Human Rights Campaign: Last News

pleaded guilty to the charge against her, admitting to possessing the cartridges but saying they were left in her luggage as part of an oversight while she was packing in a hurry. The U.S. State Department has floated the idea of a prisoner swap, in which the United States would release a convicted arms dealer in exchange for Griner and Paul Whelan, a former U.S.

The hope is that the declaration will inspire rapid and focused actions to help stem the virus before it becomes endemic to areas where it has traditionally not been found.The number of confirmed cases of monkeypox in the United States has exceeded 6,600, and many local health departments appear to be unprepared to deal with the outbreak, lacking an adequate number of tests to diagnose the disease, vaccines to prevent it, and medication to treat those already infected. Several localities, including the District of Columbia, have begun rationing vaccine supplies, seeking to get as many people as possible vaccinated with the first of two shots while postponing the second shot.While anyone can become infected with monkeypox, nearly 99% of all cases in countries where the disease is not endemic have occurred among men who have sex with men. While not technically considered a sexually transmitted disease, monkeypox is generally spread through close or prolonged skin-to-skin contact.

Roe v. Wade.

know what it means to be transgender now…People know that gender affirming care saves lives,” Maines said. “We know that transgender kids are not being groomed by their parents.

NBC News.“I’m going to ask you to read the legislation and to see that the legislation that we passed was in the spirit of fairness to protect girls sports in competitive situations,” Ducey said, referring to the transgender sports ban. “That’s what the legislation is intended to do, and that’s what it does.”Reporters then asked the governor if he believed there are “actual transgender people,” to which he responded: “I…am going to respect everyone, and I’m going to respect everyone’s rights.

The National Black Justice Coalition, the HRC, Friends, and Family Mourn the Death of Za’niyah Williams, A Black Trans  Woman Killed in a Hit-And-Run Car Crash in Houston Texas By: Audrey Cole/TRT Reporter—HOUSTON, Texas—Za’niyah Williams sounded like a typical young woman who had tried to have others accept her for who she was, a proud black trans woman of color, according to her FB Page.The 21-year-old, according to Trans Griot, “was found dead on Dec. 20, 2021, after a hit and run car crash in Houston, Texas.” Za’niyah’s death is, according to the best estimates by the trans blog, “the 52nd violent killing of a transgender or gender-diverse person in 2021.” Numbers often do not match across platforms because many transgender victims are often misgendered and/or go unidentified by family.On Dec. 19, 2021, a day prior to her death, Za’niyah reposted a message from Raven Symoné, someone she knew online, about 2021 being the last year that she was going to dwell on others not accepting her for who she was, something that most transgender people also struggle with throughout their lives.“This my last year letting ppl treat me like I dont matter.

press conference on Thursday evening. “It’s about allowing biological females in their sex to compete fairly in a level playing field that gives them opportunities for success.”The bill is set to take effect July 1 but could face potential legal challenges from LGBTQ advocates. Since 2020, nine states have passed nearly identical legislation restricting transgender students’ ability to participate in sports, although some of those laws have since been challenged in court.

For the first time in years, streaming giant Netflix was excluded from the list of the “Best Places to Work” for LGBTQ+ people, compiled by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) in their annual Corporate Equality Index. The reason that led to this decision has everything to do with David Chapelle’s controversial comedy special The Closer, […]

The Human Rights Campaign has issued a scathing rebuke to Netflix.For the first time in five years, the HRC excluded the streaming service from its list of “Best Places to Work” for queer people. The reason: Dave Chappelle’s comedy special The Closer, in which the comic made jokes about transgender anatomy and disparaged LGBTQ people.“Given the harm experienced by transgender workers at Netflix as a result of the company’s handling of the release of The Closer, HRC has suspended Netflix’s Corporate Equality Index score and will not be rewarding it with a ‘Best Places to Work’ distinction in the 2022 CEI,” the HRC said in a statement.Netflix responded with a statement of its own, saying it “respectfully disagrees” with the exclusion.“While we have more work to do, we’ve made real strides on inclusion, including for our LGBTQ+ colleagues,” a spokesperson said in a statement.“For example, we offer comprehensive transgender and non-binary-inclusive care in our U.S.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced that it has rescinded what it called “inappropriate” and “overly broad” religious exemption waivers made by the Trump administration. Advocates say the waivers allowed states and child welfare agencies to discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion. Photo: iStock

report honoring the 47 who lost their lives to violence, as well as a webpage honoring 13 other trans, nonbinary, or gender-nonconforming individuals whose deaths have not yet been ruled homicides.The report authors note that stigma, bias, and systemic discrimination heighten and even exacerbate the vulnerability of transgender individuals. At the same time, legislators in various states have introduced more than 130 bills targeting transgender individuals, especially transgender youth, with at least 25 of those bills being enacted across eight states.

barring transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming care, in response to criticism from a fellow Republican challenging him in next year’s gubernatorial primary.“We are devastated at the passage of this bill. Despite the powerful testimony of trans kids and adults, families and advocates, and the many emails and calls our community placed to the Governor’s office to veto this harmful piece of legislation, it is now law,” Ricardo Martinez, the CEO of Equality Texas, said in a statement.

