Trump Administration Withdraws Obama Guidance on Transgender Bathroom

Trump Administration Withdraws Obama Guidance on Transgender Bathroom

Trump Mexico City

The Trump Administration has withdrawn transgender guidance issued to U.S. schools under President Obama calling on all U.S. school districts to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms they choose.

CNN reports:

In a two-page “Dear Colleague” letter to public schools, the Trump administration said the existing guidance did not “contain extensive legal analysis or explain how the position is consistent with the express language of Title IX, nor did they undergo any formal public process.”

The letter — which does not offer new guidance but simply withdraws the Obama administration policy — says there must be “due regard” for the role of states and local school districts in shaping education policy in schools.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos released a statement:

@BetsyDeVosED the word “transgender” doesn’t even appear in your statement (except for “LGBTQ” abbreviation). Why are you like this? pic.twitter.com/txxoLVZy0o

— USC (@AlumniUSC) February 23, 2017

Lambda Legal reacts:

The U.S. Department of Education today rescinded the Obama administration’s 2016 Title IX guidance clarifying the rights of transgender students. Rachel B. Tiven, CEO of Lambda Legal, the nation’s oldest and largest LGBT legal organization, released the following statement:

“We all know that Donald Trump is a bully, but his attack on transgender children today is a new low. The U.S. Department of Education’s decision to withdraw guidance clarifying the rights of transgender students endangers the well-being and safety of children across the country.

“Trump’s actions do not change the law itself—transgender students remain protected by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972—but abandoning the guidance intentionally creates confusion about what federal law requires. The law bars discrimination – the new administration invites it.

“Betsy DeVos became Education Secretary just one week ago. At her brief confirmation hearing she publicly committed to protecting LGBT students – this harms them.

“Over the past week Donald Trump has attacked perhaps the two most vulnerable groups of children in America:transgender children and refugee children. While his Education Secretary was busy withdrawing protective guidance for trans kids, his Homeland Security Secretary signed memos that strip legal protections from children who arrive alone at our borders, seeking refuge.

“Now Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary DeVos give us sickening echoes of the racially segregated schools era by claiming that enforcement of this federal civil rights law is a ‘states’ rights issue.’ This is not just a bizarre misunderstanding. We recognize that language. This is a cynical rejection of the federal government’s responsibility to enforce federal law protections for vulnerable students.

“While the Trump/Pence administration wages its War on Children, Lambda Legal will redouble our efforts to protect transgender and other vulnerable kids. At Lambda Legal, we are already in court fighting for transgenderstudents, and we are prepared to sue any school district that discriminates in the wake of the Trump administration’s actions today.”

 

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Trump Administration Withdraws Obama Guidance on Transgender Bathroom

HRC President Chad Griffin: We must #ProtectTransKids

HRC President Chad Griffin: We must #ProtectTransKids
HRC President Chad Griffin: We must <a href=#ProtectTransKids“>

“I want every young trans person in America to hear this: you are valued, you are important, you matter. Donald Trump is one little man who happens to be the President. But millions upon millions of people have your back.” – HRC President Chad Griffin in response to Trump’s decision to rescind transgender student protections

#ProtectTransKids

Trump administration revokes Obama-era transgender bathroom guidance for schools

Trump administration revokes Obama-era transgender bathroom guidance for schools

hagmannreport posted a photo:

Trump administration revokes Obama-era transgender bathroom guidance for schools

The Trump administration Wednesday revoked federal guidelines issued by former President Barack Obama that allowed public school students to use restrooms and other facilities corresponding to their gender identity.
A document submitted to the Supreme Court by the Solicitor General’s…

www.hagmannreport.com/from-the-wires/trump-administration…

Trump administration revokes Obama-era transgender bathroom guidance for schools

Coldplay’s Chris Martin Performs Breathtaking Tribute to George Michael at Brit Awards: WATCH

Coldplay’s Chris Martin Performs Breathtaking Tribute to George Michael at Brit Awards: WATCH

Chris Martin George Michael

After an introduction by George Michael’s Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley, Coldplay’s Chris Martin performed a stunningly gorgeous tribute to George Michael, a duet with the late singer on his 1986 track “A Different Corner”.

“A Different Corner” was Michael’s second single as a solo singer.

Watch:

Watch Chris Martin perform A Different Corner at the #BRITs as a tribute to George Michael t.co/kMlNpX8qji pic.twitter.com/yVscJN4xMj

— Coldplaying (@coldplaying) February 22, 2017

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Coldplay’s Chris Martin Performs Breathtaking Tribute to George Michael at Brit Awards: WATCH

Trump administration sends dangerous message to transgender students

Trump administration sends dangerous message to transgender students

Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD, released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced it would rescind federal guidance recommending equal treatment of transgender students in public schools under Title IX.

