harris have a dictatorial hold on the Democratic Party.

“The American people should be able to trust that our health care system is led by experts who believe in science and want to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the country,” Brandon Wolf, spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement to The Advocate. “Robert F Kennedy Jr. lacks the qualifications and judgment to manage the Department of Health and Human Services. As an anti-vaccine conspiracist and denier of the medical consensus on health care for transgender youth, Kennedy’s views are dangerous and harmful. Donald Trump is desperately trying to stack the federal government with unqualified loyalists and it’s the American people who will suffer as a result. The Senate must reject this nomination.”

Christopher Wiggins contributed reporting.

/ /

South Carolina slammed with lawsuit from 13-year-old trans boy over bathroom rights

,

A coalition of LGBTQ+ advocates is taking South Carolina to court over its bathroom law forcing transgender students to use restrooms according to their assigned sex at birth. The law mandates that K-12 schools deny transgenderstudents access to bathrooms aligned with their gender identity or face losing a quarter of their state funding.

The complaint, filed Tuesday, takes aim at Proviso 1.120, a provision enacted in July that advocates say strips trans students of fundamental rights. The law mandates that K-12 schools bar transgender students from restrooms matching their gender identity or risk losing a quarter of their state funding.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of 13-year-old John Doe and the South Carolina LGBTQ+ advocacy group Alliance for Full Acceptance, argues that Proviso 1.120 violates both Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause. “Proviso 1.120 is illegal, plain and simple. Trans students are not political pawns. Their rights are not optional,” Alexandra Brodsky, a senior attorney at Public Justice representing the plaintiffs, said in a statement. “And the human stakes are too high for states like South Carolina to break the law to score political points: Thousands of students are paying the price with their health and educations.”

A memo from the South Carolina Department of Education, issued on behalf of state superintendent Ellen Weaver, outlined strict guidelines for compliance. It called on districts to adjust restroom signage and student records, replacing references to “gender” with “biological sex,” which the state defines as “a person’s biological sex, either male or female, as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth.” According to the memo, only in exceptional cases—such as medical assistance or natural disasters—can students enter facilities that do not match the sex on their original birth certificate. The memo further directed districts to restrict restroom use to students’ sex assigned at birth under all other circumstances.

According to the lawsuit, John Doe faced suspension at his Berkeley County school after using the boys’ restroom. School administrators allegedly told the student that he could be expelled if he continued to use the restroom aligned with his gender identity, prompting his parents to withdraw him from the school. “I will not allow school officials or lawmakers to dehumanize my child because of their own ignorance. Adults need to educate themselves, read the science, and stop attacking students,” John Doe’s father said in a statement. “All students deserve to feel safe and supported in school, including my son.”

Joseph Wardenski, founder of Wardenski P.C., which is also representing the plaintiffs, warned of the law’s long-term harm to South Carolina’s transgender students. “Every day that Proviso 1.120 remains in effect, countless transgender students across South Carolina are being harmed,” Wardenski said in a statement. “As courts around the country have held, these types of bathroom bans cause trans students to suffer needless and preventable stigma, distress, and physical injuries. To prevent these harms, we will ask the court to intervene immediately to stop South Carolina from enforcing this discriminatory policy.”

The Fourth Circuit Court, whose jurisdiction includes South Carolina, ruled in the Virginia case Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board in 2020 that barring transgender students from bathrooms matching their gender identities is unconstitutional. The plaintiffs argue that Proviso 1.120 blatantly ignores this precedent.

“Lawmakers who continue to target transgender youth with blatantly unconstitutional legislation should take note,” said AFFA executive director Chase Glenn. “If you pass these laws, you will be taken to court.”

The lawsuit seeks an immediate injunction to halt enforcement of the law. If granted, the injunction would allow transgender students across South Carolina to use bathrooms matching their gender identity without the threat of discipline or harassment.

/ /

How can you support transgender and nonbinary youth right now? The Trevor Project has some tips

,

Trusting that they know who they are, standing up for them, and not supporting anti-LGBTQ+ politicians are among the best ways to support transgender and nonbinary youth, says a new research brief from the Trevor Project. It’s based on information from the young people themselves.

The brief, released Wednesday, which marked the start of Transgender Awareness Week, uses data from the 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People.

