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Keeping LGBTQ Families Safe: Recommendations and Best Practices

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There are important, commonsense things LGBTQ people and families can do to protect themselves to ensure our identities, families, and wishes are legally clear and respected.

For decades, LGBTQ legal organizations and advocates have set the foundation and created pathways forward for us as LGBTQ people to be safe and recognized. Those include the ACLU LGBTQ & HIV Project, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, GLAD Law, the Transgender Law Center, and more.

 Some recommendations include:

  • Keep physical and electronic copies of key documents, such as your marriage certificate, in multiple places. It never hurts to have documentation in case you need to show proof of your relationship or family status.
  • Establish health care proxies and medical or financial powers of attorney, should an accident or emergency happen to you or your spouse, especially if you have children.
  • There are an increasing number of avenues to becoming a parent, but parentage may be challenged without a court order. Have a legally protected relationship with your children, whether you are married or not, by getting a court judgment or equivalent. Those orders are proof of legal parentage that provide the most legal security and must be recognized across all 50 states. They can be helpful on issues related to education, health insurance, Social Security benefits, inheritance, and more. The process for obtaining parentage orders takes place in family court and varies from state to state. Specific details can be found here: https://familyequality.org/resources/securing-lgbtq-parentage-by-state-stepparent-second-parent-and-confirmatory-adoption/ 
  • If you are transgender, make sure your gender markers and identification documents are up to date. Have physical and electronic copies of all your legal documents including your name change order, and your new and old IDs.
    • If you transitioned after a marriage, you may be able to amend your name on your original marriage license.
    •  If you transitioned after becoming a parent, there may be avenues in your state to amend and/or align your parentage order with your identification documents as much as possible.
    • Advocates for Trans Equality recently issued this Trans Legal Survival Guide that offers practical advice: https://transequality.org/resources/trans-legal-survival-guide 
  • You may want to have medical documents on file with your doctors, such as advance directives and medical power of attorney, to avoid having to scramble in a crisis. For example, if you want to continue receiving trans health care if you are in a coma, you can spell that out or other wishes. Visit CaringInfo.org which is a helpful resource on this topic.
  • Queer and transgender parents may encounter bias in the context of an investigation by child protective services. If you learn you are being investigated, document everything. Look into getting an attorney immediately – don’t wait until a case is filed against you in court. The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLAD Law can offer technical assistance.
  • If you made a will in one state and then move to another one, it’s recommended to connect with an estate attorney to make sure your will aligns with the new state’s requirements.
  • Don’t let money deter you from seeking resources. You can find pro bono lawyers, you can request waivers for legal fees, you can self-represent yourself in court. Voluntary acknowledgments in particular are very accessible. You can find attorney referrals through Lambda Legal, ACLU, and NCLR’s hotlines.

Right now there is a lot of uncertainty. It’s hard to provide broad legal advice without knowing individual circumstances, but what we do know is that LGBTQ people and advocates have faced hostility before; and have long been in the work of supporting each other.

The most important thing people can do is connect with your local community, including your state equality group if one exists in your state, CenterLink: the Community of LGBTQ Centers, and your local PFLAG and ACLU chapters, who have been doing this work for a long time and will continue to do work to support local LGBTQ residents. They will be able to provide localized resources and support, and know best what is permissible in your individual jurisdiction.

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British Lawn Tennis Association bans trans women from some female events

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The British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has announced that transgender women will be banned from competing in some domestic tournaments.

The LTA oversees the domestic game, so the rule changes do not apply to international matches which are played on British soil, including Wimbledon, or other events such as an internal club tournament, where venues will decide on their own rules.

However, the updated policy on transgender and non-binary participation means trans women and people assigned male at birth won’t be allowed to play in the women’s category in matches against players from another club or county.

“We are changing our policy to restrict trans women and non-binary individuals assigned male at birth from playing in the women’s category in specified, inter-venue competitions,” an LTA press release read.

“These will be competitions ranging from our national championships through to local county and district leagues, where the purpose is to provide fair competitive opportunities. This policy helps ensure there is a common national standard for all these competitions, which is fair.

“For non-specified competitions within venues, the purpose is primarily to provide fun, social competition to enable people to feel part of their local tennis community and players will be able to familiarise themselves with the policy within their own venue and hence who they are likely to be playing against.

“These will range from weekend social tournaments through to club championships.”

The governing body went on to say: “We want to encourage local venues to ensure they are as inclusive as possible for trans and non-binary individuals, providing opportunities to compete in a friendly environment. In line with this, the LTA’s own local tennis leagues (held in park venues) will remain fully inclusive.

