Politics

Victory Fund Endorses Ryan Hampton

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Victory Fund Endorses Ryan Hampton for Nevada State Assembly

The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund has endorsed Ryan Hampton for Nevada State Assembly, District 4. The Victory Fund supports pro-equality, pro-choice, out LGBTQ+ candidates at all levels of government. They have endorsed 200 candidates for the 2024 election cycle.

Hampton is a national addiction recovery advocate and person in long-term recovery himself. He has worked with multiple non-profits nationwide to end overdose and served in leadership capacities for various community organizing initiatives.

The Victory Fund stated “Ryan Hampton believes in the power of people to change our community for the better. Whether we live in big cities or rural towns—no matter our social or economic status—we all need safe homes, quality education, good jobs, and affordable healthcare. By representing everyday people at the tables of power, Ryan has won cross-party solutions that serve working-class families in the ways that matter most.”

Ryan lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his husband, Sean, and their boxer dog, Quincy. Find out more at: www.ryanfornevada.com

Jaymes Black as New Chief Executive Officer

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Jaymes Black

The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ+) young people, announced Jaymes Black (they/she/he pronouns) as its new Chief Executive Officer. Black, an accomplished senior leader with more than 20 years of experience managing high performing teams at scale, is stepping in to lead the organization, effective July 15. Black will succeed Peggy Rajski (she/her), a founder and decades-long Board Member who stepped in as Interim CEO in 2022.

Black’s substantial expertise blends nonprofit and corporate competencies, and spans business and community leadership, LGBTQ+ advocacy and coalition building, fundraising strategy and innovation, large budget oversight and financial acumen, call center operations and user experience, and more. In addition to their extensive professional qualifications, they identify as a Black nonbinary lesbian – bringing compelling lived experience that will help The Trevor Project work toward its mission to end suicide among LGBTQ+ young people.

“I am elated and deeply honored to step into the role of CEO at The Trevor Project for so many reasons – especially since this is an organization I desperately needed myself as a queer young person growing up in South Texas,” said Jaymes Black (they/she/he pronouns), incoming CEO at The Trevor Project. “Right now, far too many queer and transgender young people are struggling with thoughts of suicide and other mental health challenges – not because of who they are, but because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized by other people. I know what that feels like, first hand. I also know this is an enormously difficult moment for both Trevor and the young people we serve. Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and the dangerous, demeaning rhetoric surrounding it has reached a record high in this country, and LGBTQ+ young people are constantly being exposed to messages that attempt to invalidate their very identities. As CEO, it is my job to reinforce that LGBTQ+ young people have so many more people who love and support them exactly as they are, than those who wish them harm. This work won’t be easy, but I am ready to roll my sleeves up to help create a world in which all LGBTQ+ young people feel safe, accepted, and free to thrive as their truest selves.”

Prior to joining Trevor, Black served as President & CEO at Family Equality, the leading national organization for current and future LGBTQ+ families. Family Equality works to ensure everyone has the freedom to find, form, and sustain their families by advancing LGBTQ+ equality through advocacy, support, storytelling, and education.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jaymes as our new CEO at such a critical moment for The Trevor Project, and for the LGBTQ+ young people we serve,” said Julian Moore (he/him), Chair of The Trevor Project’s Board of Directors. “The search for Trevor’s new leader was rigorous and throughout the process, Jaymes established themself as a sort of ‘unicorn’ candidate. Their history of successful leadership in finance, technology, and business, combined with leading and growing an LGBTQ+ nonprofit during a historically challenging time for our community, makes Jaymes a uniquely remarkable fit. The role of CEO is a big job, and we are more than confident in Jaymes’ ability to lead The Trevor Project forward.”

Prior to leading Family Equality, Black had a seasoned career in the corporate sector, where they held a variety of senior leadership roles, including at companies such as Charles Schwab, Sabre Corporation, and Northrop Grumman. Black has an MS in Management and was honored on The 2022 Out Magazine’s Out100 list — a compilation of the year’s most impactful and influential LGBTQ+ people.