“With more knowledge about supportive actions and their possible impacts, TGNB youth can be better cared for by parents, caregivers, friends, and community,” the brief says. This support can also help decrease suicide risk, it notes.

When asked how people in their lives can best show support, the top 10 ways reported by respondents were:

  • Trusting that I know who I am (92 percent)
  • Standing up for me (85 percent)
  • Not supporting anti-LGBTQ+ politicians (84 percent)
  • Respecting my pronouns (82 percent)
  • Showing support for how I express my gender (77 percent)
  • Looking up information about LGBTQ+ identities (69 percent)
  • Asking questions about LGBTQ+ identities (62 percent)
  • Accepting their partner(s) (56 percent)
  • Having or displaying Pride flags (48 percent)
  • Showing support on social media (45 percent)

When asked specifically about parents and caregivers, trans and nonbinary respondents said these actions made them feel supported: being welcoming and kind to their LGBTQ+ friends or partners (74 percent), talking respectfully with them about their LGBTQ+ friends or partners (67 percent), supporting their gender expression (such as buying new clothes or helping them get a haircut (60 percent), using their name and pronouns correctly (49 percent), educating themselves about LGBTQ+ issues (48 percent), respectfully discussing these issues with them (46 percent), encouraging others to respect their identity (41 percent), asking how their identity should be discussed (40 percent, taking them to LGBTQ+ events (32 percent), and standing up for them when they were being mistreated (25 percent).

But 60 percent of the trans and nonbinary participants said their parents or caregivers engaged in less than half of the listed actions, and 17 percent reported experiencing none of these actions. Only 6 percent said their parents or caregivers engaged in all of the listed actions that were applicable to them.

Younger respondents — ages 13-17 — were more likely to report experiencing no or few supportive actions than those ages 18-24. Young people of color experienced less support than white youth.

Greater parent or caregiver support was related to lower suicide risk among trans and nonbinary young people. Those who experienced none or very few supportive actions reported the highest rate of a past-year suicide attempt (19 percent), followed by those who experienced a few supportive actions (14 percent), some supportive actions (13 percent), and many or all supportive actions (11 percent). Ab increase of just one supportive action from parents and caregivers was associated with 6 percent lower odds of a suicide attempt in the past year.

“The data reveal a powerful connection between parents’ and caregivers’ supportive actions, perceived family support, and lower risk of suicide attempts among TGNB young people,” the brief states. The findings also “highlight the need to support TGNB young people and their families at younger ages and in culturally affirming ways,” the document says.

“Ultimately, fostering widespread understanding of TGNB identities and experiences, both within families and communities, is essential for improving mental health outcomes and reducing the risk of suicide among TGNB youth,” it concludes. “This research documents the relationship between specific supportive actions and TGNB youths’ feelings of being supported by family members, which deserves further exploration in future research.”

If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.

/ /

Judge rules the military must cover gender-affirming surgery for members’ dependents

,

The Department of Defense’s health insurance plan, Tricare, must cover gender-affirming surgery for transgender dependents of active and retired service members, a federal judge has ruled.

The exclusion of coverage for this care violates the equal protection guarantees of the U.S. Constitution, U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen ruled November 1.

The suit was brought by two transgender women in their 20s, identified by the pseudonyms Jane Doe and Susan Roe, who are both daughters of retired military members and are covered by Tricare. Doe and her father filed suit in 2022 in U.S. District Court in Maine, and Roe was added to the suit last year. Doe lives in Maine and Roe in Florida. Both of the women’s fathers served more than two decades in the military.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the Defense Department, the department’s health agency, and Tricare were named as defendants.

The women challenged a 1976 federal law that excluded coverage for “surgeries ‘justified solely on psychiatric needs including, … sex gender changes’ and other services deemed ‘not medically necessary,’” Torresen wrote in her ruling.

“Congress considered all ‘cosmetic’ procedures (including ‘sex gender changes’) to be ‘nonmedical’ in the sense that they were ‘psychologically’ or ‘psychiatrically’ justified, and not strictly medically necessary,” she continued. But Torresen found that such surgery is indeed medically necessary and that the Defense Department had not shown that any important governmental interest was advanced by denying the coverage.

In 2016, the Obama administration lifted the ban on military service by trans people, and the Defense Department changed the Tricare rules so that nonsurgical treatments for gender dysphoria could be covered. But department officials said the plan couldn’t cover surgical treatments for dependents unless the 1976 law was changed. Surgical treatments were covered for active-duty service members, however.

