New Anti-LGBT Religious Task Force

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has announced the creation of a taxpayer-funded Religious Liberty Task Force which is the latest step by the Trump administration to provide a license to discriminate especially against our LGBT community. Sarah Kate Ellis, President & CEO of GLAAD stated, “Though freedom of religion is a core American value, religious exemptions from adhering to non-discrimination protections are not. Sessions’ announcement today is yet another example of the Trump administration’s anti-LGBTQ agenda as they seek to weave protections for those seeking anti-LGBTQ religious exemptions into the government.” Michael Adams, CEO of SAGE added, "Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement of a so-called Religious Liberty Task Force at the Department of Justice is one more effort by this Administration to obliterate anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people. LGBT elders – who rely on religiously affiliated providers for non-discriminatory care -- have played a huge role in the 'changing cultural climate' that the Attorney General condemns. They will not go back into the closet so that this Administration can pander to the forces of intolerance & bigotry." Since 85 percent of nonprofit continuing care retirement communities are religiously affiliated, the federal government’s approach poses a grave threat to LGBT elders who need care, as highlighted in Dignity Denied: Religious Exemptions & LGBT Elder Services, a recent report by SAGE, the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) & Columbia Law School’s Public Rights/Private Conscience Project. Sessions claims that the goal of this task force is to accommodate people of faith but his explanation of its purpose & his extensive anti-LGBT record suggest otherwise. Sessions has a long history of defending the use of “religious exemptions” to discriminate against LGBT people & opposing non-discrimination protections for our community.
For More Info: glaad.org
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Elder Lesbian Couple Denied Housing

While Massachusetts passed legislation protections for LGBT Elders last week the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), Relman, Dane & Colfax PLLC & co-counsel filed a lawsuit in St. Louis, MO on behalf of married lesbian couple Mary Walsh & Bev Nance against senior housing community Friendship Village Sunset Hills after being denied housing. Friendship Village refused Mary & Bev who have been together for 40 years because it followed the “Biblical definition” of marriage & “defined marriage as between a man & a woman.” Shannon Minter NCLR Legal Director stated, “Bev & Mary faced painful discrimination & would not have if either of them were instead married to a man. This story demonstrates the severity of the discrimination & harm that members of our community still face daily. NCLR thanks SAGE for its important work to increase public education & eliminate this discrimination in the lives of LGBTQ seniors.” Michael Adams SAGE CEO concluded, “The horrible discrimination experienced by this older lesbian couple for something as basic as senior housing is a stark reminder of the challenges that many LGBT elders face. We know that this story is far from unique. Research shows that 45 percent of same-gender couples who apply for senior housing in Missouri are discriminated against. This lawsuit will help ensure that Mary & Bev & all older same-gender couples will have the same access to senior housing as everybody else.” In response SAGE is expanding its Care Can’t Wait campaign by asking community members & supporters to sign a pledge to stand with Mary & Bev & all LGBT elders in the face of discrimination.
To Sign Pledge…
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Out & Equal LGBTQ India Forum

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the world’s largest non-governmental organization dedicated to achieving LGBTQ workplace equality will host the Out & Equal LGBTQ India Forum on Thursday on August 2nd, 2018 at The LaLiT Ashok Bangalore. This groundbreaking event will convene more than 150 executives, LGBTQ leaders & allies from over 100 domestic Indian & multinational corporations to discuss strategies for advancing LGBTQ workplace inclusion in India. Openly gay Bollywood Director & Producer Onir will open the Forum by delivering the Keynote Address. Steve Roth, Senior Director of Global Initiatives at Out & Equal stated, “We are thrilled to be bringing Out & Equal’s 20-plus years of experience advancing workplace inclusion for LGBTQ people to India. Despite unique social & political challenges, an increasing number of companies are taking innovative strides to foster LGBTQ inclusion in the workplace in India. We are excited to come together with dedicated corporate leaders who recognize the value of diversity to share ideas & best practices for advancing LGBTQ inclusion in the Indian workplace.” There will be more than two dozen speakers & experts, including an opening address by Karan Bajwa, Managing Director, IBM India Pvt. Ltd. & influential openly LGBTQ executives such as Parmesh Shahani, Vice President of Godrej Industries Ltd., Keshav Suri, Executive Director of the LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group, Shobhna S. Kumar, Publisher, Producer & Founder of Queer Ink, & Markus Mueller, Director IBM Collaboration Solutions. The event is supported by Presenting Sponsor IBM, Leadership Sponsors Visa, Intel & Symantec & supporting organizations Interweave Consulting, Xerox & The LaLiT Ashok Bangalore. For More Info: outandequal.org
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Transgender Murders In Florida