Statement from Kelley Robinson (she/her), President, Human Rights Campaign:
“Our movement is facing an urgent moment where we must both meet the needs of our people today and fight for a future where there are laws, policy, and the type of representation for us to get free. This is also a defining moment as movement leaders seek to meet the demands and build organizations that can create the kind of impact our communities deserve. Jaymes uniquely gets this.”

Statement from Nadine Smith (she/her), Co-Founder & CEO at Equality Florida:
“Jaymes Black’s leadership at The Trevor Project comes at a crucial time for LGBTQ youth and families facing extremist attacks. With a deep understanding of our community’s needs and a strong commitment to innovative problem-solving, Jaymes will guide The Trevor Project in meeting current challenges and building a stronger, and more resilient organization.”

“We are overjoyed to welcome Jaymes to Trevor, and they are well-positioned to lead the organization into its next chapter,” said Rajski. “For more than 26 years, The Trevor Project has been providing high-quality, life-saving crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to our beloved LGBTQ+ young people. When I founded the organization back in 1998, I never imagined it would grow to such heights. I know that Jaymes – and their decorated background – will usher the organization through its next phase, continuing our critical work supporting LGBTQ+ young people for generations to come.”

“We are immensely grateful to Peggy Rajski for stepping in at the Board’s request as The Trevor Project’s Interim CEO, and stabilizing the organization during a period of significant change,” continued Moore. “Peggy’s leadership has enabled The Trevor Project to serve more LGBTQ+ youth in crisis than ever before. We’re thankful for Peggy’s support as Jaymes steps into their role as the organization’s new CEO. As a Founder of The Trevor Project in 1998, Peggy has continued her deep commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ youth mental health for longer than 26 years, and her positive impact will continue as she returns to her seat on the Board.”

Rajski will support Black’s transition as the Special Advisor to the CEO, then return to her role on the organization’s Board.

If you or someone you know needs help or support, The Trevor Project’s trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help, or by texting START to 678678.

Whitman-Walker Institute Condemns Nationwide Injunction Blocking Federal Nondiscrimination Protections for Transgender People

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Dr. Kellan Baker, Whitman Walker Institute

Today Whitman-Walker Institute condemned the politically motivated ruling from a federal district court judge that blocks vital nondiscrimination protections for transgender people across the country. Today, a U.S. district court judge in Mississippi issued a nationwide injunction in State of Tennessee v. Becerra, blocking enforcement of key parts of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. This ruling directly attacks a regulation issued in April 2024 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which strengthened nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQI+ people in health care and health coverage nationwide.

This ruling was the first of three rulings today in which judges prioritized politics over people and blocked key non-discrimination protections in healthcare for transgender people and for millions of other Americans.

The regulation that was blocked in these three cases demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring health care and health insurance access for all by securing nondiscrimination protections for some of our nation’s most marginalized communities, including transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people, people with limited English proficiency, people with disabilities, and people seeking reproductive health care.

Dr. Kellan Baker, Executive Director of the Whitman-Walker Institute, says, “It’s shameful that a federal judge would side with bigots in seeking to dismantle these protections. The Biden-Harris administration correctly took action to help remove barriers to care and advance health equity for underserved communities, including LGBTQI+ people. Robust enforcement of this rule is critical to improve the health and well-being of LGBTQI+ people across the country. This ruling is part of a dangerous trend in which politicians deny and disregard the clear evidence documenting the harms of widespread discrimination against LGBTQI+ people, particularly transgender people, in health care and health insurance.” 

Whitman-Walker Institute, which leverages research, policy, and education to advance health equity nationwide, is affiliated with Whitman-Walker Health, the lead plaintiff in a 2020 federal lawsuit brought to reverse the Trump administration’s weakening of Section 1557’s nondiscrimination protections for underserved communities, particularly LGBTQI+ people.