While Torresen entered her judgment in favor of the women who sued, she set a deadline of November 15 for the parties in the case to meet and let her know if an injunction barring enforcement of the policy is needed. This means she is “waiting to see whether the government will change its interpretation of the statute and regulation to cure the constitutional problem,” law professor Arthur Leonard wrote in Gay City News.

Torresen was appointed by President Barack Obama, Leonard noted. If the Defense Department appeals her ruling, it would go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, which is “the only federal circuit court with no Republican appointees among its active judges,” Leonard observed.

The plaintiffs are represented by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, the Columbia Center, and GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, also known as GLAD Law.

“We’re gratified the court recognized this is simply a matter of providing basic health care,” Ben Klein, senior director of litigation at GLAD Law, told The Advocate via email. “The dedicated individuals who serve in our nation’s military should be able to provide their family members with the essential care they need.”

/ /

7 steps for transgender people preparing for federal crackdowns under Trump

,

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election as president, transgender people are left wondering what lies ahead. For this vulnerable community, a Trump administration signals potential disaster: the candidate just won his election after$215 million in anti-trans ads targeting this small minority—a staggering amount that eclipsed spending on other issue-based ads. Now, transgender individuals are searching for ways to protect themselves under a federal government that may view them as top “enemies from within,” a term Trump has used to describe those on the left.

I spoke with experts in transgender care and dozens of transgender individuals to identify steps the community can take now to prepare for a Trump presidency. Trump has pledged numerous actions against transgender people, from investigating educators to banning gender-affirming care for youth and ending legal recognition for transgender individuals. While some of these measures may take time to implement, others could happen swiftly. For instance, the upcoming December budget negotiations are likely to include anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ amendments, which Democrats may accept to avoid a government shutdown.

For transgender people and their supporters, being prepared is essential. Here are practical steps the community should consider in the coming weeks to safeguard themselves against these anticipated challenges.

Obtaining or updating your passport.

Obtaining a federal passport is a crucial step for transgender individuals, as it serves as a valid ID in most places and is necessary for international travel. Passports also let you change your gender marker via a simple selection checkbox, making the process of having your official gender marker hassle-free. This last point is especially important—anticipated federal crackdowns could soon make it impossible to update your gender marker on federal documents and might even affect state IDs. Passports are valid for ten years, and some states allow you to align your gender marker with the one on your passport, making this action essential, even if you don’t plan to travel internationally. And should the need for travel arise, you’ll be grateful you took this precaution.

Many transgender people I’ve spoken to have already begun this process. One family, hoping to secure a passport before federal rules change, opted for the expedited service. Ellie, the mother of a transgender teen, shared, “I’m determined to keep my son safe and alive, and we will do everything humanly possible to make that happen.” She noted that they are researching options for moving internationally if gender-affirming care is banned federally, with Spain as their top choice. For transgender individuals, expedited passports are an important consideration to ensure they receive their documents before Trump’s inauguration. Although they cost a bit more, expedited passports are processed much faster.

Some observed a rise in the number of LGBTQ+ people seeking passports in the election’s immediate aftermath. Andromeda, a transgender woman, noted, “At the post office, there were five people in line for passports. Four of us were trans.” She described the atmosphere as “very sullen,” adding, “We were all very nervous but being very strong about it.”

Updating state documents and IDs. 

This step is crucial, as transgender people will need as many documents as possible that reflect their correct gender marker to navigate potential laws and regulations targeting them. Although most anti-trans laws specify that legal recognition of sex must align with the sex recorded at or near birth, enforcing these provisions is often challenging. In practice, having licenses and IDs that display an accurate gender marker can help transgender individuals avoid negative interactions and even defuse tense situations with officials. Additionally, obtaining such documentation may become more difficult in the future—Trump could, for instance, leverage laws like the Real ID Act to push for bans on correct gender markers on driver’s licenses.

Many transgender individuals have started this process quickly, anticipating that their opportunity to do so may soon disappear. One such person in South Dakota, Cole, shared, “I need to get my name and marker officially changed before I am barred from the chance.” In South Dakota, the process is particularly onerous, requiring a court order or a signed affidavit from a physician. Cole is concerned that completing it may become impossible once Trump takes office.

Maintaining a supply of medication. 

