“Years before the White House was lit in rainbow colors celebrating the Supreme Court’s decision legalizing same-sex marriage, President Obama used a routine bureaucratic tool that ended up significantly changing the government’s understanding of gender and how it can be changed.”
“The process began during Obama’s first year in office when he issued a memo in June 2009 instructing agencies to extend to same-sex couples some benefits that the spouses of federal employees receive. Over time, that directive led to a decision by the Social Security Administration to greatly lower the threshold requirements for changing one’s sex on official government documents.”
“Suddenly, gender — once believed by many, including a rigid federal government, to be immutable from birth — could be changed on Social Security cards with a simple note from a medical professional overseeing such a transition.”
“The race for the 2016 presidential nomination is increasingly serving to highlight key divisions between the powerful Republican donor class and the Republican voting and activist base. Using recently released [data] from 2014, we found that same-sex marriage is an issue that splits the more cosmopolitan and business-friendly Republican donor class from the party’s more socially conservative base.”
“As 2016 approaches, Republicans will increasingly be at a crossroads: Small donors and voters are overwhelmingly opposed to gay marriage, while marginally attached Republicans and the elite donor class are somewhat more supportive. The donor class, seeing the popularity of gay rights, is increasingly willing to relegate the issue to the dustbin. But will the base?”
“N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper declined Gov. Pat McCrory’s request to sign a friend-of-the-court brief in a district case regarding transgender bathrooms in public schools last week.”
“The amicus curiae brief opposes the complaint of G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board, which was filed earlier this year when a transgender student, Gavin Grimm, was barred from using the boys bathroom in his Virginia school.”
“The Obama administration filed a brief in support of Grimm, while South Carolina filed an opposing amicus curiae brief — which McCrory requested Cooper sign on to. ”
John Bel Edwards will issue executive order protecting LGBT state employees By Julia O’Donoghue, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune“Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards plans to issue an executive order to protect the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community from firing, discrimination and harassment as state employees and government contractors.”
“Edwards’ directive would cover state workers and government contractors in agencies and departments he oversees. But executive orders don’t necessarily bind parts of state government outside the governor’s control, such as the judiciary.”
“In most parts of Louisiana, it is still legal to fire someone for being gay or in a same-sex relationship. Only in New Orleans and Shreveport — which have special local ordinances on the books — are people prohibited from firing a person for being a member of the LGBT community.”
“A new campaign is underway across Kentucky to identify historic places of significance to LGBT Kentuckians.”
“There is plenty of media coverage of LGBT Kentuckians over the past few years, but we are seeking to discover the more “hidden histories” that characterized the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans Kentuckians throughout most of the 20th century — many of whom lived closeted lives out of necessity for their safety.”
“The aim of this research is to lift up this area of history for further study and preservation. A statewide Historic Context narrative in 2016 will lay the groundwork for local and regional historical societies to promote further preservation and celebration of LGBT histories and historic places.”
By Alexandra Bolles, GLAAD“L.B. Bell is a Mississippi farmer, physician, and husband. While his journey as a trans man and LGBT advocate were captured in the documentary, L Word Mississippi: Hate the Sin, L.B. can now also add award-winning medical professional to his list of accomplishments.”
“Recently, the Southern Pain Society, which provides education and training to pain management professionals, awarded L.B. with The President’s Distinguished Service Award for outstanding and dedicated service to the organization.”
“L.B. works closely with members of the local LGBT community towards building acceptance and equality at the Hattiesburg Spectrum Center in MS, and also participated in GLAAD’s Southern Stories Summer Tour and Campaign for Southern Equality’s “WE DO” Campaign.”
“Almost one year ago, transgender teen Leelah Alcorn took her life along a stretch of Interstate 71 near Kings Mill, Ohio. She left a handwritten suicide note for her parents, and one on Tumblr that went viral after her death, galvanizing the country around transgender issues and against the so-called conversion therapy Alcorn said she’d been subjected to.””On Friday, a tribute went up along I-71 that aims to honor the 17-year-old’s short life. Alcorn’s friends and supporters teamed up to participate in the state’s Adopt-a-Highway program, placing a sign reading “In memory of Leelah Alcorn” along the Ohio highway where Alcorn’s body was found, according to Cincinnati TV station WCPO.”
“In the summer of 2012, when Brennan Lewis was 15, he and best friend Lane Rosen co-founded QueerNC. As a first year student in high school, Lewis saw LGBT students struggling with unsafe home environments, bullying, and mental illness.””At first, QueerNC struggled with funding and organizational structure, so the leadership team scheduled a meeting with James Miller, executive director of the LGBT Center of Raleigh.”
“It’s one of many success stories with the LGBT Center of Raleigh at its core. Miller describes the organization as a lightning rod for all things pertaining to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities, a clearinghouse for information on those demographics and a safe place for all people. With its extensive library, programs and services – including HIV testing and a crisis line – the LGBT Center of Raleigh is a lot of things to a lot of people.”
“The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee has sued Giles County school officials for prohibiting a student from wearing pro-LGBT rights apparel to school.”
“‘Our goal in this case is to ensure that students are not censored for expressing their support for the equal treatment and acceptance of LGBT students,’ said Hedy Weinberg, ACLU of Tennessee director, in an interview.”
“Richland High School senior Rebecca Young wore a pro-LGBT T-shirt on the first day of school in August. Young’s shirt read, ‘Some People Are Gay, Get Over It.'”
“Richland High Principal Micah Landers publicly reprimanded Young for wearing the T-shirt, the lawsuit says. Landers said Young could not wear the T-shirt to school because it made her a target for bullying and provoked other students.”
Editor’s note: In light of World AIDS Day, recognized annually on December 1, a look through the events of the nearly 35 years since the first cases of AIDS were diagnosed.
“In 2016 we observe the 35th anniversary of the diagnosis of the first cases of AIDS. Of course, we now know that HIV didn’t suddenly appear in 1981. There were a handful of cases of what we now recognize as AIDS-related illnesses in the decades prior to 1980. But 1981 is when people in the U.S. first recognized symptoms of AIDS, which was attacking mostly gay men.”
“Almost one year ago, transgender teen Leelah Alcorn took her life along a stretch of Interstate 71 near Kings Mill, Ohio. She left a handwritten suicide note for her parents, and one on Tumblr that went viral after her death, galvanizing the country around transgender issues and against the so-called conversion therapy Alcorn said she’d been subjected to.””