“The policy attempts to balance two responsibilities appropriately but in the knowledge that different people will reasonably have different views as to where that balance should lie.” 

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Tennis and padel tennis are “gender-affected sports” where the “average man” has an advantage over the “average woman… [and] this advantage is likely to be retained to a significant degree in trans women, making competition potentially unfair”, the statement continued.

The policy will come into effect on 25 January but will kept under review “in light of any new scientific or other information”, an LTA spokesperson said.

The change come a couple of weeks after the Ladies Professional Golf Association restricted golfers in the women’s category to those either assigned female at birth or, if transgender, “[they had] not experienced any part of male puberty”.

In addition, any trans golfer must have “continuously maintained the concentration of testosterone in their serum below 2.5 nmol/l”, to qualify. The average for cis women is between 0.5 and 2.4 nmol/l.

In recent years, a number of sports governing bodies have taken similar steps.

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LGBTQ+ parents are rushing to safeguard their parental rights before Donald Trump is president

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LGBTQ+ parents are reportedly scrambling to secure their parental rights before Donald Trump takes the oath of office.

Attorney Meghan Alexander told Advocate she usually receives about three calls a week from LGBTQ+ parents seeking second-parent adoptions. The week Trump won, she fielded 26 calls. Since then, they have just kept coming. 

Project 2025, which is believed to be the blueprint for the Trump administration, essentially calls to eliminate LGBTQ+ rights and states, “Only heterosexual, two-parent families are safe for children.” 

“The advice is the same as it’s been for the last couple of decades, which is to do a second-parent adoption,” Alexander explained. “Do not depend on the federal government or the gay right to marry to give you parental rights.” 

A 2023 report from a coalition of LGBTQ+ advocacy groups explains that second-parent adoption “can be used to establish a legal relationship between a parent and a child OR to obtain an adoption decree for someone who is already a legal parent through another pathway to parentage, such as the marital presumption.”

Shelbi Day, Chief Policy Officer for Family Equality, told LGBTQ Nation when the report was released that even married LGBTQ+ couples cannot rely on the marital presumption and should take further steps to protect themselves.

She said that the presumption can be challenged in some states and that Family Equality “strongly suggests that parents take additional steps to establish legal parentage to ensure that children have legal stability and access to all of the rights and benefits of legal parentage no matter where people travel and no matter what happens between the parents in the future.” 

This is also true even if both parents are on a child’s birth certificate, which she said “does not establish a legal parent-child relationship.”

Alexander dispensed similar advice to Advocate. She also said parentage orders are not as effective as second-parent adoptions, at least in Texas where she practices, because these orders have not been challenged extensively in the courts. Adoptions, on the other hand, have been repeatedly upheld. 

LGBTQ+ family law expert Nancy Polikoff agreed, saying adoptions are better understood and more “universally recognized.” 

“When we are looking at the possibility of cutting back on LGBT family recognition, states that are not inclined to recognize the legitimacy of parenting by LGBT people are going to be emboldened to deny that status whenever they can,” she said.

“Nobody is expecting Obergefell to be overturned anytime soon,” she continued. “Unfortunately, I think parentage is one of those places where if a court is just not going to be as protective in a particular state, I think they are going to have more leeway to discriminate under a Trump administration.”

In addition to many parents simply not knowing this is the best path to protecting there families, another barrier looms large: Second-parent adoptions can carry a hefty price tag.

“It makes me sick to think there are people who need this done and cannot get it done,” Haley Swenson told Advocate. Swenson and her wife, Alieza Durana, rushed to complete a second-parent adoption of their son after Trump won the election. 

Unable to afford the $3,500 they needed to begin the process, they reached out to friends and family for help. 

“It’s unclear what they want to do, and that lack of specificity is what’s really scary if you’re a queer parent because you don’t really know how to protect yourself,” Swenson said of the incoming administration. 

“So since we know there was this one thing we could do to protect ourselves, and we hadn’t done it yet, it was like, ‘OK, there are so many unknowns — let’s at least take care of what we can.”

The best path toward obtaining legal parentage rights may vary by state. Check out this report for more information.

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Trans darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven set to make history at World Championships

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Trans darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven will make history this week when she competes at the World Championships.

Van Leuven, who transitioned in 2021 and who has faced controversy for playing against cis women, qualified for the Professional Darts Corporation World Championship in October – the first trans woman to do so. 