Some individuals are taking steps to secure their access to gender-affirming medications, though this approach carries potential legal challenges. The Trump administration has indicated plans to sue pharmaceutical companies providing gender-affirming care, making medication access disruption a real possibility. Additionally, federal funding bans, threats, and investigations could further complicate access. States like California have announced intentions to enact laws protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from such federal actions. For individuals, practical methods to maintain a medication supply include underdosing to build an emergency reserve, working with a physician willing to prescribe extra medication, or obtaining hormones through online sources, though it is important to note that these steps are not without legal or personal risks.

Nevertheless, many individuals reported taking these precautionary steps. One person, who asked to remain anonymous, shared that her doctor advised her she could continue using estradiol vials beyond four injections, contrary to prior instructions to discard them after four uses. This adjustment has allowed her to build up a supply that could last through a Trump presidency. Another respondent mentioned underdosing her estradiol to justify higher prescription doses, enabling her to maintain a backup supply in case of disruptions.

Changing your social security office gender marker. 

This is a step many people overlook, as they may not realize that the Social Security Administration maintains a gender marker on file. If future policies restrict the ability to update identification documents, updating your gender marker with Social Security could help prevent mismatches that might flag your identification within federal systems. The process is straightforward, with an online portal explaining which form to complete and where to submit it. Most people will need to bring the form to their local Social Security office. Fortunately, changing one’s gender marker is as simple as checking a box—no court orders or medical documentation required—making it a relatively quick step to complete.

Consider moving now, if you want to. 

For many, relocating is a significant and complex decision—and it’s important to acknowledge that moving isn’t a viable option for a large portion of the queer community. Financial limitations, legal or personal circumstances, and a desire to stay and fight all keep many people rooted in their home states. However, for those considering a move, this may be an opportune moment to finalize those plans. Anti-trans legislation and actions could escalate quickly, potentially even before Biden’s presidency concludes, especially with looming budget negotiations. While the exact scope of potential executive actions remains uncertain, many of the steps outlined here may become far more challenging once such actions are in place.

Many people I’ve spoken with have already decided to move. Sarah, a mother of a trans child from Texas, shared that she plans to relocate to Denver as soon as her house sells. “We’ve discussed moving for several years, and this is the push we needed, I guess,” she said. When asked why she chose Colorado, she explained, “We’re hopeful that, in a blue state with shield laws, there will be some resistance to any national policies. For instance, when Biden made the Title IX changes, Texas fought back, so we didn’t get those protections. I’m hoping it would be like that, but in reverse. It’s also why we’ll rent instead of buying—if another move is necessary, we want to be able to pick up quickly and go.”

Another individual, Tawj, mentioned that they’ve already formed a small caravan of queer people saving and preparing to move to a blue state before the transfer of power. “It’s a small group of five for now… we’re all pooling money to make the move cheaper.”

For Chelsey, a transgender girl who is planning on moving next year, she spoke of her Grandmother’s experiences in Nazi Germany as a major influencing factor, stating, “My grandmother fled Germany and she saw her sister get shot by the Nazis. The stories that I remember from her were, we were never prepared to flee. We got complacent and even with organizing which is good and important. It’s also important to be prepared to flee.”

To determine which state is safe to move to, watch for updates to my Trans Legislative Risk Assessment Map.

Make decisions around staying or going “stealth.” 

A recurring topic in discussions about preparing for a Trump administration is the role that going or staying “stealth” may play in ensuring safety. For transgender individuals, “stealth” refers to living in one’s gender identity without disclosing that one is transgender. For many, this involves extra attention to makeup and voice training to pass as cisgender and blend in. For transgender youth, it often means not informing school officials about their gender identity. Such steps may become critical, as schools could feel pressured by the Trump administration to enforce restrictions on trans youth, even in blue states. For trans adults, staying stealth could also offer a measure of safety in the face of increasingly common bathroom regulations.

Many transgender people I spoke with had mixed feelings about going “stealth” under a Trump administration. Some have concluded that it’s the safest option for them, while others have chosen to remain visible, believing that visibility will be essential in the fight for transgender rights. Still others feel that stealth simply isn’t an option for them.

Relying on local community allies. 