Equality Florida is demanding Governor Rick Scott directly address the rash of murderous violence targeting transgender women of color in Orlando & Jacksonville. Last week's murder of Sasha Garden was the fourth killing since February. Gina Duncan, Equality Florida Director of Transgender Equality stated, "Rick Scott has been conspicuously silent as the number of killings continue to mount. We need the governor to speak out, clearly & immediately to condemn this pattern of violence targeting transgender women & to direct state law enforcement agencies to assist in the investigations. At this point we're not even sure Governor Scott can pronounce the word transgender. His lack of leadership & his lack of action is shameful. How many people have to die before this becomes a priority for Governor Scott? When law enforcement disrespects the dead by refusing to even use their correct names, they breed an environment of mistrust & send a message to the community that these murders are not a priority. As a result, they are actually impeding their own investigations as people with information may also fear being disrespected or mistreated if they come forward." The number of killings in a small area over a short period of time has spread fear throughout the transgender community & raised questions about whether the murders are connected. Regardless of whether these murders are connected such a spike in anti-trans violence is a terrifying pattern that must be addressed. Compounding the problem law enforcement has repeatedly misgendered the victims & failed to use the names in which they identify in their daily lives which significantly hampers their investigations.
For More Info: eqfl.org
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Massachusetts Protects LGBT Elders

The Massachusetts Legislature has passed “An Act Relative to LGBT Awareness Training for Aging Services Providers” becoming the only state in the country to require that all state funded or licensed providers of services to older adults complete training in how to provide meaningful care to LGBT older adults & ensure that LGBT older adults can access services. Lisa Krinsky, LICSW, Director of Fenway Health’s LGBT Aging Project stated, “It’s impossible to overstate what this is going to mean for LGBT older adults in Massachusetts. LGBT people are significantly more likely to age alone without a spouse or partner or children to support them. They are more reliant on formal caregivers such as home health workers & visiting nurses or assisted living communities. They have valid fears about experiencing discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity & expression & some even feel the need to go back into the closet.” The new legislation requires the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) develops a training program for providers of elder services on how to prevent discrimination against older adults based on sexual orientation & gender identity & expression & on how to improve access to services for LGBT elders & caregivers. The law also requires all providers of aging services who contract with or receive funding from MassHealth’s office of long-term care or EOEA or whose services are certified by EOEA, to complete the training program. California has a similar law but training is limited only to those working in the field of long-term care.
For More Info: fenwayhealth.org
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New Trump HIV Military Ban

Last February the Trump administration unveiled new policies that would bar people living with HIV from serving in the military. The policy was outlined in a Department of Defense memo & described by Under Secretary of Defense for Personal Readiness Robert Wilkie as a “deploy or be removed policy” which the administration claims is meant to improve military readiness for deployment. The policy instructs the Pentagon to discharge any service member who is unable to be deployed outside of the country for more than 12 months. This new Department of Defense policy would result in the discharging service members living with HIV. Lambda Legal & OutServe-SLDN along with pro bono counsel from Winston & Strawn LLP filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in Harrison v. Mattis challenging the military’s discriminatory policies governing the enlistment, deployment & promotion of service members living with HIV. Sergeant Nick Harrison stated, “This case is not just about me. This is about every person living with HIV knowing that they can perform any job in the world, including serving in the military. Together, we must stop the Pentagon from closing its doors to successful & talented service members. I look forward to the day that I can serve my country to the full extent of my abilities, based on my performance & unfettered by unfounded fears and misperceptions about HIV.” An estimated 1,200 people living with HIV currently serve in our military. Like the recent attempts to bar transgender individuals from military service this latest discriminatory decision is rooted in prejudice & the politics of division. This horrendous “deploy or be removed policy” is scheduled to go into effect in October 2018.
For More Info: lambdalegal.org
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NCLR Protecting LGBTQ Youth

The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) has released two toolkits for child welfare & juvenile justice agency employees on how to protect LGBTQ youth from the serious harm caused by conversion therapy. Carolyn Reyes NCLR Youth Policy Counsel & Born Perfect Campaign Coordinator stated, “From social workers & foster parents to probation officers & facility chaplains, these toolkits are designed to assist child welfare & juvenile justice agencies with protecting youth from harmful, ineffective conversion therapy. Conversion therapy has been denounced by every major medical & mental health organization & has been shown to lead to depression, anxiety, substance abuse & even suicide. While a child is in the care of the State, it is critical that State systems ensure they are protected from this harm.” Conversion therapy, sometimes called “ex-gay therapy,” is an attempt to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity & has been debunked by every major medical & mental health organization in the U.S. For the past 20 years NCLR has been working closely with conversion therapy survivors to end these harmful practices. In 2014, NCLR launched its Born Perfect campaign which is committed to ending conversion therapy nationwide. Through the Born Perfect campaign conversion therapy is now prohibited in 13 states including California, New Jersey, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, Connecticut, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Washington, Maryland, Hawaii, New Hampshire & the District of Columbia. In Delaware, anti-conversion therapy legislation has passed & was signed into law by the governor July 23rd.
For More Info: nclrights.org
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