Take Action

Each of us should be able to live, work, and make decisions about our health and our future with dignity and respect. All people deserve access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, when they need it, on the timeline they choose, and in the community they trust. It is time to show up and support the people that need access to reproductive healthcare and the medical professionals that provide it, every day. Wherever you live, we all need access in our communities; now is the time for us to show up and fight. 

Join us and millions of others at nationwide rallies tomorrow, Saturday May 14th, to protect and expand access. The threat to our constitutional rights is not theoretical — we are watching it unravel; help us protect this critical and fundamental right to privacy and bodily autonomy.

Court Matters

Leaked draft opinion shows Supreme Court likely to overturn abortion rights. The draft, written by Justice Alito, was published by Politico last week, and shows the court is poised to overturn its rulings in Roe and Casey. It is a first draft of a majority opinion, not a final ruling, however many fear that, should the final opinion resemble the leaked draft, this could set precedent to overturn many Civil Rights decisions. Learn more about what’s at stake and how to take action. 

Biden nominates first out Hispanic woman for D.C. District Court. If appointed, Ana Reyes would be the first Hispanic woman and the first LGBTQ+ individual to serve on the court. 

ACLU files lawsuit against Ohio “medical conscience” clause. They filed the lawsuit against the state and Governor Mike DeWine over the latest budget bill, which includes a clause allowing doctors to deny care based on their “conscience.”

Federal Matters

Women’s Health Protection Act fails in the Senate. The vote failed 49-51 on May 11th, almost entirely on party lines. The bill aimed to protect reproductive rights, including the right to an abortion, which gained urgency as an issue after the leaked Alito draft opinion which would overturn Roe v. Wade.

U.S. Department of Justice challenges Alabama law criminalizing gender-affirming healthcare. The Justice Department filed a complaint against Alabama SB 184, a law that denies gender-affirming medical care to children and makes it a felony for a doctor to provide such care. The DOJ claims that it violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause and is asking the court to issue an order preventing the law from going into effect.

White House releases memorandum on Advancing the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons Around the World. The memorandum acknowledges the continued fight around the world for LGBTQI+ rights and claims that the U.S. should be at the forefront of this struggle..

Representative Sharice Davids (KS-3) introduces “Pride in Mental Health Act.” The legislation would amend current child abuse law to explicitly include protections for LGBTQ+ youth and their families. It would also improve data collection related to LGBTQ+ mental health, and create a new program within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to specifically award grants for LGBTQ+ mental health initiatives.

Representative Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) introduces the “My Child, My Choice Act.” The potential law would require all elementary schools to obtain parental consent for children to participate in lessons related to gender identity, sexuality, or “transgender studies.” Without consent from at least fifty percent of parents, the lesson could not be taught.

State Matters

In the last year, we’ve seen a marked rise in anti-LGBTQ+ action in state and local governments. Many states are introducing legislation targeting trans youth, and local schools and libraries are being pressured into censoring LGBTQ+ history and stories. Visit pflag.org/protecttranskids to take action against anti-trans bills in your state today. 

Want to take action and not sure where to start? Please contact Patrick Cochran, Advocacy and Policy Engagement Senior Coordinator.

Alabama - Ban on gender-affirming care takes effect. The law went into effect on Sunday, May 8, 2022 while a federal judge weighs a motion for a temporary hold. The law makes providing gender-affirming care to a minor punishable by up to 10 years in prison. A similar bill was blocked in the courts in Arkansas last year. 

Alaska - Senate committee advances transgender sports ban. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance SB140, which would require transgender girls to participate in sports teams that match their biological sex at birth.

Florida - District withholds yearbook until photos of students protesting “Don’t Say Gay” bill are covered. Lyman High School officials say they do not want people to think the district supported the student walkouts, so insist that the images be covered up with stickers before yearbooks are distributed. 

Georgia - Governor signs anti-trans sports ban and anti-LGBTQ+ education bill into law. Governor Brian Kemp signed HB 1084, the “Protect Students First Act,” which limits the discussion of “divisive concepts” such as race and gender identity in the classroom and bars transgender athletes from playing on school sports teams that match their gender identity.

Louisiana - House revives “Don’t Say Gay” bill after it dies in committee. After HB837 failed in the House Education Committee, Representative Raymond Crews asked his colleagues to discharge the bill from committee and move it in front of the Committee on the Whole, in which all representatives get to vote. The House voted to back Crews’s motion, effectively reviving the bill as House-passed. 

