House LGBT Caucus demands Trump administration restore transgender specific demographic question to Older Americans Act Survey

WASHINGTON, D.C, — Today, Rep. Ted Deutch (FL-22), chair of the LGBT Aging Issues Task Force, and a bipartisan group of 75 members of the U.S. House of Representatives demanded the Trump Administration reinstate a demographic question relating to participants’ gender identity to the National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants (NSOAAP). “We have to…

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AFJ: Anti-LGBTQ, anti-environment rulings mark Trump’s nomination for U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Alliance for Justice (AFJ) today released a report on Judge Ralph Erickson, a North Dakota federal district court judge who has been nominated by Donald Trump for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. AFJ President Nan Aron released the following statement: “We request that Senators carefully scrutinize…

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Five anti-trans bills introduced in Gov. Abbott’s ‘Special Discrimination Session’

AUSTIN, Texas — Five anti-transgender bills were filed last week to kick off Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s “special discrimination session” at the Texas Capitol in Austin. Gov. Abbott called for a special session of the Texas state legislature largely to pass legislation that openly targets and discriminates against transgender Texans. The debate is already having…

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AFJ: Stephen Schwartz should not be confirmed to a federal court seat

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Alliance for Justice (AFJ) Friday released a report on the record of Stephen Schwartz, whom Donald Trump has nominated for a seat on the Court of Federal Claims.  AFJ President Nan Aron released the following statement: “Stephen Schwartz certainly fits the new mold for federal judicial nominees being put forward by Donald Trump:…

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Anti-LGBTQ activists in Anchorage launch ballot measure assault on transgender people

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Anti-equality activists have submitted 8,500 signatures in an attempt to qualify for a ballot measure in Anchorage, Alaska, aimed at gutting protections for transgender residents and visitors in the city’s non-discrimination ordinance. The city clerk must verify that at least 5,753 signatures are from registered Anchorage voters in order for the discriminatory initiative to be placed…

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ACLU and Lambda Legal challenge fake repeal of North Carolina’s discriminatory HB 2

RALEIGH, N.C. – Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of North Carolina, and Lambda Legal announced they have taken steps to expand the federal lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s sweeping anti-LGBT law HB 2 to include a challenge to its discriminatory replacement, HB 142, which left many of the harms caused by HB 2…

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Allentown, Pa. becomes latest municipality to protect youth from conversion therapy

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Allentown City Council has unanimously passed and Mayor Ed Pawlowski has signed a measure protecting LGBTQ youth from the dangerous and discredited practice of “conversion therapy.” The ordinance prohibits licensed mental health professionals from engaging in conversion therapy with minors within the city and imposes potential business license revocation for violations.. Allentown…

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LGBTQ groups join nationwide day of action against Republican Plans to strip health care from millions of Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality (GLMA), and several other prominent LGBTQ groups announced that they will join Our Lives on the Line’s nationwide day of action July 29 to continue the fight against the Republican plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act. For the day of…

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Senate Republicans confirm Trump’s anti-LGBTQ judicial nominee

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wednesday, the Senate confirmed John K. Bush to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Bush’s confirmation is in line with an alarming trend of the Trump-Pence Administration appointing anti-LGBTQ nominees at all levels of government. “Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell should never have advanced this nominee who is clearly…

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ACLU files lawsuit demanding documents on plans to implement Trump religious exemptions executive order

NEW YORK — The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against four federal agencies demanding documents from the Trump administration that provide clarity on how the administration plans to implement its ‘religious freedom’ executive order. The ACLU initially filed records requests with the Departments of Health and Human…

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