Associated Press in a rare interview, Youngkin was asked whether his faith shapes his view of same-sex marriage, Youngkin said he feels “called to love everyone.” When pressed about whether that statement was intended to signal support for same-sex marriage, Youngkin responded: “No.”However, Youngkin added that same-sex unions were “legally acceptable” in Virginia, adding: “I, as governor, will support that.”The AP noted that Youngkin often talks about his faith on the campaign trail, often utilizing it as a cudgel to criticize Democrats — whether that means attacking Gov.

Right Wing Watch, a project of People for the American Way that documents and catalogues videos, recordings, and other media highlighting the actions, incendiary rhetoric, and lies or misrepresentations made by conservative politicians and activists, was the first to share the clip of Robinson’s speech at Asbury Baptist.Among the assertions Robinson made in his speech were that public schools teach children how to “hate America,” that they overemphasize issues of racial and cultural diversity and unfairly label (presumably white) people as “racist,” and that they unnecessarily expose children to issues related to homosexuality and “transgenderism.” He said that exposing children to such content is  tantamount to child abuse.“There’s no

The ugliness over at the Human Rights Campaign over its president Alphonso David's alleged involvement in consulting with Andrew Cuomo regarding his sexual-harassment and sexual-assault scandal has gotten, well, uglier.

The Commerce Department is in charge of administering the Census and collecting the data. Photo: Facebook.

The Washington Post.Hormel’s nomination appeared to be dead in 1998, but Clinton renominated Hormel for the vacant ambassadorship a year later, and installed Hormel in the post through a recess appointment, outraging Republicans. Hormel served as ambassador from June 1999 to December 2000.“The process was very long and strenuous, arduous, insulting, full of misleading statements, full of lies, full of deceit, full of antagonism,” Hormel said in 2012 while promoting a memoir, Fit to Serve, about his nomination and ambassadorship. “Ultimately a great deal was achieved,” Hormel said.

Linklaters and Branstetter, Stranch, & Jennings PLLC, on behalf of the two students, argues that the so-called “bathroom bill” passed by Tennessee lawmakers earlier this year, violates both Title IX — the 1972 law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in federally-funded education programs — and the students’ right to equal protection and due process under the law, as guaranteed by the U.S.

Tuesday’s filing alleges that the law violates its plaintiffs’ Title IX protections, which prohibits federally funded education programs from discriminating against individuals on the basis of sex.The law requires schools to provide “reasonable accommodation” to anyone that fits that category, though what the law defines as a “reasonable accommodation” (“single-occupancy” or “employee” restrooms) can contribute to the stigmatization and othering of trans identities within Tennessee schools. their fear of the unknown is unnecessarily leading their actions and causing irreparable harm to these children.

remanded the case back to the Washington State Supreme Court for reconsideration, in case the decision might have been clouded by anti-religious bias. The high court had previously found, in a similar case, known as the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission may have acted in a prejudicial manner against a Colorado baker who was found to have violated the state’s nondiscrimination law when he refused to provide a wedding cake for same-sex wedding.But in 2019, the Washington State Supreme Court stood by its earlier decision, finding, once again, that Stutzman had violated the law and finding no evidence of any animus toward religion in general nor towards Stutzman’s personal beliefs.

The US Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a Catholic adoption agency that refuses to work with LGBTQ+ couples, after local authorities in Philadelphia denied the agency the opportunity to renew its contract with the city’s foster care programme.

B.P.J. v.

Neighborhood Supermarket Stop & Shop Is Committed to Diversity, Equality, and Inclusivity in its Communities and in its StoresQUINCY, Mass.—In honor of Pride Month, Stop & Shop recently announced a donation of $82,500 to organizations supporting the LGBTQ+ community across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. Recognized as a 2021 Best Place to Work for LBGTQ Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, Stop & Shop is dedicated to fostering equality in the workplace and to advocating for the LBGTQ+ community in its communities and in its stores.