According to the 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey, nearly 50% of respondents who saw a provider in the last year had at least one negative health care experience because of their gender identity.

Twenty-three percent of LGBTQI+ respondents, including 37% of transgender respondents, reported postponing or avoiding needed medical care in the past year due to disrespect or discrimination by providers.

About Whitman-Walker Institute

Whitman-Walker Institute is a Washington, D.C. based organization that leverages cutting-edge research, policy, and education to advance health equity at the federal level and in states across the country. We bring to this work expertise in rigorous research and health policy analysis, deep relationships with state and federal policymakers, longstanding partnerships across multiple justice movements, and the direct service experience of Whitman-Walker Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center that serves thousands of diverse patients across the D.C. area and beyond. The Institute is home to nationally recognized experts in areas of policy such as LGBTQI+ health equity, care for transgender people, insurance reform, social determinants of health, HIV prevention and treatment, and sexual orientation and gender identity data collection. More info can be found at: https://www.whitman-walker.org/institute/

Molly Cook Wins Special Election; Will be First LGBTQ+ Texas State Senator

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Molly Cook Texas

Molly Cook has won the special election to represent District 15 in the Texas Senate and will serve out the remaining term of now-Houston Mayor John Whitmire. Cook makes history as the first out LGBTQ+ member of the upper chamber, which is especially hostile to LGBTQ+ rights.

Molly is an ER nurse, community organizer and advocate for a more sustainable Texas. She will be on the ballot again for the primary runoff election on May 28, where she’s competing for the full term that starts next year.

Annise Parker, president & CEO of LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and former Houston mayor, released the following statement:

“For too long, the LGBTQ+ community has been the punching bag of bigots in the Texas Senate. Now, they’ll have an out LGBTQ+ peer as their colleague who will look them in the eye and make them see the Texans they’re hurting. We know Molly will not only be a powerful voice for LGBTQ+ Texans, she’ll do a wonderful job fighting for the needs of all her constituents in District 15, including myself. Between now and May 28, I’ll be doing everything I can to ensure another victory for Molly and the cause of equality.”

Las Vegas Sands Contributes $270,000 to The LGBTQ+ Center of Southern Nevada

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Atlantic Sands Sands Cares Foundation Las Vegas

New round of Sands Cares funding provides resources to assist in the nonprofit’s continued physical expansion and supports its organizational development work in the exclusive Sands Cares Accelerator.

LAS VEGAS, June 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS) has contributed $270,000 to The LGBTQ+ Center of Southern Nevada (The Center) through Sands Cares to help sustain The Center’s continued physical expansion, as well as empower its work in the company’s exclusive Sands Cares Accelerator, a three-year membership program aimed at advancing nonprofits to deliver greater community impact.

A portion of the Sands Cares donation is providing resources for office space as The Center continues its growth plans to accommodate expansion of the Arlene Cooper Community Health Center. In addition, The Center is focusing on building its marketing capabilities as part of its Sands Cares Accelerator work, and the balance of funding will enable services that help The Center build visibility through media and communications.

The Center has been a vital part of Las Vegas for 30 years, offering a safe, non-judgmental environment for life-enriching programs, services, events, education and support groups for people who identify as LGBTQ+ and allies of the community. The Center serves as the hub for an array of essential resources and care, including food and meal delivery, physical and mental health care services, and community advocacy.

“Our partnership with Sands has enabled us to execute on key strategies for advancing our strategic vision to build our organization’s future and increasing our services to the LGBTQ+ and Southern Nevada community,” John Waldron, CEO of The Center, said. “We appreciate that Sands understands the value of what we’re trying to accomplish with a demonstrated commitment to our long-term strategy for greater community service and impact.”

