A weekly advocacy update from PFLAG National
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PFLAG Votes 2026: Turning Pride Into Power
Join us on Wednesday, August 12th for a virtual launch session of PFLAG Votes 2026 ([link removed])!
This year’s PFLAG Votes campaign—Turning Pride Into Power—will include the resources you’ve come to rely on from PFLAG National, including a specialized Vote411 landing page ([link removed]), one-pagers with voting information by state, slide decks with voting information for chapter leaders to share in meetings, and virtual gatherings and training sessions all along the way. We’re also excited to share new resources and opportunities this year, expanding our reach and program to ensure we’re doing all we can to get out the vote for this year’s midterms! Additionally, you will hear from PFLAG chapters leading voter engagement efforts in their communities, as well as PFLAG National CEO Brian Bond, who will share what’s at stake in this election and why your vote matters.
We invite you to join us on Wednesday, August 12 at 8:30 pm ET/5:30 pm PT ([link removed]) to learn all about the campaign, the timeline, and the incredible tools and resources we have available for you. RSVP today ([link removed])!
PFLAG in Action
PFLAG Santa Clarita hosts author, illustrator, and creator Miles Toriko Burks ([link removed]). The transgender Asian-American author and illustrator is the creator of the graphic novel “Encore!”
State News
Here is a sample of what’s going on around the country. You can share news from your state with
[email protected] (mailto:
[email protected]) for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.
Kansas - Law invalidating transgender Kansans’ driver’s licenses imposes steep financial costs ([link removed]). Many transgender Kansans who received letters telling them their licenses that reflected their gender identity would be invalidated faced steep costs of getting new licenses, including needing to take off work to go to the DMV. Some trans Kansans also faced questions from law enforcement and airport security after using their new licenses indicating their sex assigned at birth.
Michigan - State Civil Rights Commission rules that Traverse City hair salon violated civil rights law ([link removed]). The Michigan Civil Rights Commission ruled that a Traverse City hair salon violated the state's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act by publishing social media posts that stated that people who identify as "as anything other than a man/woman" were "not welcome" at the salon.
Texas - Rainbow crosswalk in Austin removed ([link removed]). On July 20th, crews painted over rainbow crosswalks in the city’s historic LGBTQ district. Community members gathered on the 21st to lament the removal of the crosswalks and to call for greater visibility and belonging for the LGBTQ+ community.
Federal News
Federal judge questions difference between administering testosterone for transgender men and cisgender men ([link removed]). U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes ordered both sides in the lawsuit concerning the Administration’s anti-trans military service ban to clarify “the similarities and differences in administering [testosterone replacement therapy], both medically and logistically, for trans men compared to other service members, including cis individuals.” The question came shortly after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a screening program for low testosterone among servicemen over age 30.
House votes against codification of anti-trans military service ban ([link removed]). On July 21st, the House voted to reject an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)— which funds the military and related programs— to codify the Trump Administration executive order banning transgender people from military service. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-4) proposed the amendment, which failed on a bipartisan vote of 212-217. The House did, however, approve two anti-trans measures. The first prohibits TRICARE (the military health insurance program) from covering gender-affirming care and the second prohibits trans women from participating in women’s sports at Department of Defense Dependents Schools.
“Don’t Say Trans” bill introduced in the Senate ([link removed]). SB 4925 was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The bill would prohibit federal funds for books and other materials that are deemed “sexually oriented,” which is defined in the bill as including any material involving “gender dysphoria or transgenderism.”
Department of Education (DOE) threatens school districts in Maryland, Michigan with lawsuits and loss of federal funds over trans-inclusive policies ([link removed]). The DOE announced it was partnering with the Justice Department to investigate Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Maryland and Ann Arbor Public Schools in Michigan over policies protecting transgender students from forced outing.
Trump Administration ends HIV prevention funding to community organizations ([link removed]). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) informed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that it would not renew $46 million in funding for 96 community-based organizations that provide HIV testing and other prevention measures, instead giving the funds to state governments for dispersal. States are encouraged, but not required, to disperse the funds to community-based organizations.
Trump Administration orders warning signs placed at Smithsonian National Museum of American History ([link removed]). Without specifying individual exhibits, the Administration is asserting that the museum is violating the President’s executive order entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” and that the National Park Service will place signs along sections of the museum deemed in violation of the order.
Global News
France - President Emmanuel Macron appoints new human rights ombudsman with history of opposing equal rights for LGBTQ+ people ([link removed]). On July 21st, the French National Assembly and the Senate both narrowly approved Senator François-Noël Buffet to serve as Defender of Rights, an office tasked with defending citizens whose rights are infringed and ensuring the equal protection of legal rights in France. Buffet previously opposed legalizing same-sex marriage and assisted reproduction for single women and lesbian couples.
Germany - Vehicle driven into crowd at Berlin Pride event ([link removed]). A man drove a van into a crowd celebrating the Christopher Street Day celebrations in Berlin, killing one person and injuring 16 others. The suspect was later shot and killed by police ([link removed]).
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