US president Joe Biden has shared a message of solidarity with young trans Americans on social media in honour of Pride month. On June 8, Biden tweeted: “To transgender Americans across the country — especially the young people who are so brave — I want you to know your President has your back.

Poe Black, a 21-year-old trans man, is the 28th known trans or gender non-conforming person to have been killed in the US this year after being found dead in Slab City, California on May 11, with reports of his murder only just surfacing. According to PGH Lesbian, Black identified as “mixed Indigenous” and lived in an off-grid community.

Becky Pepper-Jackson, an 11-year-old trans girl, is suing West Virginia after being banned from joining her school’s running team as a result of a recently passed law that aims to prohibit trans participation in school sports. Speaking to The Lily about her experience, Pepper-Jackson said had “always” wanted to be a runner, but felt “horrible” when the anti-trans law was passed, prompting her to consider a lawsuit. Heather Jackson, her mother, said: “She’s not doing this just for herself.

Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, has cut $900,000 of spending for LGBTQ+ related projects in the state, including $150,000 which had been allocated to providing mental health services for survivors of the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando. According to the Miami Herald, DeSantis signed off on a record $100 billion state spending plan for Florida on Wednesday.However, as part of the spending plan, he vetoed funding for Pulse survivors (by cutting funds for The LGBT+ Center in Orlando) and the Zebra Coalition, which aims to prevent LGBTQ+ homelessness.

Florida has become the 7th state this year to ban young trans people from participating in school sports after governor Ron DeSantis signed SB1028 into law on June 1 – the first day of Pride month. The so-called ‘Fairness in Women’s Sports Act’ defines gender as dependent on sex assigned at birth, with DeSantis telling the press: “I can tell you this, in Florida, girls are going to play girls’ sports and boys are going to play boys’ sports.”Gov.

Orlando Sentinel. The original bill would have mandated genital inspections and physical examinations of athletes in order to ensure transgender athletes are not competing on sports teams that match their gender identity.

Serenity Hollis, a 24-year-old black trans woman, is the 25th known trans or gender diverse person to have been killed in the US this year after she was found dead in Albany, Georgia on May 8. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HCR), Hollis was shot in the early hours of the morning on Highland Avenue, with local police confirming that her death is being investigated as a potential hate crime. Although police have not yet identified any suspects, Hollis’s mother, Robyn Osberry, said: “The person that’s responsible has no idea what they took from us…I absolutely want to see that justice is served.” Hollis’s death comes four days after the murders of Danny Henson and Sophie Vasquez, who were both trans women of colour.

Tennessee has become the first state in the US to enforce a law that requires businesses and government facilities to indicate whether they allow transgender people to use bathrooms and changing rooms that align with their gender identity. According to The Independent, state governor Bill Lee signed the law into action on Monday, with it due to go into effect on July 1. LGBTQ+ activists are concerned over the law, with the Human Rights Campaign tweeting: “Tennessee Gov.

House Bill 1233, sponsored by Rep. Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville), requires public schools to provide a “reasonable accommodation” — defined as a single-occupancy room or changing facility, or access to an employee restroom or changing facility — to students who do not wish to use multi-occupancy facilities, either because they are transgender or because they, as a cisgender person, feel uncomfortable about using shared facilities.The bill also requires sex segregation, based on a person’s assigned sex at birth, in terms of sleeping arrangements on school-sponsored field trips.

Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, an Indigenous non-binary person, is the 23rd known trans/gender-diverse person to have been killed in the US this year after they were shot in York, Pennsylvania on May 3. According to Advocate, Bear Spirit, who described themselves as “Shawnee by birth and Potawatomi by relations”, was shot during a break-in and robbery attempt while staying with a friend.Charges have been filed against 19-year-old Oscar Cook, but police have said there are at least two other known suspects.

President Joe Biden has reversed a Trump-era policy which allowed for healthcare professionals to discriminate against LGBTQ+ citizens, meaning queer Americans will now have legal protections when seeking healthcare. According to The Independent, Trump’s regulations protected people from sex discrimination but defined sex to mean gender assigned at birth.

Montana has become the latest US state to officially pass a law to prohibit trans athletes from participating in school sports after governor Greg Gianforte signed the bill on May 7. LGBTQ+ activists have criticised state lawmakers, with Alex Rate, legal director of ACLU Montana, saying: “If you look at the legislature’s justification for advancing the transgender sports ban, they could cite not one instance where transgender participation in athletics has been a problem or caused conflict.”Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia have already passed bills to prevent trans inclusion in sports, with several other states currently considering similar legislation.