“Transgender youth face extremely high rates of discrimination and bullying. By rescinding the Department of Education guidance recommending trans students be treated equally under Title IX, the administration is sending an alarming message that it will no longer defend their rights. While this action does not and cannot take away any rights trans students currently have, it undermines the progress we have made towards equality and acceptance.”

BACKGROUND: Department of Justice & Department of Education’s Anti-LGBTQ Record

Department of Justice Already Opposes Equality for Transgender Students

Justice Department no longer fighting injunction on transgender school guidance. “The Justice Department on Friday signaled it stopped fighting to overturn a national injunction blocking the federal government from giving guidance to schools and transgender students, another sign President Donald Trump’s administration is taking a different approach than former President Barack Obama’s…But on Friday night the Justice Department and the states filed a joint notice saying both sides moved to cancel the hearing. “The parties are currently considering how to best proceed in this appeal,” the motion said.” [CNN, 2.11.17]
 

SCOTUS case “Gloucester County School Board v G.G.” will clarify transgender protections under Title IX

Why Laverne Cox told you to Google ‘Gavin Grimm’ “Grimm sued the Gloucester County School Board in 2015 in federal court, arguing that the board’s policy barring him from the boys’ bathroom violated Title IX, the federal law against sex discrimination in schools. The case is now headed for the Supreme Court, with oral arguments scheduled for late March, and the case could impact how public schools accommodate transgender students across the nation….The case is partially based on a directive issued by the Education Department under the Obama administration in May, directing the nation’s public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity.” NOTE: the case is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court on March 28, 2017.

[The Washington Post]
 

Department of Education’s Betsy DeVos and Her Anti-LGBTQ Record

DeVos sat on the board of the anti-LGBTQ Acton Institute from 1995–2005. [Huffington Post, 11.24.16]

DeVos Family Has Donated to Numerous Anti-LGBTQ Organizations which Support “Conversation Therapy” and Anti-LGBTQ Adoption Agencies. The DeVos family has funded anti-LGBTQ organizations ranging from Focus on the Family, which openly advocates for so-called “conversion therapy,” to Bethany Christian Services, an adoption agency that excludes LGBTQ parents and advocates for laws that allow them to do so, and the Heritage Foundation, which strategizes against LGBTQ policy. [Political Research Associates, 12.22.15]

DeVos’s Father Founded the Family Research Council, a hate group designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center. [Newsweek, 10.13.07]
 

DeVos on Marriage Equality

In 2004, DeVos Advocated and Funded Efforts to Ban Same-Sex Marriage in Michigan. “In 2004 Betsy and Dick DeVos led the effort to put the anti-marriage amendment on the ballot and contributed over $200,000 to the campaign to enshine discrimination into the Michigan constitution.” [Pride Source, 1.10.13]

DeVos Said Marriage Equality was Driven by “Coastal Elites.” “There is one party that takes millions of dollars from celebrities and elites and in turn enthusiastically embraces their values, that chuckles at or cheers the destruction of our traditions and the coarsening of our culture, and that believes it is no big deal to redefine the most fundamental institution of mankind. But fortunately, there is another party in America that recognizes marriage between one man and one woman as an institution that was created not by man, but by God. That party will not be intimidated by the coastal elites in Hollywood or Boston. That party is not ashamed to stand up for marriage.” [Michigan GOP State Convention, 2.6.05]

###

 

 

February 22, 2017
Issues: 
Tags: 

www.glaad.org/blog/trump-administration-sends-dangerous-message-transgender-students

NEW MUSIC: Jamiroquai, Sun Kil Moon, Conor Oberst, Los Angeles Police Department, Sea Bed

NEW MUSIC: Jamiroquai, Sun Kil Moon, Conor Oberst, Los Angeles Police Department, Sea Bed

Los Angeles Police Department

This week in New Music: Jamiroquai goes back to basics on “Cloud 9,” Sun Kil Moon is uber-contemplative on a new double album, Conor Oberst drops another track from SalutationsLos Angeles Police Department (above) lives up to his bedroom pop reputation on new single “Plane 2” and English trio Sea Bed go full massive pop on new track “Pretender.”


Jamiroquai – “Cloud 9”

jamiroquaiAfter flirting with electronic bleeps on previous track “Automaton,” British future funk legends Jamiroquai return to their roots on new song “Cloud 9.”

Jay Kay is happy enough to retreat back to what he’s known and loved for on the latest track, stating that it is “a song that’s written in the style that I hope people know us for and are familiar with.”

“Automaton” – taken from a forthcoming album of the same name – was a bit out of character so it’s nice to hear the band doing what they do best.