And on Tuesday (17 December), she will face Kevin Doets at London’s Alexandra Palace. 

‘I just want to be Noa’ 

“It’s going to be a big achievement for me and for my kind of people,” Van Leuven told the PA news agency. “But I guess I just want to be Noa, I just want to play darts and not always having to talk about the fact I’m also transgender.

“I’m a darts player and I’m terribly good at it. But I guess it’s a big thing and I’m also the first Dutch woman to play on the Alexandra Palace stage.” 

The darts star travelled to London for the match following a double shift as a junior sous chef, a career she intends to continue. “It also is a bit of a stress relief for me. We all know Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen and sometimes it can be like that in our kitchen, but I enjoy working there,” she said.

Trans darts player’s online abuse battle

Van Leuven has been open about the abuse she has faced, revealing earlier this month that she’d suffered panic attacks and depression in the wake of a backlash to qualifying for the world championships. 

Tennis star Martina Navratilova, who has been a vocal opponent of trans inclusion in women’s sport, wrote: “No male bodies in women’s sports please, not even in darts. Again, women get the short end of the stick and it stinks.”

Van Leuven responded to the attacks in a statement given to Dutch outlet NOS (via Express), saying: “I don’t really feel the need to go further into it. This has been their choice and not mine.

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“I think the only unfortunate thing about this issue is that a lot of people forget that I am also a human being.”

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Japanese court rules marriage equality ban unconstitutional

The Fukuoka High Court of Japan has become the third of Japan’s eight high courts to rule that the government’s policy against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. However, the court upheld a lower court ruling that dismissed three same-sex couples who had sought 1 million yen ($6,540) each for being denied their constitutional rights to gender and legal equality, individual dignity, and the pursuit of happiness.

The couples, who live in the southwestern cities of Fukuoka and Kumamoto, had their damage claims dismissed by the Fukuoka District Court in 2023 after the court ruled that the government wasn’t obliged to compensate them or legalize marriage equality legislation despite being in “state of unconstitutionality,” The Mainichi reported. 

High Court Judge Takeshi Okada ruled that civil laws forbidding same-sex marriages violate the nation’s constitution, saying, “There is no longer any reason to not legally recognize marriage between same-sex couples.” However, he noted that any change in national marriage laws must be decided by Japan’s legislature, known as the National Diet.

As the judge read his ruling, a 35-year-old plaintiff identified in the media as Kosuke couldn’t stop crying. Despite this, his 37-year-old partner Masahiro said “[the judge] understood our suffering, and I felt very reassured.”

Opponents of marriage equality in Japan have noted that Article 24 of the Japanese constitution specifically states, “Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal rights of husband and wife as a basis.”

However, marriage equality advocates have also pointed out that the constitution’s other articles state, “The people shall not be prevented from enjoying any of the fundamental human rights,” and, “All of the people are equal under the law and there shall be no discrimination in political, economic or social relations because of race, creed, sex, social status or family origin.”

Regardless, in October the Tokyo High Court ruled similarly, echoing another one made by the Sapporo High Court in March, which said that limiting marriage to couples of the opposite sex is “unconstitutional” and “discriminatory.” Despite the rulings, the country’s judiciary doesn’t have the power to overturn existing civil marriage codes.

Marriage equality has divided the country’s court system in opposing rulings over several years. Meanwhile, Japan’s conservative government lags behind increasingly supportive public opinion. Seventy percent of the Japanese public supports marriage equality, but it faces opposition from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

The party lost its parliamentary majority in last Sunday’s election and will likely have to compromise on more liberal policies pushed by the opposition parties, like marriage equality, the aforementioned publication noted.

Right now, Japan doesn’t offer national LGBTQ+ non-discrimination protections or same-sex marriage. As a result, LGBTQ+ people in Japan often face inequities in employment, housing, education, and health care.

More than 200 Japanese municipalities offer some form of recognition for same-sex couples. Such recognition can help same-sex couples rent apartments together, visit each other in city hospitals, and receive other services that married heterosexual couples enjoy.

Though several jurisdictions offer “partnership certificates,” they’re entirely symbolic and don’t offer federal benefits given to married heterosexual couples.

LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have pushed for a national bill that would enshrine equal civil rights and non-discrimination protections into law. However, the conservative party of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida helped defeat the effort in the lead-up to the 2021 Olympic Summer Games.

Japan remains the only country in the G7, a political and economic forum of seven of the world’s most advanced economies, that has not legalized marriage equality. Currently, the only Asian countries that have legalized same-sex marriage are Taiwan, Nepal, and Thailand.