The White House is preparing to fight back against the wave of anti-trans bills sweeping the US, the majority of which target young trans people. Despite president Joe Biden issuing an executive order to ensure young trans people equal access to school facilities and sports programmes, over 30 states are currently considering regulations to prohibit trans youth from participating in school sports and/or receiving gender-affirming healthcare.Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia have already passed bills against trans inclusion in sports this year, with Arkansas also banning healthcare professionals from providing gender-affirming care for trans youth.

The wave of anti-trans violence in the US has continued into May, with 49-year-old Keri Washington becoming the 20th trans person to have been killed in the country this year. According to Advocate, Washington, a black trans woman, was found dead behind an apartment building in Clearwater, Florida on May 1. Although the cause of her death has not been announced, police have identified a suspect who has been brought into custody.Washington was the 4th trans woman of colour to have been killed within the space of 10 days in the US.

During an address to the US congress, president Joe Biden shared a message of solidarity with young trans people as he urged lawmakers to pass the Equality Act in order to ensure all LGBTQ+ Americans are legally protected from employment, housing, and education discrimination. In his speech, Biden said: “To all the transgender Americans watching at home — especially the young people who are so brave — I want you to know that your president has your back.” Biden’s message comes after an estimated 30 US states have introduced laws targeting young trans people, the majority of which aim to limit their access to either healthcare or school sports. LGBTQ+ activists and advocacy groups have praised Biden’s dedication to passing the Equality Act

Tiara Banks, a 24-year-old black trans woman, is the 16th known trans person to have been killed in the US this year after she was murdered in Chicago on April 21. According to LGBTQ Nation, Banks was driving her car and was stopped at a junction when she was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene.

David J. Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition:“Today’s verdict is not about justice.

any publicly-funded entities, facilities, or events, which would include college and club sports. Meanwhile, the Senate version had sought to commission a study on the issue of transgender participation in sports. Ultimately, the bill that emerged and was passed by both chambers included a scaled-back ban on transgender athletes in K-12 sports and an optional study of the impact of the bill on student athletic events, with findings being reported back to the 2023 legislature.As approved this week, the bill prohibits public schools from “knowingly” allowing a student assigned male at birth to participate in female sports.

Two black trans women, Dominique Lucious and Jaida Peterson, have become the 13th and 14th trans people to have been killed in the US this year. Peterson was dead found in a hotel in North Carolina on April 4 after police were called to perform a welfare check. According to Planet Transgender, the incident is being treated as a homicide but authorities have not yet announced the cause of death.

The family of Nigel Shelby, a 15-year-old black gay student who took his own life in 2019 after being bullied at his school in Alabama, has filed a lawsuit that argues that the City of Huntsville Board of Education violated Shelby’s civil rights by not providing him with sufficient support and protection, according to AL News. During a press conference held two months after his death, Shelby’s mother, Camika Shelby, said: “I feel like from the bottom of my heart, if someone had said something, this could have been prevented.” She added: “He was failed by a system that was supposed to protect him.” The family is being represented by civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who released a statement on social media saying: “School admin were aware of

LGBTQ+ advocacy group Athlete Ally’s annual report, known as the Athletic Equality Index, found the majority of US college athletic departments are lacking protections for LGBTQ+ athletes and staff. The research found only 2.8% of athletes compete in departments which fully protect LGBTQ+ sportspersons from discrimination, while 92% of departments lack comprehensive policies to protect trans people.Furthermore, out of 9,000 spectators interviewed as part of the study, the majority believed athletic environments were unwelcoming places for LGBTQ+ people, while 80% of departments had no code of conduct for fans.

Arkansas has become the first US state to enact a law which prohibits medical professionals from providing gender-affirming healthcare to young trans people.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) hosted a virtual rally to protest a bill in Alabama, which would make it a felony for healthcare professionals to provide young trans people with gender-affirming healthcare if made law. The bill, introduced in February, would outlaw the use of puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery to treat young trans people, and those who do not adhere to the regulations could face up to 10 years in prison. During the rally, the Alabama state director of the HRC argued the bill “will have a devastating impact on transgender Alabamians”, endangering the “health and lives” of young trans people.

any transition-related care.Advocates have warned that the bill, which prohibits doctors from providing gender-affirming care or referring a youth and their parents to another physician who provides it, will lead health care providers to shun transgender patients for fear of losing their license for “unprofessional conduct,” charged with breaking the law, or sued — as the bill contains a provision allowing minors who received treatments but later regret their decision to sue their former provider for up to 20 years after they turn 18.Other advocates, including The Trevor Project, the nation’s top crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth, have warned that banning trans youth from receiving gender-affirming care