Nevada Army National Guard Sgt. Sam Hunt, an electrician with G Company, 2/238th General Support Aviation Battalion poses for a photo on the flight line at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Stead, Nev., May 12, 2017. Hunt is the first openly transgender soldiers of the Nevada National Guard.

FROM SHANNON MINTER
NCLR

This morning, the Supreme Court issued its first rulings in our challenges to the transgender military ban. The Court denied the Trump administration’s request to leapfrog the normal judicial process and hear the cases now. But it also lifted three of the four preliminary court orders preventing Trump from enforcing the ban while the cases continue in the lower courts.

While this is a rapidly evolving situation, here’s the immediate takeaway:

The Court will not hear the cases this term, which is good news. We don’t want the Court to rule on this important issue prematurely, before we have had a chance to build a strong record in the lower courts and present evidence showing that the ban is based on bias, not facts.

For now, the transgender military ban should remain blocked. The Court ruled only on three of the four injunctions in place, but until the government takes action to overturn the fourth injunction, the ban cannot yet be enforced.

Multiple federal courts have recognized that excluding qualified individuals simply because they are transgender is contrary to basic constitutional principles of equality and fairness. I am confident the courts will ultimately protect the integrity of our nation’s military and hold that transgender service members must be evaluated based on the same standards applied to all others, not barred from service based on a characteristic that has no relevance to their fitness to serve.

As a practical matter, of course, the Court’s apparent willingness to greenlight the ban while the cases proceed is a stinging loss for transgender people currently in the military because it strengthens the government’s position that it may be permitted to exclude people from serving. It also creates confusion.

But as we’ve said since we first sued Trump, this case is not just about transgender servicemembers. It’s part of a larger pattern of policies by Trump to deny basic rights to any LGBTQ person in any context, with implications far beyond the armed forces. The military is one of the largest employers in the nation. This ban is about employment discrimination, and as such it could have a ripple effect in every area of life, from immigration to family law to employment and many others.

We will continue to fight, and I will keep you posted as our cases are heard in the lower courts. This is a setback, but a temporary one, and we will not stop fighting until we defeat this harmful and demeaning ban.

Thank you for all you do to support NCLR and the LGBTQ community.

The post NCLR explains Supreme Court decision on transgender troops first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Over the years, as countries progressed, eyes and hearts have opened in acceptance to LGBTQIA+ community, with Pride Month being celebrated every June all over the world. In 2015, the United States legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states, and the news peaked internationally, with other countries anticipating their turn, tirelessly fighting for equality, and patiently waiting for love to win in their own homeland. However, sad as it may be, many conservatives still refuse to acknowledge the existence of the LGBTQIA+ community, even involving the law in their vile attempt to apprehend the innocent.

Many LGBTIQA+ individuals experience various forms of abuse everywhere they go. Sexual harassment and rape threats have become an ugly common ground. Hospitals refuse to cover certain medical treatment and procedures. Something as mundane as using the bathroom can become enough of an issue to be brought to court. Can you imagine living with this lack of humanity on the daily?

Fortunately, for these kids, the law was on their side. These kids won various discriminatory cases, and earned settlement after each court hearing – and rightfully so. However, it’s not enough that money be thrown into the big picture. Despite the country’s progression, and the openness the community is receiving over the last few years, the fight continues on.

Learn more about the transgender youth involved in such cases, and further understand why we should actively fight for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ youth and community.

The post Transgender youth win fight for their rights first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Michaela Mendelsohn gives the keynote speech during the first annual Transgender Day of Remembrance held in Ventura Friday evening.

BY NATASIA LANGFELDER
Lesbian.com

LGBT Activist Michaela Mendelsohn recently became the first transgender member of The Trevor Project board. If Mendelsohn’s name looks familiar, it’s probably because she has been working for equality for awhile now. A popular public speaker- Mendelsohn also works with the California Trans Workplace project and has worked as a consultant for Laverne Cox’s character on ‘Orange is the New Black,’ Mendelsohn has been busy working both to get truthful trans stories told as well as aggressively working to promote transgender employment opportunities. Get to know her better by reading our one-on-one interview below, where we discuss the Trevor Project, Orange is the New Black, transphobia in the LGB community and her advice for trans people struggling with employment.

Hi Michaela, congratulations on your appointment to the Trevor Project Board! How does it feel to be the first trans-woman 

to sit on the Board?

It’s both an honor and a huge responsibility. I have tremendous respect for the work they are doing. Saving lives and improving conditions for LGBT youth from 13 to 24 years old. I feel it is my job to offer perspective on the needs of the trans community and to assist in the most effective ways to communicate their messages.  As a public speaker I can also ingrate their messaging into my engagements. The number of calls Trevor receives from trans youth are increasing in proportion to those they receive from gay youth. 