Physical Infrastructure Expansion: Since 2021, Sands has supported The Center’s expansion of the Arlene Cooper Community Health Center, as the organization works toward its goal of becoming a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). The 2024 Sands Cares funding for office space and related expenses is enabling The Center to locate its administrative functions off-site in a nearby building, so that the health center has the required space to operate until its new facility at 921 S. Las Vegas Blvd is fully operational.

At the start of June 2024, The Center launched a soft opening of the new facility and saw more than 100 patients in the first two weeks. The Center is working on plans to further develop the facility and will launch a grand opening of the facility’s first phase later in 2024.

The Sands Cares funding for physical infrastructure also is providing the resources for upgrades to The Center’s lobby area in the main building to create a refreshed and welcoming environment for community patrons and events.

Marketing Capacity Building: The Center is in its second year of the three-year Sands Cares Accelerator, a program that enables nonprofits to work on a strategic program or functional area over a longer term to increase the organization’s community impact. The Center is using its Sands Cares Accelerator membership to expand its marketing capability, and the 2024 Sands Cares Accelerator funding will continue to support strategic communications services, media production and other storytelling avenues to expand visibility and sustain a strong foundation for the organization’s future.

Inspired by the entrepreneurial and philanthropic spirit of Sands’ founder Sheldon G. Adelson, the Sands Cares Accelerator carries on his legacy of building successful businesses and giving back to communities with greater corporate involvement to help advance the capabilities of nonprofit organizations and better address the needs of their communities. Members receive funding, strategic guidance and facilitation for their identified program goal, and mentorship, counsel and consulting from Sands’ staff in areas where they can support the nonprofit’s strategic focus.

“We invited The Center to join the Sands Cares Accelerator because it demonstrated the very essence of what we look to nurture in the program: a strategic vision that needs resources, dedicated time and focused development to materialize,” said Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs, who spearheads corporate responsibility initiatives. “The Center has a solid roadmap for expanding the health center to fill voids in medical care delivery for the LGBTQ+ community, leveraging its revenue model to sustain overall programming and increasing its visibility to ensure these offerings are embraced. While our contributions span different areas, our support has been carefully planned to help The Center realize its long-term vision.”

Sands’ support for The Center falls under the company’s priorities on nonprofit capacity building and diverse community advancement under the global Sands Cares community engagement program. To learn more about Sands Cares, visit sands.com/responsibility/communities/.

To learn more about The LGBTQ+ Center of Southern Nevada, visit https://thecenterlv.org/.

Malcolm Kenyatta Could Become Pennsyania’s First Out LGBTQ+ Statewide Official

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Malcolm Kenyatta

Malcolm Kenyatta won the Democratic primary for state auditor in Pennsylvania, putting him on track to become the commonwealth’s first out LGBTQ+ statewide official.

Kenyatta has represented District 181 in the Pennsylvania House since 2019. He has received numerous endorsements including an endorsement from the Victory Fund as a Victory Fund Spotlight Candidate. Annise Parker, president & CEO of LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, issued the following statement:

“Pennsylvanians trust Malcolm Kenyatta to be their watchdog as auditor general because that’s exactly what he’s been as a legislator. LGBTQ+ Victory Fund is all in for Malcolm, because we know he has the experience to win this race and carry on his fight for students, seniors and workers as Pennsylvania’s auditor general. LGBTQ+ Americans are severely underrepresented in public office and the numbers are even worse for Black LGBTQ+ representation. I look forward to doing everything I can to mobilize LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians and our allies to get out and vote for Malcolm this November so we can make history.”

In addition to his experience as a State Representative for Philadelphia-based District 181, he was a past U.S. Senate candidate and an is a current active surrogate for the Biden Harris campaign.

