TAKE ACTION

FINAL REMINDER: HHS Proposed Rule - Comment DEADLINE: Dec. 19th - Please lend your PFLAG voice to oppose. The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched a harmful and discriminatory proposed rule that allows HHS, the one federal agency with billions of dollars in funding (more than all other federal agencies combined) to discriminate on the basis of religion against children of LGBTQ+ parents, single prospective mothers and mixed-faith married or partnered couples from putting or keeping families together. It would harm LGBTQ+ parents and their family members from accessing health prevention and substance use treatment programs and is written to be enforced immediately.  Visit EveryChildDeservesaFamily.com to add your comment, because there is no room for discrimination at HHS and that they should affirm the human dignity of all people. Enter your thoughts about protecting adoption and foster care rights for LGBTQ+ youth and adults, same-sex couples, and mixed-faith couples.

HEADS UP: 2020 PFLAG INCLUSION GRANTS

In 2020, with the generous support of the Walmart Foundation and Bank of America, PFLAG National is offering $1,500 - $5,000 grants to support the work of chapters eager to develop resources, tools, and strategies for better serving marginalized and underserved communities, with a focus on communities of color and people with disabilities.

We will also be offering micro-grants of $500 to support chapters that would like to attend, participate in, and sponsor community-specific Pride celebrations (e.g. Black Pride, Latinx Pride, Diné Pride), events, and conferences. Application materials will be available in January and additional information will be available soon. In the meantime, if you have questions please contact Jean-Marie Navetta at [email protected].

FEDERAL MATTERS

With Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) presiding, the U.S. House passes HR 5, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019 on December 6th. The bill, which would create a new formula for the U.S. Department of Justice to use to determine which states with histories of voting discrimination would be required to pre-clear proposed election changes, moves to the Senate.

American Psychological Association (APA) endorses the use of the singular "they" pronoun. As of November 2019, APA endorses the use of “they” as a singular pronoun. That means that that scholars, writers, and scientists will be mandated to use they/them pronouns when needed within their professional and educational fields as a step toward legitimization and standardization for those who use it as a gender-neutral option within a major medical context.

U.S. Representatives target HHS proposed rule to permit religious and LGBT discrimination. More than 100 federal legislators signed a letter led by Reps. Nydia Velasquez and two Co-Chairs of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus Angie Craig and Sean Patrick Maloney to oppose the HHS proposed rule referenced in Take Action this issue of Policy Matters.

U.S. House passes HR 3, Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Cost Now Act on Dec. 12th. Named for the late U.S. Representative whose legislative career was dedicated to lowering the price of prescription drugs, this bill would empower Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and offer new benefits for seniors, capping recipients’ annual out-of-pocket costs for medicines at $2,000.

U.S. House passes defense bill to establish Space Force and paid family leave for federal workers but removed language to reverse President Trump’s ban on transgender military service. On December 11th, the House passed the compromise National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a 377-48 vote.

So-called Fairness for All Act introduced in U.S. House on December 6th; PFLAG National opposes the bill and affirms its support of the Equality Act. A year ago, PFLAG National and many other LGBTQ+ and civil rights organizations met with more than 20 conservative and evangelical faith leaders to discuss LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination. PFLAG National supports and hopes to continue conversations with faith leaders who are evolving, but it does not support this piece of legislation and instead will continue its work to pass the Equality Act.

Reminder: please remember to make sure the people you love enroll: Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment closes on December 15th . PFLAG National is a sponsor of Out2Enroll.org which features fact sheets, enrollment tools and other information to help LGBTQ+ people and their families secure health insurance during this 2019 enrollment period. In 2018 for the first time enrollments declined over prior year. Watch PFLAG social media during open enrollment to encourage everyone to get covered.

COURT MATTERS

By a party-line vote of 51-44, Lawrence VanDyke was approved on Wednesday to a seat on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The judicial nominee with an anti-LGBTQ+ record made headlines during his confirmation hearing after tearing up over accusations he’s anti-LGBTQ+.

STATE MATTERS

California - South Bay supervisors approve more LGBTQ+ services. The board tentatively approved the county's Office of LGBTQ Affairs to move forward with its proposed two-year plan for the creation of an LGBTQ+ wellness center. The office's team had spent a year conducting an intense community needs assessment for the project.

Georgia - Atlanta Board of Education selecting members in December for its task force to support LGBTQ students. The Task Force was created in October following its passing its Equity Policy in April. The goal is to review the Atlanta Public Schools policies, procedures, regulations and support services for LGBTQ+ students and employees to ensure that the school district and board are meeting their needs.

