THe Need for Full Federal LGBT Equaility

As you know, same-sex couples can now get married in all 50 states and territories across the United States of America... But get this: the fundamental right to marriage does not protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans from discrimination in the workplace, housing and public spaces. Seriously. HRC has put together a helpful infographic that you can share that outlines the areas where LGBT Americans regularly face discrimination and the risks they face on a daily basis. Here's why we're asking you to share our infographic: Most Americans that live in one of the 31 states lacking LGBT non-discrimination protections have no idea that LGBT people lack explicit federal non-discrimination protections. HRC has launched a campaign for full federal equality — nothing more, nothing less. To get there, we must pass the Equality Act — a comprehensive federal LGBT non-discrimination bill that was introduced in Congress last week. This effort has been heralded as the next major fight for the LGBT community by both the Washington Post and the Huffington Post. Within 24 hours of the introduction of this unprecedented bill, millions of Americans learned about the discrimination LGBT people face and the Equality Act from HRC and through dozens of national news stories. HRC members in every single congressional district across the country sent messages to their legislators. Corporations immediately stepped up, as well — including Apple, Microsoft, and General Mills — and the list continues to grow. We need to keep the momentum going and make sure even more people learn about the Equality Act and the very real discrimination LGBT people encounter every day all across the country. You can keep the drumbeat going with HRC today. Share this infographic to spread the word about how many forms of discrimination LGBT people face in their daily lives. By informing others of just how many forms of discrimination LGBT people continue to face, you will help lay the groundwork for the passage of this crucial bill. It's time for a comprehensive federal LGBT non-discrimination law. It's time for the Equality Act.

© 2015 The Human Rights Campaign. All rights reserved. Human Rights Campaign | www.hrc.org 1640 Rhode Island Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-3278 Phone: 202-628-4160 TTY:202-216-1572 Fax: 202-347-5323

ACT NOW: Support Policies on Change of Birth Certificates for Transgender Individuals

During its meeting in June, the American Medical Association House of Delegates will consider two different resolutions that the AMA “support policies that allow for a change of sex designation on birth certificates for transgender individuals based on verification” of a healthcare provider that an individual has undergone gender transition according to “applicable medical standards of care.” The vast majority of states require proof of sex reassignment surgery or sterilization for birth certificate changes, which is a significant barrier for transgender people and contrary to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care.

GLMA President Desi Bailey will be attending the AMA Annual Meeting and will lend GLMA’s support to these resolutions along with allies and supportive colleagues within the AMA, including the AMA’s GLBT Advisory Committee.

If you are a member of the AMA, please consider posting online testimony in support of these resolutions. Log in to the AMA website and look for "Res 004-Conforming Birth Certificate Policies to Current Medical Standards for Transgender Patients" and "Res 005-Conforming Birth Certificate Policies to Current Medical Standards for Transgender Patients," which are part of Virtual Reference Committee CCB. Be sure to include that:

1. As an AMA and GLMA member, you support Resolutions 004 and 005;
2. An accurate birth certificate is a matter of life and health for transgender people; and
3. The prevailing and widely recognized Standards of Care for transgender people, published by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, recognize that sex reassignment surgery or sterilization should not be required to change a person’s sex designation on a birth certificate.

The deadline for posting testimony is June 2.

You can also show your support by liking and sharing GLMA’s post on this topic on Facebook.

Thank you for your action to support the health and well-being of the LGBT community!

PS – If you are also attending the AMA Annual Meeting or will be in Chicago on June 15, please join us for a GLMA in Chicago reception.

Give Out on May 9!

Posted at http://giveout.razoo.com/giving_events/giveout13/home Reposted at
On May 9th we invite you to be part of history and participate in the 1st national Give OUT Day.

Give OUT Day is a new national initiative that will engage hundreds of organizations and mobilize thousands of people on a single day across the country to give in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer community. It is a chance for LGBTQ groups large and small, to work across the wide range of issues and activities that matter to the LGBTQ community from sports to policy change, families to the arts. It is a chance for members of the LGBTQ community and our many allies to stand up and show our support for our community together on one day. It is a chance to make history, we hope you’ll join us!

When: 24 hours starting at 12 am EST on Thursday, May 9, 2013

How: Donate online through GiveOUTDay.org to support the LGBTQ community. Just search below by group name, keyword, city or zip code. (Want to preschedule? Begin your donation now and from the section "Make this donation occur" select "On a giving day.")

Click “Receive updates and reminders” below and get all the details as planning for Give OUT Day moves forward.

If you are part of an LGBTQ organization, click “Register your nonprofit” below to claim your page on the Give OUT Day website and take advantage of this new opportunity to engage supporters.

STAR Center Webinar: “Recovery, Wellness and Transgender Equality: Issues, Discussion and Resources for Increasing Multicultural Competence and Effective Practices for Real Lives”

Date:         June 14, 2012

Time:        3 p.m. Eastern Time

                  2 p.m. Central Time

                  1 p.m. Mountain Time

                   Noon Pacific Time 

 Join the STAR Center for this 90-minute webinar as we:

·         Discover and discuss recovery, wellness, and equality issues with, for, and about Transgender Persons

·         Deepen the understanding of some of the personal, social, societal and other complex and significant factors involved in empowerment by, with, and for Transgender Individuals

·         Expand knowledge of and access to resources, activities, tools and networks for increasing multicultural competence, sensitivity and effective services and program outcomes in healthcare, mental health services, and other arenas

·         Clarify that while a transgender identity can lead to mental health challenges because of societal structures, it is not a mental illness in itself. Furthermore, many transgender individuals are required to be diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder in order to begin the transition process – taking hormones and undergoing sexual reassignment surgery.

Register online here for the June 14 webinar.  Immediately after you complete the registration you will receive an email confirmation from annies@nami.org. The email will include a link entitled “Join the Meeting”. On the day of the webinar you will need to click on that link to bring you to the visual portion of the webinar. The confirmation email will also include the call-in information you will need to hear and participate in the webinar. One day in advance of the webinar, you will receive an automatic reminder from LiveMeeting about the webinar with the log-in information.

Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com