Rainbow Railroad Details Taliban Treatment of LGBTQI+ Persons

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Rainbow Railroad Releases Important Report Detailing Taliban Treatment of LGBTQI+ Persons

On December 19th, Rainbow Railroad released “No Safe Way Out: Human Rights Violations Against LGBTQI+ people under the Taliban”. The report provides qualitative analysis based on 1,739 requests for help submitted to Rainbow Railroad between August 2021 and August 2022. Accounts from individuals throughout the report describe coordinated and repeated tactics used by the Taliban to target and persecute LGBTQI+ communities. For the first time based on requests for help, Rainbow Railroad is able to provide details on the extreme violence towards LGBTQI+ people and those who support them perpetrated by the Taliban.

These findings corroborate and update earlier reports of abuses against LGBTQI+ people by the Taliban.

“In writing this report, it became clear how all-encompassing the threats are towards LGBTQI+ people in Afghanistan under Taliban rule,” said Kathryn Hampton, the primary author of the report and Head of Impact at Rainbow Railroad. “This report is a jarring summary of violence faced by individuals suspected of being members of the LGBTQI+ community – violence they’re facing just for being who they are, or loving who they love. Conducting this research was heartbreaking and deeply alarming. Our recommendations are even more urgent following disturbing recent reports by Taliban officials of public floggings of LGBTQI+ people before thousands of onlookers.”

According to individuals who have reached out to Rainbow Railroad for help, the Taliban is targeting LGBTQI+ people due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, or sex characteristics. Individual accounts included in this report detail multiple tactics used by the Taliban to identify and find LGBTQI+ people, including identifying them from social media photos or videos, during searches of belongings and cellphones at checkpoints, and through emboldening community members to surveil and report on LGBTQI+ people. The report details how individuals are encouraged to report on their own friends, colleagues and family members if they are suspected of being LGBTQI+, or risk facing punishment themselves.

A number of LGBTQI+ people reported being beaten and subject to physical violence by the Taliban both inside of, and concerningly, outside of detention settings, either in their homes during an unlawful search, or in public places to ‘make an example’ of members of the LGBTQI+ community. Rape and sexual violence were mentioned in many requests for help, including sexual assault by family,community members, and members of the Taliban themselves in an environment of impunity.

Rainbow Railroad also reviewed several documents, reportedly issued by Taliban officials, which indicate that these violent incidents may even be coordinated actions based on official Taliban policies.

“This report demonstrates the extreme risk that LGBTQI+ Afghans are facing everyday. Those reaching out to Rainbow Railroad are in serious danger,” said Rainbow Railroad Executive Director Kimahli Powell. “We have hundreds of LGBTQI+ Afghans who are at severe risk ready to travel. It’s up to governments, including the governments of Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, to partner with us to respond urgently.”

In the first year of Taliban rule, from August 15, 2021 until August 22, 2022, Rainbow Railroad received 3,797 requests for help from LGBTQI+ Afghans. Rainbow Railroad has facilitated the relocation of 247 Afghans for resettlement to safer countries since August 2021, and have also provided 648 Afghans with financial assistance, shelter support, mental health support, and other forms of assistance.

View (or download) the report below:

No-Safe-Way-Out-Human-Rights-Violations-Against-LGBTQI-People-Under-the-TalibanDownload

2022 LGBTQ Community Center Report

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2022 LGBTQ Community Centers Report

The 2022 LGBTQ Community Center Survey Report, prepared jointly by MAP and CenterLink and published every two years, provides an overview of local lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community centers, including their capacity, their programs and services, the people they serve, and their major challenges and opportunities.

This year, the report surveyed 208 centers located in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and provides a crucial snapshot of the centers that provide vital services, programs, and advocacy for LGBTQ people. 

Community-Centers-2022-reportDownload

ADL and GLAAD Partner to Counter Anti-LGBTQ+ Extremism and Hate

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ADL and GLAAD Partner to Counter Anti-LGBTQ+ Extremism and Hate

ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) and GLAAD, the LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today announced a new partnership to counter anti-LGBTQ+ extremism and hate in the United States. The two organizations are joining together to sharpen their focus on hate and extremism targeting the LGBTQ+ community, which has experienced thousands of hate crimes in recent years, according to the FBI. This partnership will increase ADL and GLAAD’s ability to monitor, expose and disrupt anti-LGBTQ+ hate by hiring a new analyst dedicated to tracking and countering threats against the LGBTQ+ community.