One essential action transgender people and allies can take is to support community organizations, legal funds, and other resources. Historically, when restrictive laws have targeted the LGBTQ+ community, it has been crucial to connect with groups of LGBTQ+ individuals who can provide mutual support and safety. When choosing organizations to support, state and local groups are particularly valuable, as they offer the most current information on relevant laws and can advise on the best ways to address new challenges under a Trump administration. These organizations are also well-positioned to navigate the specific legal processes and advocacy opportunities within local communities.

The Trump administration is expected to bring significant legal threats for transgender people, but there are steps that can be taken now to mitigate these risks. With a closing window to act before Trump’s inauguration, these measures are time-sensitive. Early preparation may be the difference between enduring four years of intensified crackdowns on trans and queer communities—or facing the brunt of an administration determined to restrict their rights. Taking steps now is essential for those looking to safeguard their futures.

/ /

Trans Awareness Week Happens November 13-19

Each year between November 13 – 19, people and organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help increase understanding about transgender people and the issues members of the community face.

Trans Awareness Week takes place the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence that year.

Read more about Transgender Awareness Week (Semana de Concientización Transgénero en espagnol) and Transgender Day of Remembrance below, and find out how you can participate.

What is Transgender Awareness Week?

Transgender Awareness Week is a week when transgender people and their allies take action to bring attention to the trans community by educating the public about who transgender people are, sharing stories and experiences, and advancing advocacy around issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community.

For more about how GLAAD has observed Transgender Awareness Week this year and through the years, check out: https://glaad.org/tag/trans-awareness-week

What is Transgender Day of Remembrance?

Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was founded in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated the one year anniversary of Hester’s death and all the transgender people lost to violence that year. That initial event began the world-wide observance that is the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. You can participate in TDOR by attending or organizing a vigil on November 20 to honor all those whose lives were lost to anti-transgender violence that year. Vigils are typically hosted by local transgender advocates or LGBTQ organizations, and held at community centers, parks, places of worship and other venues. The vigil often involves reading a list of the names of those who have been killed.

What can I do to become a better ally?

Learn about trans people by educating yourself with credible resources about community, language, issues, stories, and actions.

The GLAAD Media Reference Guide: Focus on Transgender People

For more resources to learn about transgender people, check out: https://glaad.org/transgender/

To find other resources on particular topics related to the trans community, type into the search bar for results. For example, if you’re looking to find out more about transgender healthcare, type “transgender healthcare” into the search bar and relevant results will populate.

For authentic, accurate, and diverse portrayals of transgender people, check out the GLAAD Media Award nominations which include spotlights on TV, movies, video games, journalism, and music that feature outstanding examples of representation.

/ /

Trans candidates demand their seat at the table in the Florida legislature

,

UnderFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Sunshine State in recent years saw a rapid slate of anti-trans policies implemented. Now three transgender candidates are pursuing seats in the Florida legislature.

Trans womanAshley Brundage and trans manNathan Bruemmer, both Democrats, are taking on Republican incumbents in the Tampa Bay area. Meanwhile, trans womanVance Ahrens, also a Democrat, will challenge one of the greatest sources of anti-transgender rhetoric in the state, running against Florida Rep. Randy Fine for an open seat in the Florida Senate.

All face varying challenges on the campaign trail but earned spots on the November 5 general ballot. The hope is that the next time the Florida legislature convenes and considers taking rights away from transgender Floridians, lawmakers will have to do so with a transgender member on the floor for any vote.

“It would change systematically the entire way the House of Representatives and the entire political operation operates here,” Brundage said. “When you are not at the table with a seat, you are on the menu.”

Brundage, theDemocratic nominee against Republican Florida Rep. Karen Gonzalez Pittman in House District 65, may be the trans candidate in Florida with the best shot at winning her election. Both she and Bruemmer, who is challenging Republican Florida Rep. Linda Chaney in House District 61, were named to the Florida Democratic Party’sTake Back Florida Distinction Programroster.Equality Florida endorsed both House candidates and Ahrens, and lists the House races as priority contests this fall.

Brundage said the slew of hateful policies emanating from Tallahassee increased her political engagement, but a more personal slight ultimately prompted her to file for office. That started when the Florida legislature waged attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, including an attempt to stop DEI consulting even in private companies. Brundage served as a PNC national vice president on diversity and inclusion and felt her entire career threatened by the policies. She decided to run for the House.

