Dear John,

What a Pride month so far: uprisings in cities across the country demanding justice in the face of anti-Black police violence; the Supreme Court rejecting the Trump administration’s attack on DACA; and of course, the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling protecting LGBTQIA+ rights in the workplace.

The tireless work of current organizers, activists, and community members, and the legacy of the Black and Brown transgender women -- including Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, who led the Stonewall Riots in 1969 -- remind us that across our progressive movements, we must center those most impacted.

In the reproductive freedom movement, we must center the LGBTQIA+ community in conversations about reproductive freedom -- and especially Black and Brown trans voices and experiences. The reproductive freedom movement must ask ourselves: what are we doing to address the barriers that trans and gender non-conforming people face in accessing reproductive health care, especially as those barriers have only been exacerbated by the global pandemic of COVID-19?

In honor of Pride month, we want to spotlight some of the critical work our partners are doing to center LGBTQIA+ communities:

• Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH) works in partnership with youth to engage community partners and to advance sexual health and rights, and to affirm identities in a variety of ways -- including through implementation of inclusive and affirming sexual health education and hosting an annual Building a Movement for Michigan Gender and Sexuality Alliances Pride for youth.
• Kentucky Health Justice Network (KHJN) supports health justice for Trans and gender expansive folks through their Trans Health Advocacy program. KHJN offers advocacy, financial assistance, and support navigating insurance and community resources. Their program also trains providers about gender affirming care and curates resources for their communities.

Let’s continue to center the LGBTQIA+ community as we work together to advance reproductive health, rights, and justice for all.

In solidarity,