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Trans inmates are being forced to cut their hair short & undergo breast exam’s in Florida

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The ACLU of Florida is suing the state’s Department of Corrections over a new anti-transgender policy that will restrict trans prisoners’ access to gender-affirming medical care as well as their ability to express their gender identity.

According to a report from The Marshall Project and the Tampa Bay Times, a federal judge in Tallahassee held a preliminary hearing in the case on December 9. The ACLU of Florida has asked the judge to block enforcement of the policy, calling it an unconstitutional ban on gender-affirming care. A ruling is expected in the weeks ahead.

Under the new policy, Florida prisons will only provide inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria with therapy. Trans inmates will not have access to gender-affirming hormone therapy except “in rare instances” when it is deemed “necessary to comply with the U.S. Constitution or a court decision.”

“Unaddressed psychiatric issues and unaddressed childhood trauma could lead to a misdiagnosis of gender dysphoria,” the policy claims. Gender-affirming hormone therapy, it continues, “may be requested by persons experiencing short-termed delusions or beliefs which may later be changed and reversed.”

Daniel Tilley, lead attorney from the ACLU of Florida, compared the policy’s therapy requirements to so-called “conversion therapy.”

In court documents, Danny Martinez, the state prison system’s medical director, said he based the department’s new policies on a 2022 report commissioned by Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). The report focused primarily on the effects of gender-affirming care on children and its findings contradicted the overwhelming consensus of all major medical organizations, which hold that gender-affirming healthcare is necessary and frequently lifesaving for transgender individuals suffering from gender dysphoria.

The 2022 report resulted in the state banning healthcare providers from billing the state’s Medicaid program for gender-affirming care. But in June 2023, a federal judge struck down the Florida Medicaid ban, finding that the AHCA report was “a biased effort to justify a predetermined outcome, not a fair analysis of the evidence,” and its conclusion was “not supported by the evidence and was contrary to generally accepted medical standards.”

The Florida Department of Corrections’ new policy was announced in September during meetings in which incarcerated transgender women were told that trans inmates would be “reevaluated” to determine whether they would still be allowed access to gender-affirming healthcare and other accommodations that they were already receiving. According to the Tampa Bay Times, inmates said they were not told how prison officials would determine whether they would still be allowed access to care. While so far no inmates reported being taken off hormone therapy, more than a dozen incarcerated trans women told the paper they had already been forced to cut their hair short.

In court filings and interviews, incarcerated trans women in Florida prisons also reported being subjected to breast examinations to determine whether or not they would still be allowed access to bras.

“It felt like I was being treated less than human,” Josie Takach, a trans inmate at a Florida men’s facility, said of the examination. Takach said her undergarments, now considered contraband, were confiscated. “I feel like I’m 12 years old again, sneaking around wearing a bra.”

Sara Maatsch, who is also incarcerated in a Florida men’s prison, said that her gender dysphoria diagnosis was now considered a serious psychiatric illness. She was told she would have to be moved to a more restrictive facility with fewer work and programming opportunities to continue receiving treatment.

Mariko Sundwall told The Marshall Project that after spending 10 days in solitary confinement for refusing to cut her hair, a prison barber buzzed her hair short while she was handcuffed.

“I’m very sad and depressed. I feel like they’re taking away my identity,” Jada Edwards, another trans inmate, said of the buzz cut she was forced to receive.

As The Marshall Project notes, previous court decisions have held that prisons in the U.S. are required under the Constitution to provide gender-affirming care as needed.

University of California San Francisco psychiatrist Dan Karasic, who helped develop international standards for treatment of transgender people, told The Marshal Project that Florida’s new anti-trans prison policies were “a fig leaf on [the state’s] efforts to ban gender-affirming care.”

“They are really trying to skirt the law, as determined by multiple courts, that gender-affirming medical and surgical care must be provided when medically necessary,” Karasic said.

The battle over Florida’s anti-trans prison policies follows the 2024 presidential campaign, which saw Donald Trump’s campaign target Democratic nominee Kamala Harris with ads claiming the Vice President “supports taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners.”

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The 2024 International Conference on Stigma: Bridging Gaps for Black Women and Building Solidarity Between Cis and Trans Communities

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This year, The International Conference on Stigma, held November 19–21 at Howard University’s Blackburn Center, provided a critical platform for addressing stigma’s impact on marginalized communities. This year’s theme, “Stigma No More… It’s 2024!”, encouraged bold conversations about health inequities, particularly those affecting Black women.