New Jersey - Governor Murphy signs executive order to certify businesses as LGBTQ+-owned. Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 295 on May 3, 2022, which established a state-backed certification program for LGBTQ+-owned businesses. 

Oklahoma - House advances transgender bathroom bill. The House of Representatives voted to approve SB 615, which bars transgender students from using bathrooms corresponding to their gender identities. The bathroom clause was added in the House, so it will need to go back to the Senate and pass before it can be sent to the Governor for  signature.

South Carolina - Trans sports ban on its way to Governor. If Governor McMaster signs H 4608, it would ban transgender students from playing on school sports teams that match their gender identity.

Tennessee - Governor Bill Lee signs anti-trans sports ban. The Governor signed SB 2193, which prohibits transgender women from participating in women’s sports.

Global Matters

Chile - First transgender congresswoman in Chile reveals legislative agenda. Emilia Schneider, Chile’s first transgender congresswoman, revealed her reform-based legislative agenda concentrating on LGBTQ+ rights. 

Gay man drafts Chile’s new constitution. Gaspar Domínguez, a 33 year old openly gay man, is the president of Chile’s Constitutional Convention, leading the process of writing Chile’s new constitution. The new document will establish non-discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals, recognition of diverse family structures, LGBTQ+ political representation, and will allow everyone the ability to define their own gender identity.

Spain - Government to launch LGBTQ+ helpline. Spain’s Ministry of Equality is launching a “rainbow phoneline” that will incorporate legal advice, informational services regarding LGBTQ+ rights, and psychological support. The service will be free and available in different languages. 

Romania - Human rights groups advocate for rejection of “LGBTQ+ propaganda” law. Human rights groups are urging Romanian lawmakers to reject a bill that would prohibit “LGBTQ+ propaganda” in classrooms.

Media Matters

George Takei and other celebrities join PFLAG’s Parent Day 2022 event. PFLAG National is bringing back its Parent Day event with celebrity guests including 2022 Tony Award nominee Matt Doyle (“Company”), Big Freedia, Cody Rigsby, MUNA, Tommy DiDario, the cast of Hulu’s Love, Victor, and many more to come. 2022 Tony Award nominee—and five-time Emmy Award nominee—Jesse Tyler Ferguson will receive the Betty DeGeneres Advocate Award. The virtual event is free; register now to attend!

Netflix’s Heartstopper provides heartwarming gay teen romance. The romance between the main character Charlie and his love interest, Nick, is allowed to blossom in a way that has primarily been reserved for heterosexual teen romances. 

Ncuti Gatwa will be the new Dr. Who. The Scottish actor, who was born in Rwanda, will be the first full-time Black Dr, and is best known for his portrayal of Eric Effiong on the Netflix show Sex Education. 

Disney refuses to cut LGBTQ+ scene from new Dr. Strange movie for censors. Saudi Arabian officials asked Disney to cut a scene in which lesbian superhero America Chavez make passing reference to her two moms. Disney refuses to cut the scene, which means that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may be banned from Saudi Arabia.

Camila Cabello, Equality Florida, and Lambda Legal launch fund to challenge anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Florida. Cabello established the “Protect Our Kids” fund in partnership with Equality Florida and Lambda Legal to provide resources to students, families, and teachers impacted by Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation. 

May 16 is National Honor our LGBT Elders Day. The day of celebration will take place virtually on the National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day Facebook page, and will include videos, stories and retrospectives honoring LGBT people who have been important or influential.

United Methodist Church splits over LGBTQ+ rights. The conservative Global Methodist Church announced a May split from the United Methodist Church over disagreements over the inclusion of LGBTQ+ church members. 

New exhibit at the Boston Children’s Museum celebrates trans children’s dreams. The exhibit consists of portraits of transgender children, ages 6 to 13, created by illustrator Noah Grigni. In the portraits, they are living out their dreams either for themselves or the world. The exhibit opened on April 13 and will be on display through July 24. 

“Very Gay, Very Trans” Dr. Who spinoff launches as podcast. Dr. Who: Redacted, a new podcast placed in the Dr. Who universe, centers around three queer women. Written by Juno Dawson, and described by producer Ella Watt as “very gay, very trans,” the spinoff explores the relationships of the three women as they host a paranormal conspiracy podcast about the Tardis.

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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