“The LGBTQ+ community is under attack in the United States,” said Oren Segal, Vice President of the ADL Center on Extremism. “ADL has tracked disturbing incidents and trends in anti-LGBTQ+ hate in person and online in just the last few months, including physical violence, death threats, intimidation, doxing, conspiracy theories, misinformation and more. We are grateful to partner with GLAAD, an organization that has led the fight for LGBTQ+ equality for decades, to support a new role dedicated to understanding and countering this pernicious threat.”

The partnership will enhance both organizations’ abilities to track extremist activity and hate incidents, produce reports and resources to educate key stakeholders and the public about trends and developments, and alert law enforcement and community organizations to threats targeting LGBTQ+ individuals and institutions.

“ADL is a true leader in tracking and stopping hate and extremism and this is an urgent time to protect the LGBTQ community by further growing this impactful work. LGBTQ people face alarming and disproportionate levels of hate and harassment on social media and it’s rapidly moving offline,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “You can draw a direct line from anti-LGBTQ content and accounts on social media to real world violence: from extremists showing up at drag shows to vandalism at LGBTQ community centers to bomb threats being called into children’s hospitals that care for transgender youth. This new partnership will help GLAAD and the entire LGBTQ movement in identifying and reporting the growing rates of anti-LGBTQ violence before it happens.”

ADL has worked for decades to protect the LGBTQ+ community, including filing amicus briefs encouraging courts to end discrimination, promoting legislation like the Equality Act and playing a leading role in securing enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA) in 2009 – the first time gender identity was included in a federal civil rights law.

For nearly 40 years, GLAAD has been at the forefront of cultural change, accelerating acceptance for the LGBTQ community. The GLAAD Media Institute tells LGBTQ stories that create change and is a go-to resource on LGBTQ representation for leading journalists, brands, entertainment, gaming creators, elected officials, and other notables. GLAAD’s Social Media Safety Project produces an annual Social Media Safety Index, which this year gave failing grades to five leading social media platforms on LGBTQ safety. The program works with platforms on LGBTQ policies and enforcement, such as TikTok’s recent move to prohibit promotion of conversion therapy and to protect transgender users from targeted misgendering and deadnaming.

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ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.

Governor Newsom Signs Legislation Strengthening Protections for LGBTQ+ Californians

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Equality California

Equality California Press Release

SACRAMENTO —  Governor Newsom signed SB 107, legislation co-sponsored by Equality California and Planned Parenthood on gender affirming health care, today. In addition, Governor Newsom signed the following Equality California sponsored bills, SB 923 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) – Gender-affirming care, AB 1041 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – Leave for Chosen Families, AB 2417 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Juveniles: Youth Bill of Rights and SB 1194 by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) – All Gender Public Restrooms.

“While small minded men like Greg Abbot and Ron Desantis attack trans children and their families, Governor Newsom ensures that they are protected and receive the necessary life saving health care they need. SB 107 officially makes California a state of refuge for trans kids and their families,” said Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang. “SB 107 will continue California’s legacy of leadership in protecting and advancing the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ communities in a time when we cannot take our rights and protections for granted.”

“Extreme politicians across the country are openly attacking trans youth and their families like never before, but thanks to today’s action by Governor Newsom and the leadership by Senator Scott Weiner, SB 107 provides reassurance that California will be a place where people can get the care they need,” said Jodi Hicks, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. “We stand in solidarity with our friends and colleagues at EQCA and LGBTQ+ communities across the country. California Planned Parenthood health centers are committed to providing care, including gender-affirming care and LBGTQ+ services, to all who come through their doors – regardless of where they call home.”

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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org