Take Action

Demand Human Rights for LGBTQ+ People Everywhere with the Global RESPECT Act (HR 3485). Introduced by Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus Chair Rep. David Cicilline (RI-1), this bill is expected to come to the House floor for a vote next week, and would impose sanctions on foreign persons who are responsible for violations of internationally recognized human rights against LGBTQI individuals. The bill would also require the President to periodically report and update the names of such individuals. Ask your U.S. Representative to cosponsor the Global RESPECT Act (HR 3485) if they have not, and urge them to vote YES when it comes to the House floor for a vote shortly. PFLAGers have always advocated for human dignity, safety and equality for LGBTQ+ people around the world. Passing this bill would demonstrate our government’s commitment to protect community members in all nations and hold accountable those who violate human rights. Reach your elected officials.

Raise your voice for the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA). Encourage your elected officials (two Senators and one Representative) to cosponsor The Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2021, (H.R.4402 and S. 2410), or SSIA. LGBTQ+ and civil rights organizations are uniting to support our students and halt bullying and discrimination. PFLAGers have always advocated for student safety and well-being and for SSIA, and this initiative is to help us move this LGBTQ+ student-inclusive legislation forward. Reach your elected officials.

Court Matters

Settlement allows faith-based adoption agencies to deny LGBTQ+ adoptions. U.S. district judge Robert Jonker blocked a deal from the attorney general that would prohibit faith-based adoption agencies from discriminating against LGBTQ+ adopters. The ruling means religious adoption agencies that partner with the state can still refuse adoptions by LGBTQ+ parents.

Supreme Court Justice Breyer to retire. Breyer has confirmed that he will retire upon the appointment of his successor, providing President Biden with an opportunity to appoint a Supreme Court Justice. Biden previously pledged to nominate a Black woman should the opportunity arise. Justice Breyer has served on the Supreme Court since he was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994.

Supreme Court to Affirmative Action cases. The Supreme Court will hear two cases against Harvard University and the University of Carolina that challenge the use of affirmative action in college admissions. Both cases are brought by the group Students for Fair Admissions and claim that the “racial balancing” resulting from Affirmative Action policies is discriminatory against Asian American applicants.

House panel gets access to Trump records. The Supreme Court ruled that the National Archives and Records Administration could provide documents to the House panel investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection. The documents include presidential diaries, visitor logs, speech drafts, and handwritten notes related to January 6.

Federal Matters

Over 500 companies pledge support for the Equality Act. The Human Rights Campaign has formed a Business Coalition for the Equality Act, a coalition of 503 companies endorsing this federal legislation in support of LGBTQ+ rights. 

Biden administration is paying survivors of LGBTQ+ couples denied the right to marry. Groundwork was laid through lawsuits filed by Lambda Legal during the Trump administration challenging the denial of survivor’s benefits by the Social Security Administration. Survivors who were denied the right to marry can now collect monthly payments.

State Matters

Arizona - Arizona Senate passes athlete ban. The State Senate passed SB1165, which bars trans girls from playing on sports teams which align with their gender identity from kindergarten through college, on a party line vote on February 2nd. The State House will now consider the legislation. Take action to stop SB1165.

Florida - Florida Senate bill proposes ban on LGBTQ+ books in schools. A bill was passed in the Florida Senate that would enable parents to more easily challenge LGBTQ+ books in schools, as another bill passed in the House that would restrict educators from discussing some LGBTQ+ topics and people in classrooms. 

Georgia - Georgia Senate considers athlete ban. The State Senate is considering SB266, which bars trans girls from playing on sports teams which align with their gender identity from kindergarten through college, which has the support of Gov. Brian Kemp. Take action to stop SB266.

Indiana - Indiana state House has passed a bill that would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports. HB1041 passed the House on January 27th, which would prohibit transgender women from participating in women’s sports teams, but it would not prevent transgender men from playing on men’s sports teams in k-12 schools. Take action to stop HB1041.

Mississippi - Mayor allegedly withholds funds from public libraries over LGBTQ Books. The mayor of Ridgeland, MS is allegedly withholding library funding until LGBTQ+ books are removed from the shelves, according to the executive director of the Madison County library system. Mayor Gene McGee would not confirm that he is withholding funds, but he did confirm that he thinks the books are “inappropriate for children.” 

Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania town council voted to repeal an LGBTQ anti-discrimination ordinance. At least 71 Pennsylvania municipalities have passed LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinances. Last week, the Chambersburg Borough Council was the first to repeal theirs.

Philadelphia program aids unhoused LGBTQ+ population. The program will offer rent subsidies to 40 unhoused LGBTQ+ adults for the entire year. The organizations Self, Inc. and the William Way LGBT Center have received $400,000 through a grant from Philadelphia’s Office of Homeless Services, funded through the CARES Act, to pay a portion of rent for these 40 individuals this year. 

South Dakota - Bill excluding transgender athletes passes South Dakota House. SB46 now heads to the governor for her signature. If Governor Noem signs the bill, as expected, any youth on a female sports team must have “female” listed on her birth certificate, excluding transgender girls from competing. 