One pivotal panel, Spilling the Tea, Part III: Real Conversations between Cis and Trans Women, brought attention to the unique challenges Black cisgender and transgender women face in accessing HIV testing and treatment. Moderated by Shelley Turner, a seasoned advocate, the panel included voices like Diamond Phillips, Chasity Nicole Petty Carter, and Sahara Rivera—experts dedicated to inclusive healthcare and community health navigation.

HIV Among Black Women: An Overlooked Crisis

Black women represent 13% of the U.S. female population but accounted for 51% of new HIV diagnoses among women in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . Yet, public health narratives often portray HIV as primarily affecting men who have sex with men, leaving cisgender women underrepresented in prevention efforts.

Chasity Carter underscored this disconnect during the panel:

“We don’t see how Black women are being tested or catching HIV because it’s never shown. The conversation is often seen as only a gay disease, and that has to shift for cis women, queer or not, to view it as a possibility for them as well.”

The lack of representation perpetuates harmful stereotypes and deprives women of accurate information about prevention options, such as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). The US HIV surveillance report of 2019 estimated PrEP coverage for cisgender women at risk of HIV was just under 10% compared with 27% for gay men and 32% for transgender women.

Trans Women of Color Face Dual Stigma

 Transgender women of color experience some of the highest HIV prevalence rates globally, with 44% of Black trans women in the U.S. living with HIV according to the Human Rights Campaignand AIDSVu. Yet, as panelist Sahara Rivera, an advocate focused on specializing in HIV Prevention and Transgender Health, highlighted, systemic inequities force trans women to prioritize survival needs over testing and treatment:

“Is HIV testing the need they’re focused on when food, housing, money, and transportation are such high priorities to survive?”

And it’s a real question that many individuals have to consider daily when prioritizing certain factors in their day-to-day routines. Especially in an increasingly expensive economy. Efforts to reduce stigma and increase access to healthcare must address these intersecting social determinants or else we’re only scratching the surface of the problem. Programs like Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) and other wraparound services can mitigate these barriers but remain underfunded in many regions .

Urban vs. Rural Healthcare Disparities

Access to HIV testing and treatment often depends on geographic location. While urban centers typically offer more resources, rural areas lack adequate infrastructure, leaving many underserved. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 23% of Black Americans in rural areas report difficulty accessing healthcare, compared to 12% in urban areas .

 Sahara Rivera noted the disparity:

“There’s a BIG gap. A lot of these centers are in major cities or downtown areas, making them inaccessible for rural communities. And rural centers that do exist often don’t receive enough resources to stay functional.”

This challenge is especially pronounced in Southern states, which have some of the highest rates of new HIV diagnoses but also the lowest Medicaid expansion rates, further limiting access to care. 

Solidarity Between Cis and Trans Women

The panel emphasized the importance of solidarity between cisgender and transgender women to combat shared challenges. It’s essential in addressing HIV testing disparities, as shared experiences and mutual support can dismantle stigma and promote inclusive healthcare. Trans women, especially those of color, face unique barriers to HIV testing, including discrimination, economic instability, and a lack of culturally sensitive services. At the same time, cisgender women often underestimate their own risk, partly due to misconceptions about HIV as a “gay disease” and a lack of awareness about testing options like home tests or free screenings. For instance, many cisgender women assume annual OB-GYN visits cover comprehensive HIV testing, which is often not the case. Rivera stressed the need for more inclusive education:

“Cis women think, ‘I’ve got my tests done for the year,’ without realizing there’s more to testing and treatment than what’s covered in a typical OB-GYN visit.”

Building alliances across gender identities is crucial for dismantling stigma and fostering inclusive healthcare systems. It requires open dialogue and allyship between cis and trans communities, emphasizing shared health goals and access equity. Collaborative initiatives, such as peer-led education and community-based outreach programs, have shown success in increasing testing rates and fostering trust in healthcare systems​.

Attendees at the International Conference on Stigma

A Path Forward

To reduce HIV stigma and improve healthcare outcomes for Black women, public health efforts must center on culturally competent care, expanded access to resources, and accurate representation in media campaigns. A 2022 report from the National HIV/AIDS Strategyemphasized the importance of addressing stigma at structural and interpersonal levels to achieve the goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030 .

As we move out of 2024 and into 2025, the fight against HIV stigma must intensify now more than ever, ensuring that no woman—cisgender or transgender—feels invisible in this battle. By fostering solidarity and prioritizing systemic change, we can create a future where stigma no longer hinders progress and every community has equitable access to care.

