The LGBT South is a weekly email newsletter, compiling national, regional, and local news important to LGBT Southerners. Subscribe to get the latest edition to your inbox every Friday morning and keep up with what the Campaign for Southern Equality is up to!
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Through dialogue, we have learned that there is ample opportunity to find agreement and practical solutions to protect LGBT equality and religious freedom together. We have also learned that a solution-oriented dialogue requires humanity, humility, and open-mindedness from everyone involved – attributes sorely lacking in today’s politics.”
– Rev. Marian-Edmonds Allen and Derek Monson, “LGBT rights are not incompatible with religious liberty unless we make them so”
Here’s your breakdown of what’s happening this week in the #LGBTsouth:
FREEDOM FOR ALL
The conversation over religious freedom may have taken a backseat in recent weeks with the countless other debates taking place – immigration reform, Confederate monuments, and the military ban – but the issue is far from over. This week, lawyers for the Justice Department filed documents in support of Jack Phillips, the Colorado baker who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex couple, stating “Forcing Phillips to create expression for and participate in a ceremony that violates his sincerely held religious beliefs invades his First Amendment rights.” ACLU Deputy Director Louise Melling called the brief “nothing short of advocating for constitutional discrimination.”
In addition, President Trump nominated two lawyers from the religious right to vacant Federal court seats in Texas. The lawyers, Jeff Mateer and Matthew Kacsmaryk, have both worked for the First Liberty Institute, a Christian legal advocacy group that works to protect clients in cases involving religious freedom and discrimination. Neither nominee has prior judicial experience, and LGBT rights groups in the state worry that their appointment would be “a gift to anti-LGBT activists.”
Concerns have arisen about the high levels of contact and influence religious conservative lobbyists have had in the current administration, even in comparison to George W. Bush’s time in office. However, many people have noted that the main point of many so-called religious freedom arguments in the context of anti-LGBTQ discrimination is inherently flawed; religious rights and LGBTQ identity are not irreconcilable and it is possible – and necessary – to have nondiscrimination as well as religious freedom for all.
KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE
Last week, the Department of Justice announced that it would rescind the Deferred Acton for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program established under the Obama administration, putting the lives of thousands of young undocumented immigrants in limbo. Now, Trump has reversed course and supposedly struck a deal with Democrats in Congress to legally secure DACA protections in exchange for increased border security measures – excluding the infamous wall.
DACA activists are still skeptical of Trump’s statements, unsure if the protections will actually be made official and unsettled at the thought of being used as a bargaining chip to prevent others from entering the country.
The DREAM Act, which has been introduced multiple times since 2001, would enshrine the protections of the DACA program in the law and provide undocumented youth a path to citizenship, but has failed to pass. A new version has been introduced this year, and while it has drawn support from both parties, there are several Republicans that have yet to sign on to the bill, including eight Southern lawmakers who could provide crucial swing votes. A recent poll by Politico showed that the majority of voters from both parties support keeping DACA in place as well as solidifying a path to citizenship. We will have to wait and see what comes of the Trump deal and if undecided lawmakers will vote with their constituents.
WHAT ELSE?
Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Susan Collins have introduced a proposal to block the proposed military ban on trans service members.
Check out this list of six amazing young trans activists taking the lead in their communities.
Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is poised to become the next Senator in the state, but his contempt for LGBTQ people is well-documented.
Gender neutral terms are becoming more and more common in English-speaking countries – but what if in your native language everything is gendered?
Will & Grace, a pioneer in LGBT representation on TV, is returning to the airwaves, but some are wondering if the show’s tone will hold up in a new era of identity politics.
An upcoming Netflix documentary will examine the life of legendary activist Marsha P. Johnson and the mysterious circumstances around her death.
Amid the controversy surrounding the removal of Confederate monuments, one museum is preserving that history to help America reckon with its past.
WHAT THE CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN EQUALITY IS UP TO
Don’t miss our free name change clinic at NC Trans Pride this Saturday in Charlotte!
We’re running two clinics, one at 10 a.m. and one at 1 p.m. The address is UNCC Center City building at 302 E. 9th Street, Charlotte. Look for the Campaign for Southern Equality banner and come say hi!
We are excited to host a FREE “Protect Yourself” Clinic Wednesday, October 4 in Asheville, NC that centers the trans experience and focuses on safety issues.
This clinic is led by trans and gender nonconforming folks and is hosted by Western North Carolina Community Health Services and the Campaign for Southern Equality. We’ll cover safety issues that come up for trans folks, including trainings in self defense (including how to use pepper spray), safety planning, and how to use safety apps on your phone. Every participant will receive a can of pepper spray and a flashlight. Free snacks and drinks will be provided.
There’s room for 15 people to attend this free clinic. To register, email Ivy Hill (ivy@southernequality.org) or call CSE at 828.242.1559.