Tennessee - Holocaust Novel “Maus” banned by a school board in Tennessee. The school board in McMinn County, Tennessee, voted unanimously to ban the graphic novel “Maus” from being taught in its schools.The board of education deemed “Maus” inappropriate for students.

Texas - Governor Abbott releases plans for a “Parental Bill of Rights.” This would give parents more control over their children’s education. Abbott has also directed the State Board of Education to develop standards on reading materials that will be deemed “pornographic” or “obscene.”

Global Matters

Afghanistan - LGBTQ+ Afghans are in more danger with the Taliban in control. According to a recent report from Human Rights Watch and OutRight Action International, the lives of LGBTQ+ people in Afghanistan have worsened, as targeted violence against members of the LGBTQ+ community in Afghanistan have increased. Many seek asylum in other countries in pursuit of safety.

Botswana - Botswana decriminalizes homosexuality. In 2019, the High Court of Botswana ruled that laws punishing same-sex relationships should be amended. The president of Botswana has vowed to fully implement the ruling after losing an appeal to overturn it.

France - French Government bans so-called conversion therapy. The law not only bans so-called conversion therapy, it also includes criminal penalties for practitioners who are convicted of trying to “convert” LGBTQ people. The law will also allow victims of the harmful practice to file civil suits.

UK - Committee upholds supports ban on so-called conversion therapy in Scotland. The Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee of the Scottish Parliament released a report that claims current legislation is not sufficient to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from this practice, and the Scottish Parliament should act on Scotland-specific legislation.

Media Matters

TransLatin@ Coalition in LA receives bomb threat. The non-profit organization, which provides direct services to Transgender, Gender nonconforming, and Intersex immigrant women in Los Angeles, received a threat from an anonymous caller. The LAPD has confirmed that they are investigating the incident. 

Historically Black schools receive bomb threats. Both the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the threats, which were made against at least six HBCUs in five different states and the District of Columbia. 

USA Swimming announces new policy for trans swimmers. Transgender women who are competitive swimmers in the US will now have to be evaluated by a panel of three independent medical experts to determine if they have an unfair advantage over cisgender women. As the new rules were announced, members of the Penn women’s swimming and diving team released a statement backing their trans teammate Lia Thomas, a trans woman who competed on the women’s team for the first time this year.

The Recording Academy is partnering with GLAAD to support LGBTQ+ inclusion in the music industry. To support GLAAD’s work to support LGBTQ+ artists and diversify the music industry, the Recording Academy donated $150,000 and pledged to work with the organization to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in music. 

American LGBTQ+ Museum hires its first executive director. Ben Garcia has been named the first executive director of the American LGBTQ+ Museum, which will be built at the New York Historical Society in New York City. 

Racing Pride expands to North America. The UK-based organization Racing Pride, which was developed to provide visible role models within the global racing community, has opened a new chapter in North America. They will be working with You Can Play, an LGBTQ+ inclusion group associated with NASCAR, to make racing more welcoming to LGBTQ+ participants and fans. 

The Human Rights Campaign suspends Netflix from Corporate Equality Index for 2022.  Since 2017, Netflix has received a perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index released yearly by the Human Rights Campaign, which assesses workplace equality for LGBTQ+ employees.  Following the controversy over Dave Chapelle’s most recent special, released on Netflix in 2021, HRC decided to suspend giving the company a score this year.

Trans actress cast as first trans character in upcoming DC film “Batgirl.” Trans actress Ivory Aquino has been cast as DC character Alysia Yeoh, a canonically trans character, in the upcoming HBO Max “Batgirl” movie. 

Amy Schneider ends Jeopardy run with 40 wins. Amy Schneider became the fourth person to win more than $1 million on Jeopardy, the highest earning woman ever on the show, and the contestant with the second most wins over all, behind only Ken Jennings, who currently co-hosts the game show with Mayim Bialyk. In a recent interview on “Good Morning America,” she said that the best part of being on the show was representing the transgender community on TV.

ICYMI...

Parents: Claim ALL of Your Child Tax Credit and Use Free Tax Filing Resources

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the White House just re-launched an appealing, easy-to-use website: ChildTaxCredit.gov. Several new features to help you file taxes and access the remainder of the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) or the full amount of the CTC as tax filing season begins and runs through April 18th. 

Get help filing your tax return for the Child Tax Credit, use free filing tools

This website helps you:

• Get the Child Tax Credit.
• Understand how the 2021 Child Tax Credit works as you file in 2022.
• Find out if you are eligible to receive the Child Tax Credit.
• Understand that the credit does not affect your federal benefits.

On February 8^th, the White House and Treasury will host a Child Tax Credit/Earned Income Tax Credit (CTC/EITC) Day of Action, so watch PFLAG National media channels for updates and reminders. Materials are available in Spanish and English.

The PFLAG National Advocacy, Policy, and Partnerships Team is always here to support you with your work, so please don't ever hesitate to reach out to us for assistance.

Yours in PFLAG power,

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