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Texas City Council that targeted LGBTQ+ people gets voted out — and replaced with first gay member

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Voters in Odessa, Texas, rejected three incumbent City Council members just one month after they voted to implement a harsh anti-trans bathroom ban, replacing one with the city’s first out gay council member.

Craig Stoker, the executive director for Meals on Wheels in Odessa, won his November election for at-large City Council member with 56 percent of the vote — in the same county President-elect Donald Trump won 76 percent of the vote. 

Stoker beat Denise Swanner by campaigning on infrastructure — specifically roads and garbage pickup — in contrast to the incumbent, whose campaign sent out mailers comparing the two’s opposite positions by listing their only similarity as the fact that they are both in relationships with men.

“I understood the outcome was too important. If I could pull this off, what I would have the ability to do completely outweighed whatever they were slinging at me,” Stoker told The Texas Tribune. “And the ability to represent people who have probably never had a voice in the City Council chamber became too important to me.”

The Odessa City Council banned transgender individuals from using bathrooms, locker rooms, changing areas, showers, and similar public facilities that align with their gender identity after a contentious open meeting in October. Those who violate the ban could be convicted of a class C misdemeanor and receive a fine of up to $500, also giving legal standing to alleged victims to sue for damages up to $10,000 in civil court.

Mayor Javier Joven strongly supported the ban, stating that it was “important to prioritize the safety and privacy of the majority.” He lost he reelection bid to Cal Hendrick, who campaigned on repairing infrastructure. 

The Ector County Republican Party did not endorse any local candidates in this year’s elections, with Chair Donna Kelm reasoning that abortion and LGBTQ+ issues should be left to the state legislature. 

“None of it was truly about me. It was their fear of losing a seat, losing an election, losing the title,” Stoker continued. “I came into this campaign with the mindset that I’m going to have to rely on the work I’ve done in the community and the reputation I’ve built preceding me. That’s all I got.”

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Lesbian Connection: How a grassroots magazine shaped generations of queer women

For half a century, Lesbian Connection has been more than just a magazine — it’s been a lifeline, newsletter, public forum and rallying cry for queer women worldwide. Launched in September 1974 as a humble, grassroots publication, this reader-written magazine has survived the test of time, connecting women-loving women through personal stories, advice columns and community updates long before social media made such communication second nature.

The inspiration for Lesbian Connection magazine, affectionately known as “LC” or “Elsie” by its readers, struck during a cross-country road trip in 1973. Michigan taxi driver Margy Lesher and her then-girlfriend, Goldie, decided to hop in their car and “go around the country looking for the lesbians,” Lesher recalled.

The couple stayed with other lesbians they met along the way and collected names and addresses to stay connected with the greater Sapphic community. Feeling inspired after their weekslong journey, the duo decided to host the first Midwest Lesbian Conference in Lansing, Michigan, in the spring of 1974. However, they found it challenging to advertise the event, so they started the magazine so lesbians around the globe could share with one another and promote events of mutual interest.

margy lesbian connection magazine
Margy Lesher and her puppet monkey, Shyne, at the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival in 1983.Joan E Biren via Lesbian Connection

“From our travels, we realized there were women all over doing things. They were starting bookstores and starting to publish books and records. Lesbian albums had just started coming out, and I figured it was great to have all these things, but if lesbians didn’t know about them, they were never going to succeed,” Lesher said, adding that the goal of the magazine was “to have a way that all the lesbians who were doing all these great things [could] get the word out about what they were doing.”

ADVERTISING

Lesher formed a cohort of nine lesbians called “The Ambitious Amazons,” and the group, along with several other volunteers, took over a women’s center in Lansing, Michigan, to assemble the first issue. With ink-stained fingers, the women stapled together mimeographed pages to get the copies out to their earliest subscribers.

Since the beginning, Lesbian Connection has run almost entirely on subscriber donations. Each cover reads, “Free to lesbians worldwide, but the suggested donation is $7/issue (more if you can, less if you can’t).” The publication — which comes out every two months — is still going strong today, operating out of two small homes in Lansing.

lesbian connection magazine volunteers
Filing Fortran computer cards and working on a magazine mailing at the Lesbian Center in 1983.Joan E Biren via Lesbian Connection

Longtime reader, contributor and editor Nancy Manahan said she first stumbled upon Lesbian Connection in San Francisco in the mid-1970s, likely at the feminist bookstore Old Wives Tales. The raw, unfiltered nature of the content immediately struck her, she recalled, and she has subscribed ever since.