The threat to her livelihood also prompted Brundage to write a book,Empowering Differences, that earned a Spirit of Community Award from the Florida Commission on the Status of Women and even led to a congratulations letter from DeSantis. But the governor’s office later told the Daily Mail the award would never have been issued if he realized Brundage was transgender. The letter was retracted, and DeSantis did not attend the ceremony where Brundage received the award.

But he did show up to sign Florida’s “don’t say gay” law at a school Brundage’s son attends. “At first I thought, Wow, this guy has nothing better to do but show up in my life,” Brundage said. “Then I realized he had a targeted agenda for schools and was making investments in politicizing school boards.”

Bruemmer’s history in politics goes back farther. He served as president of theFlorida LGBTQ Democratic Caucus before filing for the seat and has worked for years with Equality Florida on training candidates for office. When he saw the prospect of a competitive House race in his own backyard, he decided to file for office himself this year.

It was a late decision. Bruemmer in fact was in Washington attending an event at Vice President Kamala Harris’s residence celebrating Pride and sent some of his paperwork to Florida from D.C. in order to qualify. But like many candidates, he found the change in rhetoric coming from Republican lawmakers had been shocking in recent years.

“Chaney has been lockstep with the DeSantis administration’s priorities, which we now call ‘culture wars,’ instead of solving real problems Floridians need solved,” Bruemmer said.

There may be no greater avatar for that than Fine, a Republican Florida Representative who alarmed LGBTQ+ advocates nationwide when he promised to “eradicate” transgender people. He made the controversial statement after sponsoring a bill widely interpreted as a ban on drag performances in venues open to children.

“If it means ‘erasing a community’ because you have to target children — then, damn right, we ought to do it!” Fine said in 2023.

Ahrens knows she has an uphill fight taking on Fine in Florida Senate District 19, a deep red area on the Atlantic Coast. But she couldn’t let his rhetoric go unaddressed.

“When I saw that he was running, I was already doing work with Equality Florida, and I had already gone up to testify to the medical board on issues,” Ahrens said. “I knew from his social media posts he was coming full out for transgender people in the 2023 legislature, and he did.”

Fine pushed a ban on trans health services for youth, which DeSantis signed into law, and he continually stated from the floor that transgender people were being deceived into a corrupt ideology.

But of note, all of the trans candidates for the Florida legislature have focused more on the issues being ignored by the legislature than the anti-trans rhetoric. Most notably, a homeowner’s insurance crisis became magnified as three hurricanes hit Florida’s Gulf Coast in as many months this year.

The candidates on that front appear to be following a strategy forged by Virginia Sen. Danica Roem, whoin 2017 became the first out trans legislator in the nation, first in the House of Delegates, later in the Senate.. Roem, while facing sharply anti-trans rhetoric from her opponent, focused on infrastructure and other pocketbook issues for voters.

“I’m proud to be somebody standing up for all Floridians, not just trans Floridians,” Bruemmer said.

But each also sees a value in having a voice in the room that understands the challenges faced by transgender people and the harm directed by recent policies. “I think like every trans person, my goal is just to pass and live authentically as myself, and not necessarily to have the disclaimer that I am a trans woman,” Ahrens said.

None of the candidates have consulted closely with Roem. Ahrens did meet Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr at an event in Orlando and has worked with her on activation efforts with a Brevard County political group.

Despite the rhetoric of online bigots, the Florida candidates haven’t seen as much overtly anti-trans campaign rhetoric as Roem faced just seven years ago. Ahrens said Fine has refused to debate her and appears to be largely ignoring her candidacy. Bruemmer had one voter want to debate Florida’s trans sports ban at the door.

Brundage has seen personal attacks. She took offense at a political mailer superimposing a picture of her in a bikini over a hurricane, a piece that landed in mailboxes as Brundage helped clean up her mother’s home after Hurricane Helene flooded neighborhoods around Tampa Bay. But she does suspect misleading mailers about her positions on certain issues build on assumptions about her transgender identity. She takes issue, for example, with insinuations she wants “biological men in sports with girls.” “I just think we should leave sports and those decisions to people who get paid to measure estrogen and testosterone,” Brundage said.

At the moment, Florida has just one out LGBTQ+ member in each of the chambers. Shevrin Jones, a gay man, was elected as the firstout Florida senator, while Rep. MicheleRayner, a lesbian, is the only current out LGBTQ+ member of the Florida House. When Rayner first won her seat, the House had three out lawmakers, Jones and two who since were voted out. One, Jennifer Webb, wasdefeated by Chaney.

