BIRMINGHAM, ALA., FAST-TRACKS PRO-LGBTQ CITY ORDINANCES: The City Council recently passed a resolution setting a public hearing for Tuesday, September 26, on two pro-LGBTQ ordinances --  a city contractor non-discrimination ordinance, and an ordinance protecting citizens from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation. HRC has called for both to be passed. The proposed ordinances are the culmination of almost 10 years of work by local LGBTQ grassroots organizers and a pro-equality coalition including Equality Alabama and HRC. Should the full non-discrimination ordinance pass, Birmingham’s citizens will be the first in the state to be protected from discrimination in housing, public accommodation and employment on the basis of real or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or familial status. More from HRC.

TRUMP DEBUTS AT UNITED NATIONS, CRICKETS ON LGBTQ RIGHTS ABUSES AROUND THE WORLD -- INCLUDING IN CHECHNYA: LGBTQ advocacy groups throughout the U.S. spoke out after Trump’s Tuesday speech at the United Nations, highlighting that his remarks and focus on sovereignty of foreign nations, U.N. reform and repatriation of refugees who come to the U.S. are very troubling for the advancement of LGBTQ rights around the world. HRC Global Director Ty Cobb (@tywesleycobb) took to Twitter to elevate the duplicity in Trump’s statements. More from BuzzFeed.

Trump wants US to lead by example & stop interfering" w/ other cultures. #LGBTQ human rights violations often justified by culture. #unga

— Ty Wesley Cobb (@tywesleycobb) September 19, 2017

In July 2017, @UNHumanRights office criticized Trump’s proposed ban on #transgender people serving in the military. #UNGA 12/14

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) September 19, 2017

.@HRC will continue monitoring the @UN and working with member states & coalition allies to protect human rights of all people. #UNGA 14/14

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) September 19, 2017

CULINARY STARS HEADLINE ANNUAL CHEFS FOR EQUALITY EVENT IN DC: Last night, the HRC Foundation and prominent food writer David Hagedorn (@DCHagedorn) brought together the capital region’s top culinary talent for Chefs for Equality, Washington, D.C.'s premier food event. The evening of food, cocktails, and music to benefit the fight for full LGBTQ equality was at Dock5 at Union Market.

• Special guests included DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) and comedian Randy Rainbow (@RandyRainbow)

Cheers to a fantastic night at #ChefsforEquality! Thank you to our incredible host committee for your hard work & dedication. pic.twitter.com/aoZs0NslYN

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) September 20, 2017

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING WEDNESDAY -- REFLECTING ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF ‘DON’T ASK DON’T TELL’: Today, HRC marks six years since “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” officially ended, allowing gay, lesbian and bisexual service members to serve openly in the military. However, transgender service members still remain under attack by Donald Trump’s discriminatory military ban. We thank the brave LGBTQ service members who have served with valor, and will continue to fight the Trump-Pence transgender ban so that everyone can serve openly.

THIRD MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN TEXAS HATE CRIME ASSAULTS: Chancler Enchalade pled guilty to assault this week for using dating websites to target and assault gay men. Two others, Nigel Garrett and Cameron Ajiduah, have already confessed. More from The Associated Press.

#BIWEEK -- EXPLORING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE BI COMMUNITY: Studies show that bisexual people are far more likely to experience mental health issues than either lesbian or gay people. HRC’s Supporting and Caring for Our Bisexual Youth found that “only five percent of bisexual youth reported being ‘very happy,’ compared to 21 percent of non-LGBT youth surveyed.” The survey’s findings also revealed startling stories of harassment, exclusion and isolation among bisexual youth. Only 44 percent of bisexual youth said they have an adult they can turn to, compared with 54 percent of lesbian and gay youth, and 79 percent of non-LGBTQ respondents. More from HRC.

• The Movement Advancement Project has released a report that takes a closer look at bisexual transgender adults. Read the report here.

POWERFUL STORIES OF NONBINARY PEOPLE: Check out these two fantastic pieces exploring nonbinary identities and sharing the stories of nonbinary people: “Gender Nonbinary in the Age of Trump,” written by Equality Federation Director of Communications Mark Daniel Snyder in HuffPost and “Jill Soloway on Identifying as Gender Nonbinary: “It Feels Like a Relief to Me’” written by Ann Friedman (@AnnFriedman) in Glamour.

HRC’S WORK TO IMPROVE SCHOOL CLIMATES FOR LGBTQ STUDENTS: EdSource spoke to Vincent Pompei, Director of HRC Foundation’s Youth Well-Being Project and Time to THRIVE conference chair about school climates and HRC’s work to improve K-12 education for LGBTQ students through the Welcoming Schools Program. “We’re never going to not be biased,” said Pompei. “We can get better at working on it, because it can harm folks who are often the most vulnerable and marginalized in society.” Read the full interview from EdSource.

HRC MOURNS LGBTQ ADVOCATE RICK STAFFORD: In addition to being the first openly LGBTQ chair of any major state political party, Stafford, of Minnesota, served on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS. More from HuffPost.

HRC NAMES GLOBAL PARTNERS IN INNOVATIVE ADVOCACY: HRC announced it will be working with the Georgia Democracy Initiative in Tbilisi, Georgia, Colors Rainbow in Yangon, Myanmar, Kyrgyz Indigo in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and Ovejas Negras in Montevideo, Uruguay, as part of its Global Partners in Innovative Advocacy for 2017-2018. HRC will also continue its program with the Consejo Consultivo LGBTI in Managua, Nicaragua (in partnership with the National Democratic Institute) and conduct programs with the Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association in Taipei, Taiwan, and SPoD in Istanbul, Turkey, on a Municipal Equality Index. More from HRC and Washington Blade.

• Check out the successes of this year’s Global Partnerships in Pride at HRC.

TANZANIAN POLICE ARREST 20 IN ZANZIBAR ON SUSPICION OF BEING LGBTQ: The individuals were attending a training session on HIV and AIDS in Tanzania’s semi-autonomous Zanzibar. More from SRJ News.

INDONESIA’S SCHOOL FOR TRANSGENDER PEOPLE QUIETLY REOPENS: The school was forced to close last year following a wave of anti-LGBTQ extremism in the country. The school, Pesantren al-Fatah, will celebrate its ninth anniversary tomorrow. More from Voice of America.

READING RAINBOW  

HuffPost shares a conversation between two transgender authors about their experiences; Georgia Voice reports that openly lesbian Georgia State Rep. Keisha Waites is resigning to run for chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners

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