#AM_Equality Tipsheet: September 12, 2017

by Allison Turner •

Senators file amendment to block portion of Trump-Pence trans military ban; New resource protecting children from ‘conversion therapy.'

SENATORS FILE AMENDMENT TO BLOCK PORTION OF TRUMP-PENCE BAN ON TRANSGENDER TROOPS: The bipartisan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) offered by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) seeks to block any action to remove currently serving transgender troops from the military. Mattis has until Feb. 21 to submit to the White House a plan on implementing the discriminatory Trump-Pence ban on qualified transgender people who want to serve their country. The Senate is expected to start debating the NDAA and proposed amendments this week. Read more at CNN.

HRC AND NCLR PARTNER ON CRITICAL NEW RESOURCE FOR PARENTS PROTECTING THEIR CHILDREN FROM “CONVERSION THERAPY”: HRC Foundation and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) have released Just As They Are, a comprehensive resource for parents on the harmful practice known as “conversion therapy.” “Parents need and deserve information and guidance they can trust when they are helping their children navigate issues around their sexual orientation and gender identity, not discounted theories and dangerous so-called therapies,” said Mary Beth Maxwell, HRC Senior Vice President for Programs, Research and Training. “Even as more families within all faith communities open their hearts and embrace their LGBTQ loved ones, in too many homes across the country, LGBTQ youth continue to face rejection, bullying, and the harmful impacts of ‘conversion therapy.’ We must redouble our efforts to educate families and communities about the terrible dangers of efforts to change sexual orientation or gender identity and that is why we are proud to partner with NCLR to release Just As They Are -- so that parents have the information and resources they need to protect the health and wellbeing of their LGBTQ children.” Read more from HRC.

UNDER PRESSURE, FRESNO SCHOOL BOARD TO CONSIDER DISCIPLINING ITS PRESIDENT OVER ANTI-LGBTQ COMMENTS: The Fresno Bee’s Mackenzie May (@MackenzieMays) reports that the board, under pressure from local faith leaders and LGBTQ rights groups including HRC, will discuss at its Oct. 11 meeting “whether to demote, censure or otherwise discipline president Brooke Ashjian, after he made controversial comments about the LGBT community.” HRC last month called Ashjian to step down after he made anti-LGBTQ remarks regarding California’s LGBTQ-inclusive sex education laws. Read more at the Fresno Bee.

TUESDAY TWEET: HRC has released several new videos as a part of the #LoveYourNeighbor campaign, a storytelling project focused on sharing the experiences of LGBTQ people and allies across the South, particularly in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi. HRC has permanent campaigns in these three states as part of its Project One America campaign. Watch here.

PBS REPORTS -- LGBTQ DREAMERS PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE AS TRUMP-PENCE MOVE TO END DACA: In a compelling piece for PBS, Corinne Segal (@CESegal) reports that DACA has allowed LGBTQ Dreamers “to gain a foothold in a country where they already face high rates of economic insecurity and inconsistent protection under the law. Now that it’s rolled back, experts say LGBTQ “dreamers” are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, mistreatment and hate crimes, in the U.S. as well as their countries of origin.” She tells the story of Cuahuctemoc Salinas, who didn’t know he was undocumented until he applied for college and discovered he didn’t have a Social Security number. “I felt like my entire body was numb,” said Salinas, who is gay. Read more about his experience, and what other LGBTQ Dreamers face in the wake of the Trump-Pence plan to cruelly end DACA at PBS.

  • The state of California has sued the Trump administration over its plan to end DACA. More from the Los Angeles Times.

EMMA AND ZEAM TALK GOING BACK TO SCHOOL IN NEW HRC VIDEO: As a part of the HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools program, HRC sat down with two gender non-binary youth to discuss issues transgender and non-binary kids experience at school, and how teachers and administrators can create a more inclusive and accepting environment for all students. Watch here.

LAVERNE COX SPEAKS OUT ON BEHALF OF TRANS PRISONERS: At Sunday’s Emmy Awards, Laverne Cox spoke out on behalf of trans prisoners who must spend most of their incarcerations in solitary confinement. More from Pink News.

HRC MOURNS LOSS OF BELOVED SAN FRANCISCO LGBTQ ACTIVIST ANTHONY TORRES: Torres, an activist, artist and DJ best known for his gender-nonconforming alter ego, Bubbles, was fatally shot early Saturday morning. Media reports say that police have identified a person of interest in the crime. Read more at San Francisco Weekly.

AUSTRALIAN CITIZENS, CHECK YOUR MAILBOXES: After a High Court ruling that the survey on legalizing marriage equality in Australia can proceed, the first ballots in the postal survey are being mailed out today. Australian advocates have launched a “Yes” campaign that will include millions of “respectful conversations” on the subject of marriage equality. Results are to be announced November 15. The results will be non-binding and will require legislative action before marriage equality can be achieved. More from Herald Sun.

READING RAINBOW 

Advocate interviews Samuel A. Culbert about his new book, Good People, Bad Managers, and positive changes in the workplace as LGBTQ people come out; Folio reports that Oreva Capital has acquired two LGBTQ brands, OUT and Advocate;

Have news? Send us your news and tips at AMEquality@hrc.org. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

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A.M. Equality

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