Bruemmer feels somewhat discouraged by the evolution of LGBTQ+ issues under DeSantis. In the governor’s first year in office, he spoke little of LGBTQ+ topics, and legislation like Florida’s Competitive Workforce Act, prohibiting workplace discrimination for gay and transgender people boasted wide bipartisan support. DeSantis eventually implemented much of that bill administratively.

But things shifted as DeSantis started to run for president, and as social conservatives nationwide decided they needed a new bogeyman after Americans embraced marriage equality, trans people appeared to be the issue.

Now the candidates see a need for more trans voiced in the capitol, and not just testifying in front of committees. It could prompt discussions as simple as who can use which restrooms in the House, public facilities governed by a bathroom bill DeSantis signed last year, and what gender appears on IDs for lawmakers.

“Obviously, just me getting elected will change the way they have conversations,” Brundage said. “Ron DeSantis’s neck will be hurting in every room he moves into checking to see if I’m in the room, He will have to do that even in the bathroom.”

/ /

Patrons douse TERFS in drinks & ketchup for staging an anti-trans protest at bar

,

A well-known British TERF and two accomplices staged a provocative “silent” protest at two London pubs Friday night, stoking resentment among weekenders simply looking to get a drink.

It did not end well.

“We’re going now,” a police officer told Jean Hatchet, organizer of the anti-trans action, as displeased patrons fled the premises. “You can either make your own way out or I’ll help you out.”

Hatchet’s night on the town began at one bar where she and her two friends set up three small signs reading “TRANSWOMEN ARE MEN,” “NO MEN IN SPORTS – IT’S NOT SAFE + NOT FAIR,” and “A MAN IN A DRESS IS A MAN IN A DRESS.”

And they waited to see what would happen.

‘The idea was to see reactions in a normal bar on truthful statements about the reality of sex versus the nefarious gender,” Hatchet recounted in one of multiple posts about the self-aggrandizing action. “We weren’t saying anything. We weren’t giving our views out loud. We just wondered what people would do if they looked at a quiet truth written on boards.”

Hatchet claimed she had supporters among the unsuspecting Friday night patrons whom she imposed her views on. “A man came up to say he agreed with them,” she recounted.

There were “curious looks, some photos taken from a distance” at the first bar, she said. Then a “middle-aged man at the side of us got up and called us ‘disgusting’ and ‘transphobes.’”

Hatchet took it in stride and moved her protest to another bar, next door.

“Different crowd,” Hatchet said of her second target. “Non-binary feelz on the bar staff.”

The three women set up their signs again, this time in front of a large screen TV showing a football game — a noisy gesture despite not “giving our views out loud.”

That’s when the bar manager approached to say he’d heard complaints; the women needed to take their signs down. They refused.

Minutes later, the three got the Posie Parker treatment and were doused in ketchup the same way the notorious British TERF was while on her hate tour of New Zealand last year.

“I don’t know if it was the same man,” Hatchet reported, “I think it was, came back over as we sat trying to clean clothes a bit and recover ourselves. He threw a drink at us. And ran off again. At this point the police arrived. A group of women behind had been calling us b***hes. It got loud.”

At that point, Hatchet started recording, as police asked them to leave the building over their protests that they’d been “assaulted”.

“Outside we were told that we were the aggressors. That we had thrown tomato ketchup. That we had thrown drinks. We were the ones covered in tomato ketchup and drinks,” Hatchet said of the group’s interaction with police.

A look at Hatchet’s video tells a different story of police trying to diffuse a fraught situation. Cops told Hatchet they didn’t know who the aggressors were, or at least they weren’t saying. Badge numbers were recorded.

“There’re going to be at least two sides of the story,” the lead officer reasoned with Hatchet.

“We didn’t do anything,” Hatchet replied. “There are no two sides.”

Hatchet’s transphobia has made headlines before. As the Taliban was poised to take control in Afghanistan three years ago, she inserted herself into the conversation about women’s rights under the incoming authoritarian regime.

“When the Taliban force women to cover up how many men will want to identify as women?” she wrote on Twitter. “I’m curious. (I’m not really curious – I know).”

«‹ 2 3 4 5›»