Sun Kil Moon  – Common As Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood

Mark-KozelekUber-prolific Mark Kozelek has a new album with Jesu out in June – following last year’s brilliant collaboration – and has also just released another Sun Kil Moon album.

Common As Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood, which came out last week, spans 16 tracks and sees Kozelek in contemplative mode as he ruminates on “events from January to August of 2016 and how [he] processed it all while traveling.”

The album is streaming in full on Kozelek’s website and is accompanied by an interview with Conor Oberst who coincidentally has just released a video for a new version of “Till St. Dymphna Kicks Us Out.”

The Sun Kil Moon/Jesu collaboration 30 Seconds to the Decline of Planet Earth follows on June 1st.


Los Angeles Police Department – “Plane 2”

Los Angeles Police Department ryan pollieCalifornian musician Ryan Pollie – aka Los Angeles Police Department – is generally described as belonging to the bedroom pop genre.

His 2014 self-titled debut album was more Death Cab For Cutie indie pop than bedroom tinkering but was more or less ignored nonetheless which is a great shame as it was one of the better indie releases of the year.

Just out is “The Plane 2,” which is taken from his forthcoming second album. The song is far more quirky than anything from the debut album so perhaps Pollie is living up to his nerd pop name.

Have a listen below.


Sea Bed – “Pretender”

Sea Bed is an electronic pop outfit from Brighton, England vying for just a small part of the Sia universe.

Following two promising EPs last year, the band has just released “Pretender,” a massive electro pop track that verges at times on dreampop.

According to the band – now a trio – the song is “about the discovery and the eventual letting go of deceitful relationships, whether that be to a lover or a drug, or the relationship we each have with ourselves.”

In the best way possible, you could imagine this not doing too well at this year’s Eurovision.

Excellent in other words.


 

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NEW MUSIC: Jamiroquai, Sun Kil Moon, Conor Oberst, Los Angeles Police Department, Sea Bed

Global Voices: Australia kicks off with diverse LGBTIQ leaders in Melbourne

Global Voices: Australia kicks off with diverse LGBTIQ leaders in Melbourne

Ross Murray

The GLAAD Global Voices journey to Australia kicked off with a series of meetings and trainings to equip Melbourne’s LGBTIQ leaders to advance acceptance and support for LGBTIQ people and laws that protect them. Ray Bradford, GLAAD’s Director of Entertainment Media, and Ross Murray, Director of Programs, Global and US South, have been listening to advocates talk about the issues facing LGBTIQ Australians, and in turn building an alliance between the various organizations in Australia and GLAAD.

One of the main pillars of GLAAD’s activity in Australia was a training with 20 LGBTIQ leaders in Melbourne, representing LGBTIQ advocacy in law, education, racial justice, business, labor, sports, immigration, refugees, transgender people, and politics. Attendees shared stories of successes and challenges, both in the state of Victoria and in the Australian Commonwealth overall.

GLAAD discussed our programs and talked about how we work with the media to advance a worldview of LGBTIQ acceptance. Ray and Ross presented data from GLAAD’s Accelerating Acceptance reports, outlined the import on LGBTIQ lives of fair, accurate and inclusive images and content in entertainment media, and provided best practices for pitching stories to the media, training spokespeople, and collaborating with other organizations to accelerate acceptance and equality.

The training was organized by The Equality Project, an emerging organization to foster collaboration among the various LGBTIQ organizations in Australia. The Equality Project founder, Jason Tuazon-McCheyne has been a major host to GLAAD while in Melbourne, helping connect GLAAD’s expertise in media advocacy with the on-the-ground leaders addressing various aspects related to Australia’s LGBTIQ community.

Outside of the training, GLAAD met with Tim Wilson, a Member of Parliament and a former Human Rights Commissioner. GLAAD had consulted with Wilson last year, in anticipation of a possible public plebiscite, or referendum, on marriage equality. The plebiscite did not materialize, and Australia continues working toward marriage equality.

GLAAD also met with leaders of Bisexual Alliance Victoria and Transgender Victoria, two organizations that work closely for visibility and protection of bisexual and transgender people in the state. They discussed the need for medical care that treats bi and trans patients with respect, the adverse impact of erasure within the overall community, as well as representation in the media. They were interested to adapt GLAAD’s resources to help advance their work in Australia.

The Melbourne portion of the GLAAD Global Voices continues with an interview at JOY 94.9, Australia’s national LGBTIQ radio station, as well as a public panel alongside Australian LGBTIQ leaders. From there, GLAAD will head to Sydney to present at the Mardi Gras Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, participating in public forums, on-stage panels, roundtable discussions, and one-on-one meetings with content creators and industry leaders to create more fair, accurate, and inclusive LGBTIQ representation. 

February 22, 2017

www.glaad.org/blog/global-voices-australia-kicks-diverse-lgbtiq-leaders-melbourne