DAD OF TRANS DAUGHTER RESPONDS TO RADIO TALK SHOW’S VIOLENT, ANTI-TRANSGENDER LANGUAGE: After a nationally-syndicated radio talk show posted a video denigrating and devaluing the lives of Black transgender women,  JR Ford (@MrJRFord), father of a six-year-old transgender daughter and member of HRC’s Parents for Transgender Equality Council, wrote in a blog post for HRC, “[I] am absolutely horrified that hateful rhetoric and bigotry permeates freely in the media, targeting the lives of Black transgender women and girls. Girls like my own daughter.” The vile and violent comments were made after transgender author Janet Mock (@JanetMock) was featured on the show The Breakfast Club to promote her new memoir. Mock also responded, writing in a powerful piece for Allure, “Their fragile masculinity would not allow them to recognize a simple truth: I am an accomplished, beautiful black trans woman. Your willful ignorance will not stop me from being exactly who I am. My sisters and I are here and we exist, and you will not diminish our light and our brilliance.” More from HRC and Allure.

• Transgender actress and trailblazer Laverne Cox (@LaverneCox) tweeted: “Some folks think it’s ok to joke about wanting to kill us. We have free speech but that speech has consequences and trans folks are experiencing the negative consequences with our lives. It hurts my spirit cause this isn’t funny. Our lives matter. Trans murder isn’t a joke.” More from The Huffington Post.

#Transphobia needs 2 end. My daughter is not a threat. Let's conquer fear & hate. #Love #BlackTransLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/54GYpml264

— JR Ford (@MrJRFord) July 31, 2017

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS CONTACTED THE PENTAGON ABOUT MOVING ON TRUMP’S ANTI-TRANSGENDER TWEETS: The Hill’s Ellen Mitchell (@EllenMitchell23) reports that the Pentagon has been instructed to draft guidance barring transgender people from serving in the armed forces. Last week, President Donald Trump in a series of dangerous and unpatriotic tweets said that he would reinstate a ban on qualified transgender people serving in the military. This move was met by wide, bipartisan opposition. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters yesterday, “We have conversations back and forth all the time with the White House in a variety of channels and those conversations are starting to happen on the issue.” More from The Hill.

TUESDAY TWEETS: In a special session in Texas, State Senator Lois Kolkhorst introduced an anti-transgender bill, SB3, which discriminates against transgender people -- including athletes who are transgender. The Senate passed the hateful measure, and it is now in the House. Athletes around the country are voicing their opposition. Read HRC’s roundup of athletes' tweets here.

• Major Houston-based businesses, including Shell and ExxonMobil Global Services Company, sent a letter to Texas leadership opposing SB3. Read the letter here.

I am a female athlete for inclusion. Please don't discriminate in my name! #txlege #yallmeansALL @HRC

— Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) July 29, 2017

HRC TO DHS -- COUNT OUR LGBTQ ELDERLY: Last week, HRC submitted a public comment to proposed revisions to the 2017 National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants administered by the Department of Health and Human Service’s Administration on Community Living (ACL). HRC is urging the ACL to take proactive steps to include transgender older adults in this critical survey. More from HRC.

WNBA STAR DONATES $5,000 TO LGBTQ YOUTH CENTER THAT WAS ATTACKED: A man casually torched an LGBTQ youth center in Phoenix earlier this month -- in broad daylight. Openly lesbian WNBA Star Brittney Griner responded by donating $5,000 to the center, saying “This is a safe zone and safe spot for LGBT community and youth. It’s a place that helps so many.” More from The Associated Press.

OLYMPIC MUST WATCH: A powerful new video follows transgender volleyball player Chloe Anderson, who recently earned a spot on the women’s team at the University of California Santa Cruz. Last year, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decided to allow transgender athletes to compete without requiring gender affirming surgery. More from The Olympic Channel.

YOUTUBER BIG CLIVE COMES OUT AS GAY: The electrical engineer famous for teaching viewers by taking apart electrical objects came out during a livestream. More from Towleroad.

HORRIFYING -- NIGERIAN POLICE ARREST 42 MEN SEEKING HIV TESTING: The men, arrested on suspicion of being gay or bisexual, were at an private event that offered HIV testing and counseling. The men could face up to 14 years in prison. More from Reuters.

INDONESIA EXPECTED TO REJECT UN’S RECOMMENDATIONS TO CURTAIL ANTI-LGBTQ HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS: The pushback is expected at the next United Nations council meeting in September, according to an Indonesian government official. More from The Jakarta Post.

READING RAINBOW

Gay Star News rounds up videos talking about nonbinary identities; Refinery29 shares the heartbreaking story of a survivor of so-called ‘conversion therapy’; Deadline Hollywood reports that the number of LGBTQ characters in film has not increased in the past decade

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