Minnesota - Mom sues school district for discriminating against her transgender son. Helene Woods filed in Wright County District Court because school officials barred her then 11-year-old son Matt in 2015 from using his middle school’s boys’ restroom and locker room. He was forced to use a single-occupancy bathroom in the nurse’s office located in a distant section of the school.

Minneapolis bans conversion therapy for minors on November 22nd. The City Council passed a municipal ordinance to ban so-called “conversion therapy” for minors, naming it conversion abuse and tantamount to torture. Legislators in Duluth are now considering a similar ban.

Texas - Judy and Dennis Shepard, parents of Matthew Shepard, hosted a hate-crimes training at the Austin Police Department Training Academy. The family has worked as passionate LGBTQ+ advocates since the death of their son.

Virginia - The Loudoun County School Board on Dec. 3rd approved adding language concerning LGBT matters and veteran status to the Loudoun County Public Schools Equal Opportunity Employment policy. Sadly, though, the process was not without its controversy.

Falls Church City Council voted 6-0 to pass a nondiscrimination amendment to the suburban Washington jurisdiction’s ordinance that adds new language banning discrimination in employment and housing based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Story photo features PFLAG National’s Patrick Cochran on the right, who worked on this ordinance in his personal time.

GLOBAL MATTERS

India - Parliament passed a bill to protect transgender rights, but trans activists and human rights groups deem them inadequate since being introduced in 2016. Activists say that lawmakers failed to consider their concerns; therefore, the new Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 will violate the rights of trans people rather than respect and uplift long-persecuted communities. For example, the new two-step process for gender identity affirmation now requires first applying for a “transgender certificate” following by applying for a “change in gender certificate” which requires proof of surgery issued by a hospital to the District Magistrate for a second evaluation, and the official must be “satisfied with the correctness of such certificate.”

Japan - Transgender parent banned from changing legal gender, files lawsuit against the Japanese government about this discriminatory law affecting parents with children under age 20. The parent is opposing a law that prevents her from changing her legal gender officially from “male” to “female” because she has an eight-year-old child. The law, appealed to a family court, requires applicants to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, be surgically sterilized, be single and not have children younger than 20. This 52-year old transgender woman has already undergone gender affirming surgery and relinquished custody of her child, but the law still remains a barrier to her identity being legally recognized.

MEDIA MATTERS

OneUp Duo partners with PFLAG to help LGBTQ+ people go home for the holidays. This bold and beautiful new LGBTQ+ holiday anthem was released this week by OneUp Duo. The Duo was the first same-sex couple to compete as a team on NBC’s The Voice, and were coached by LGBTQ+ ally Kelly Clarkson, who was famously brought to tears at their first audition, which later went viral. The Duo is partnering exclusively with PFLAG on this beautiful new song and video - so please share it widely on social media!

PFLAG partners on sneak-peek screening of new Freeform show Everything’s Gonna Be Okay. This new series from popular Australian writer/comedian Josh Thomas (Please Like Me, now available on Hulu) will debut on Thursday, January 16th. The screening took place at Center on Halsted in Chicago, with a post-screening chat with Thomas moderated by Liz Owen, Communications Director of PFLAG National. Check out the trailer.

Merriam-Webster announced Tuesday that it has chosen “they” as the 2019 word of the year. The singular “they” is a pronoun used to refer to a person whose gender identity is nonbinary, a word that itself was added to the Merriam-Webster.com dictionary in September of this year. This coincides beautifully with the American Psychological Association (APA) endorsing the use of the singular "they" pronoun (see “Federal Matters” above).

LGBTQ+ films and personnel among Golden Globe nominees. The 2019-2020 awards season kicked into full gear with the Dec. 9 announcement of this years Golden Globe nominees, and numerous LGBTQ+-themed films and television shows, as well as LGBTQ+ personnel, were among those recognized by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

For LGBTQ+ youth, Human Rights Day (December 10th) has a special meaning. "Youth Standing Up for Human Rights" — this year’s Human Rights Day theme — has particular resonance for LGBTQ+ youth, who often face social stigma and experience widespread discrimination and abuse, serious human rights violations that can have lifelong consequences, including for their health.

Teen Vogue’s “Best GIft” Guide for Transgender Loved Ones. More great inclusive work by Teen Vogue, with this curated list of the best gifts for transgender people, made and sold by transgender people, from trans-owned and operated businesses.

PFLAG National
1828 L Street NW Ste. 660  | Washington, District of Columbia 20036
(202) 467-8180 | [email protected]

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