Why do you think it has taken this long for a trans-woman to join the board? 

It is not like they were not paying attention to the needs of the Trans Community before but with the huge rise in awareness the past two years, the need may have become more evident.

What was it like working with Genji Kohan on the set of Orange is the New Black?

I never did get to work on their New York set though I did spend several hours with Genji and her writers at their Universal studios offices and later by phone with the writer assigned to the character played by Laverne Cox. They were looking for help in understanding the trans experience especially how it might have related to the back story of this character. My goal was to help them get it right and urged them to hire a trans actress to play the role. They did both of which I am very proud!!

How did you get involved with that project?

I received an email from my friend Gary Lennon who was on their writing staff.  I was invited to come down and meet with them at Universal.

What was your favorite “Orange is the New Black” moment? 

There were so many great scenes it is impossible to pick one though I did love how they used Laverne’s twin brother for her back story working as a fireman while hiding his gender identity issue. They showed him getting dressed (by himself) in the locker room wearing

pink  underwear under his work clothes. They also did  a great job in the relationship scenes with the wife.

Fun fact- Mendelsohn was the first transgender contestant in the Ms. Senior California Pageant!

Your  life story, “Making Michaela” is being produced by Celebration Theater and will enter into full production in 2016. Is it weird to have your life out there for everyone to see?

It won’t be produced this year. I put the play on hold to work on Trevor and CTWP, my other project along with raising a family and running a business! CTWP is California Trans Workplace Project. It’s mission is to make California the model state as a supportive work environment for trans

people. I do hope to put some energy into the play later in the year. Most likely I will look for a writer and a director to work with to move the project forward. Having my life on stage is not an issue for me. I have told my story about 200 times in my speaking engagements. After a lifetime of keeping secrets it is cathartic to not have any.

Recently, a petition was being circulated online that argued for removing the “T” from “LGBT.” It was roundly dismissed as a hatefully, divisive idea. However, there there is a transphobia in the cis-gender queer community. Have you ever experienced this first hand? 

Yes, a number of times. It became clear during my transition that heterosexual women were more supportive and less judgmental than queer women. It was surprising and confusing to me, as I expected it to be the opposite. It was hurtful at times but  I came to realize that the gay community doesn’t really understand the trans experience and everyone is supporting their own political and social agendas. There is not much they have in common other than both being marginalized and stigmatized segments of society. I am beginning to realize, however, there are many intersections between  gender identity and sexual orientation.

What steps should cisgender queer allies take to support the trans community?

I think it starts with conversations they have with other people whether friends or co-workers. Being respectful in our choice of language. Using proper pronouns and helping spread an attitude of not only tolerance but “celebration” for each person’s uniqueness. I know its corny but the “golden rule” applies here. We all have experienced prejudice in our lives. We can allow these experiences to deepen our empathy for others. We can also support legislation which is supportive of each letter in LGBTQ.

Trans people have a ton of hurdles to overcome when it comes to building a career. You’re a successful CEO of Pollo West. What advice would you give to your peers who are struggling with advancing in the work place?

Thanks for pointing this out. It is a huge struggle for most transpeople who are either trying to get work or are wishing to transition in the workplace. This is especially true for trans women of color. I realize I was fortunate in that I became successful before my transition. As the boss I didn’t worry about losing my job though I did experience transphobia from other franchisees, by my franchisor and my lender. But, that’s for another story.  I started CTWP after hiring a few trans employees and listening to some of the terrible experiences they had in their previous jobs. We have now hired 10 trans employees. Three have made it into management with a fourth on her way. We get more compliments on our trans employees than their 200 co-workers. I should mention that 3 out of 5 transpersons work in states that still have no protection in the workplace for gender identity. And transgender people are more than twice as likely to live in poverty.

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The post Interview with Transgender Activist Michaela Mendelsohn first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Students from an all-girls’ school in Manila, Philippines, demonstrating for One Billing Rising. (Photo: AP)

BY MATTHEW RODGERS
dot429

Philippines LGBT rights group GANDA Filipinas joined women across the world for the One Billion Rising (OBR) in the largest gathering of mass action to stop violence against women and girls in history last week. Among the women present in the Southeast Asian country were a large number of transgender women.

GANDA Filipinas founder Naoimi Fontana told 429 Magazine that they joined OBR “in solidarity with women including transgender women the world over who continue to experience gender-based violence and abuse.” She continued to say, “We recognize human rights work as highly intersectional.”

Read more at dot429.com

The post LGBT Women of One Billion Rising in the Philippines first appeared on Lesbian.com.