“It’s not monitored in a way that squelches debate or anger or opinions, and so it’s just so lively and real, and I think that’s kind of unusual and amazing that there’s so much tolerance for diversity and conflict,” she said. “It’s so much fun.”

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Manahan added, “A magazine that is created by readers entails a certain kind of buy-in, because all the readers know that nobody is forcing anything on us. Everybody is completely welcome to express their outrage.”

lesbian connection magazine
Margy Lesher working at home in 1976.Lesbian Connection

In recent years, readers have debated how transgender and nonbinary lesbians fit into Lesbian Connection, leading to some readers canceling their subscriptions. However, longtime reader Kathy Munzer said she feels these conversations are necessary for the community to learn and grow.

“We’re coming from different places. We need to listen to each other. I just think we could learn from each other,” Munzer said.

Munzer added that Lesbian Connection is a vital resource for the community. Regardless of how heated the debates may get, she said, the core mission of Lesbian Connection is to foster a sense of togetherness for an oppressed group.

“The stories are inspiring, and no matter where you live, it makes you feel like you’re not alone. You’re part of a loving, kind, smart, and caring community,” she said.

In the magazine, they also included a section called “Contact Dykes” where subscribers could list their contact information for lesbians traveling in their areas. The list is still going strong 50 years later.

lesbian connection magazine
Lesbian Connection staffers choosing cover art for an upcoming issue in Margy Lesher’s living room in 1989.Lesbian Connection

Cheryl VanDeKerkhove, now in her 60s, was just 23 when she started working as a full-time staff member at Lesbian Connection in the early ’80s. She said she has always appreciated that the publication never shied away from debate.

“They do allow voices to come through that they know are not going to be well received in the community, because it gives the community a chance to educate itself, and it gives the community a chance to have the discussions that are really difficult,” she said. “That’s a constant that’s been going on since it started in the ’70s.”

As Lesbian Connection embarks on its second half-century, those behind the magazine say its mission is more important now than ever, especially with a second Trump presidency on the horizon. Manahan said she hopes younger readers subscribe to the magazine to arm themselves with knowledge for the new era of politics our country is about to enter.

“We are heading into a time that may bear a horrifying resemblance to what some of us struggled with half a century ago, and it might be really instructive to see the strategies and the courage and the risks that some of us in the ’60s and ’70s and ’80s and ’90s took all those years ago that younger generations may be faced with again,” she said.

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These Are the Groups Fighting Access to Health Care for Trans Youth

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments yesterday in the case of U.S. v. Skrmetti, a significant case that may profoundly affect the accessibility of health care for transgender youth and their families across the country, as well as the autonomy of health care providers to deliver such care.

The plaintiffs, families of transgender youth and a medical provider, are challenging Tennessee’s law banning health care such as hormone therapy and puberty-pausing medications for transgender youth under 18, even when that treatment is medically warranted and sanctioned by their parents. The same treatments are not banned for cisgender (non-transgender) youth. 

Following oral arguments, CNN’s Brianna Keilar hosted Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) president Kristen Waggoner. ADF was described as a Christian legal organization that is representing other states with similar cases. In fact, ADF is an anti-LGBTQ hate group, as designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and has a history of funding and representing cases targeting LGBTQ people, youth and protections. ADF has fought alongside the first Trump administration’s Justice Department to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ people:

  • at work (Bostock)
  • against same-sex couples trying to buy a wedding cake (Masterpiece)
  • couples looking to adopt children (Fulton)
  • 303 Creative, a case that the Washington Post reported included “manufacturing lawsuits” to find plaintiffs to sue, ending up with a website designer who was never asked to perform services for LGBTQ clients. 

No transgender people appeared to challenge Waggoner’s claims, including the baseless assertion that patients are incapable of understanding the consequences of medical care. Transgender youth seeking care must have parental consent to receive it.

ADF is among several groups with a long history of activism against LGBTQ Americans that filed amicus briefs in the Skrmetti case. Media reporting on the case and support for the bans that are supported by every major medical association can report on the records of the groups and their longstanding animus against LGBTQ people. GLAAD has documented these records on the GLAAD Accountability Project, including:

Family Research Council (FRC)

—Advocated for President Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military and bragged of White House connections just prior to the ban.

—Publishes brochures, videos, and other materials for parents and other school anti-trans activists, such as the 2016 “Parents Guide to the Transgender Movement in Education,” which misgenders trans people and encourages parents to oppose gender-affirming care backed by every major medical association as best practice, lifesaving care

—Supports so-called “conversion therapy,” and encourages children to ignore classmates’ pronouns, despite research showing that using accurate pronouns improves mental health. 

