HRC OPPOSES ANTI-LGBTQ GOVERNOR BROWNBACK FOR AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE POSITION: HRC sent a letter to senators on the Foreign Relations Committee urging them to oppose Donald Trump’s nomination for the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, staunch anti-LGBTQ politician Sam Brownback. “Given Governor Brownback’s anti-LGBTQ record, it is deeply worrying that he could use this position to promote the harmful idea that individuals holding certain religious views should somehow be permitted be discriminate against LGBTQ people or other minorities,” said HRC Government Affairs Director David Stacy. “This is particularly concerning because LGBTQ people often face persecution in the same countries where where religious minorities face persecution. Gov. Brownback must not be allowed to use this position to reverse the State Department’s longstanding policies, reiterated by Secretary of State Tillerson earlier this year, to support ‘the fundamental freedoms of LGBTQ persons to live with dignity and freedom.’” More from HRC.

PA SENATE ADVANCES TROUBLING ANTI-TRANSGENDER AMENDMENT TO CHILD HEALTH INSURANCE BILL: HRC reacted to the Pennsylvania State Senate’s dangerous vote to advance discriminatory anti-transgender amendment to the reauthorization of the state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Introduced by State Senator Don White, the amendment would cut transition-related surgical services for transgender youth out of the program. HB1338 passed the Senate by a 37-13 vote and now heads to the House Rules committee for final amendments. “CHIP saves lives and should be beyond the reach of cynical lawmakers looking to score cheap political points,” said HRC Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs JoDee Winterhof. “This attack is dangerous and mean-spirited. Protecting children and ensuring they have equal access to healthcare is a nonpartisan issue, and we urge the House Rules committee to reject this harmful amendment.” Read more at HRC.

MORNING MUST READ -- NYT, “JEFF FLAKE OUT, ROY MOORE IN”: New York Times columnist David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) writes about the dangerous trend of Republicans like Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Mike Lee (R-UT) embracing the bigoted Moore for his  “integrity” and “standing up for the Constitution.” As Leonhardt writes, “Moore is the former judge who recently won the Republican nomination for a Senate seat in Alabama. He is also a demagogue who has called homosexuality ‘evil’ and ‘so heinous’ and who engaged in a discussion, on video, about whether it should be ‘punished by death.’” He notes that only one Republican senator has spoken out against Moore -- Arizona’s Jeff Flake, who Tuesday announced he won’t be seeking reelection. But just applauding Flake’s principled stand against the insidious and disgusting behavior of Trump-Pence-Moore is “easy” for Republican senators, Leonhardt says, adding: “The more important question is: What are those same senators doing about Moore -- a man who, unlike President Trump, can still be prevented from taking high office?” More from The New York Times.

Today’s GOP doesn’t have room for Jeff Flake. It has room for a man who isn’t sure if gay people should be executed. https://t.co/kGnRPxjAZK

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) October 25, 2017

THROWBACK THURSDAY -- VIRGINIA AG MARK HERRING REFLECTS ON SUPPORT FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY: In 2014, Herring announced he would not defend the commonwealth -- and instead join the plaintiff -- in a case involving Virginia’s unconstitutional ban on marriage equality. Now, the HRC-endorsed candidate running for reelection, told Denise Lavoie (@deniselavoie_ap) of The Associated Press, “We were right on the law and we were right for Virginia's families. Standing up for people's rights is what an attorney general should be doing.” Herring’s opponent, John Adams, opposes marriage equality, opposed a Supreme Court decision striking down a state law that criminalized same-sex relationships, opposed federal guidance ensuring transgender students in public schools are treated with dignity and respect, and even came out in support of President Trump’s vicious tweets attacking transgender service members. More from The Associated Press.

MISSOURI APPEALS COURT RULES THAT TITLE VII PROTECTS LGBTQ WORKERS: A Missouri Court of Appeals Western District three-judge panel ruled that while employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is not explicitly prohibited by Missouri law, discrimination based on sex-stereotypes is -- and sex-stereotyping can include anti- LGBTQ discrimination. More from The Columbia Tribune.

DANGEROUS -- INDIANA COUNTY ENDS NEEDLE EXCHANGE, PROVEN METHOD TO CURB SPREAD OF HIV: Lawrence County follows Madison County as the second Indiana county to do so. Indiana’s rates of HIV previously soared under the failed leadership of then-Gov. Mike Pence. Programs like this one were instrumental in bringing the outbreak under control. More from The Indianapolis Star.

��ALERT��: Indiana county rejects science and rolls back health programs that brought its #HIV outbreak under control. https://t.co/XOYkD8tw1g

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) October 25, 2017

SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT TRANS YOUTH WITH I AM JAZZ READING ON DEC. 7: HRC’s Welcoming Schools program will host its third-annual National I Am Jazz School and Community Reading Day on December 7. More from HRC.

MASEN DAVIS NAMED NEW CEO OF FREEDOM FOR ALL AMERICANS: Davis previously served as executive director of the Transgender Law Center and co-director of Global Action for Trans* Equality. More from Windy City Times.

Congratulations to @maseoni, a tireless and effective advocate who will do great things at @freedom4allusa! https://t.co/V8XRkIu4bN

— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) October 25, 2017

NEW SHOW FROM RYAN MURPHY WILL FEATURE LARGEST TRANSGENDER CAST EVER FOR SCRIPTED SERIES: MJ Rodriguez (@MjRodriguez7), Indya Moore (@MooreIndya), Dominique Jackson (@tyraaross), Hailie Sahar (@213Sahar) and Angelica Ross (@angelicaross) have been cast in Pose, a new series from Ryan Murphy. More from Deadline.

DISGUSTING -- PROFESSOR GIVES TRANSPHOBIC “QUIZ” TO STUDENTS: State University of New York’s Geneseo Professor David Sorbello gave a quiz that used transphobic language and asked students to “pick out” the transgender women from a lineup. The horrifying incident is being investigated by the university, and many are demanding Sorbello be removed from campus. More from The Washington Post.

FERNDALE, MICH., INSTALLS PERMANENT PRIDE FLAG IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS: The city held a special dedication ceremony with Mayor Dave Coulter. More from WXYZ Detroit.

#IAD2017 -- TODAY IS INTERSEX AWARENESS DAY: In commemoration, HRC sat down with Irene, an intersex activist in Russia and Ukraine. More from HRC.

FORMER AUSSIE PM TO ADDRESS ANTI-LGBTQ HATE GROUP: Tony Abbott is merging his hateful agenda -- including his opposition to Australian marriage equality -- with the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group. More from The Courier Mail and HuffPost.

• #PostYourYES: Twitter, which publicly supports Australian marriage equality, has unveiled a special emoji to support the hashtag. More from Mashable.

Proud to partner with @AMEquality to launch the #PostYourYes emoji! Post your vote Australia and use the �� hashtagshttps://t.co/qHm9fxGPLS pic.twitter.com/21JXzn8RDc

— Twitter Australia (@TwitterAU) October 24, 2017

HONG KONG CELEBRATES LGBTQ PRIDE AT PINK DOT FESTIVAL: The fourth-ever LGBTQ Pride event attracted thousands, and had positive corporate support. More from Asian Correspondent.

• The Indian state of Goa will hold its first-ever LGBTQ Pride event this weekend. More from NDTV.

READING RAINBOW

NBC lists 11 spOoOoOky LGBTQ-inclusive ���� Halloween movies; Windy City Times shares LGBTQ-inclusive children's books; Waupaca County News reports that Clintonville (Wis.) High School will start its first LGBTQ student organization; Billboard highlights songs celebrating same-sex relationships between men and women;

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