—Describes the Equality Act, which would provide comprehensive protections from discrimination for LGBTQ people as “unequal, unfair, and unjust.” 

—Filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court against marriage equality in support of California’s Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act, both since nullified.

—Baselessly claimed that “one of the primary goals of the homosexual rights movement is to abolish all age of consent laws and to eventually recognize pedophiles as the ‘prophets’ of a new sexual order.” 

—Promotes the “ex-gay” movement as a way to combat LGBTQ civil rights measures and refutesthe claims of victims of abusive, so-called “conversion therapy.” 

—More on the Family Research Council

American College of Pediatricians

The American College of Pediatricians

—Fringe medical group that split with the mainstream American Academy of Pediatrics to protest its support of LGBTQ couples adopting children

—Colluded with the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) using junk science to propagate anti-transgender policy

—Made false claims about evidence-based gender-affirming care to support Texas authorities targeting families of transgender children

—Sued the Department of Health and Human Services with Alliance Defending Freedom objecting to gender-affirming care for any patient including children

—Made false claims about LGBTQ people’s mental health and fitness as parents, claims debunked by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, and the American Medical Association

—Supports the discredited and dangerous practice of “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ youth

—Vile rhetoric falsely linking LGBTQ people to pedophilia and “grooming”

—False and baseless claims that “transgenderism” [sic] “increasingly looks like a cultish religion”

—More on The American College of Pediatricians

Kristen Waggoner (Alliance Defending Freedom ADF) and Lorie Smith
ADF’s Kristen Waggoner with plaintiff Lorie Smith

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

—Colluded with the American College of Pediatricians (ACP) to shore up anti-transgender policy efforts and legal arguments with junk science

—Multiple lawsuits, including false claims, to prevent transgender students from participating in sports

—Represented multiple educators who refused to use accurate pronouns and names of transgender students. Research shows using accurate pronouns and names reduces suicide risk for vulnerable youth.

—Testified in the Ohio legislature to spread misinformation about gender affirming care for youth, which is supported by every major medical association

—Argued in court for the criminalization of homosexuality in amicus briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas

—As early as 2010 began sending letters threatening libraries to ban books with LGBTQ inclusive content and characters

—Represented “conversion therapy” practitioners in lawsuits, a practice discredited by mental health and medical professionals as harmful and ineffective.

—Helped draft bills in Idaho, Montana, and other states targeting trans youth participation in school sports

—Drafted the model “Student Privacy Act” legislation that led to a wave of “bathroom bills” in 2017

—Defended state-enforced sterilization for transgender Europeans

—For years has promoted the idea of “homosexual agenda,” a purportedly evil plan to abolish Christianity and, eventually, civilization through LGBTQ people’s efforts to secure legal equality

—Falsely declared that LGBTQ people are more likely to engage in pedophilia

—Multiple efforts to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ couples by businesses

—More on Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

Women’s Liberation Front

—Advised Ohio lawmakers on strategies to advance bills banning transgender students from using bathrooms matching their gender identity, and prohibiting transgender health care for youth.

—Created the “Women’s Bill of Rights,” legislation that defines sex strictly as the biological sex assigned at birth, and excludes transgender identities. Versions of this bill have been introduced in multiple states (and have reached the U.S House and Senate) to restrict the rights of transgender individuals.

—In an amicus brief to the Supreme Court, misgendered the plaintiff writing, “Simply, Aimee Stephens is a man.” 

—Opposes the Equality Act

—Filed a joint brief in opposition to a lower court ruling in favor of Gavin Grimm, a trans boy who desired to use the boys’ restroom at his high school.

—More on Women’s Liberation Front

These organizations’ so-called “concerns” about trans kids are not new, and their anti-LGBTQ actions represent a longheld pattern. These groups have a long history of promoting discrimination against queer and transgender people. 

The media have a responsibility to do their homework on their guests including researching and including the history of groups advocating against LGBTQ people. The GLAAD Accountability Project has profiles of public figures and groups and their records of targeting LGBTQ people. Journalists should challenge any unfounded and baseless claims. Media coverage of the issues facing transgender people should include the voices of transgender people.

Every major medical association and world health authority supports healthcare for transgender people. Accurately report there is widely-held consensus about the safety and efficacy of this mainstream care. Statements from medical associations and world health authorities here.

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