HRC Releases FAQ on Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Students in K-12 Schools

Post submitted by Kimmie Fink, Welcoming Schools Consultant

Today, HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools released an “FAQ on Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Students in K-12 Schools” to guide educators looking for answers on how to support students in the wake of an explosive report from the New York Times. According to the October 21 report, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is planning to adopt an anti-transgender legal definition of “sex” under Title IX that could gut enforcement of existing civil rights protections for LGBTQ people.

This proposal has many alarming implications, but it would be especially harmful to transgender and non-binary students if implemented by the U.S. Department of Education. We recognize that this leaves many educators wondering what the impact would be on the students in their care. School staff can turn to HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools’ newest resource for answers.

Educators need to know that, at this time, no changes to existing laws have been made. Similar to the withdrawal of the federal guidance on supporting transgender and non-binary students, even if this new definition were to be established, it would not remove existing federal and constitutional protections. Furthermore, federal courts have consistently affirmed the rights of transgender and non-binary students,  finding that they may not be discriminated against on the basis of their gender identity.

The bottom line is this: the Trump-Pence administration’s proposal is not law. Furthermore, it does nothing to change the responsibility of educators to continue to proactively support transgender and non-binary students — using their correct names and pronouns, allowing them to use facilities that correspond with their gender identity, and adopting anti-bullying and harassment policies that specifically enumerate sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. In fact, given this administration’s stance, the work by individual schools and districts to protect transgender and non-binary students is even more critical.

For more on how to support transgender and non-binary students, Welcoming Schools offers professional development trainings and free resources, including specific lesson plans and a book list. HRC Foundation’s resource “Schools In Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools” was designed to assist administrators, teachers, parents and other adults who serve transgender students and covers topics ranging from basic concepts of gender and the importance of affirming gender identity, to best practices for restroom access and working with unsupportive parents.

By implementing supportive policies and procedures and continuing to support transgender and non-binary students, schools can assure young people that not only do their rights remain intact, but that educators see them, respect them and care deeply about their well-being.

HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools is the nation’s premier professional development program providing training and resources to elementary school educators to:

• Welcome Diverse Families;
• Create LGBTQ and Gender Inclusive Schools;
• Prevent Bias-Based Bullying;
• Support Transgender and Non-Binary Students.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-releases-faq-on-supporting-transgender-and-non-binary-students-in-k-12?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

HRC Mails Hundreds of Thousands of Members & Supporters Nationwide, Encouraging Them to #TurnOUT

This week, with two weeks until Election Day, HRC is mailing hundreds of thousands of HRC members and supporters in support of 69 pro-equality U.S. House candidates in 25 states, and 24 pro-equality statewide candidates in five states. The new mail pieces focus on encouraging Equality Voters to vote early, mobilizing them to turn out on or before November 6th, and educating them on the records of HRC-endorsed candidates and their anti-equality opponents on LGBTQ rights, health care, reproductive freedom and more.

“With fewer than two weeks until Election Day, we’re using every resource and tool available to make certain Equality Voters turn out to the polls to make their votes count and their voices heard,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “LGBTQ voters and our allies are poised to be a pivotal voting bloc in the midterm elections. This community has the power to determine whether we elect a Congress that will finally hold the Trump-Pence administration accountable, or a Congress that will continue to enable their attacks on our basic civil rights. We must ensure this is the election of no regrets, and that on November 6th we pull the emergency brake on this reckless administration.”

Members and supporters received the first mailers on Monday and will receive additional pieces today, and on Monday, October 29.

Click here for samples of GOTV mailers in Ohio.

Click here for samples of candidate mailers in Arizona.

Click here for samples of candidate mailers in Nevada.

Click here for samples of candidate mailers in Kansas.

In another effort to target voters, earlier this month HRC’s Equality Votes PAC announced a new seven-figure ad blitz focusing on voter engagement and turn out in swing states and districts through digital, direct mail, text and phone. The initial digital and direct mail buy is more than $2 million across three Senate and five House races and targets anti-equality Senate candidates Dean Heller in Nevada, Martha McSally in Arizona and Leah Vukmir in Wisconsin, as well as candidates in key congressional districts such as TX-23, CA-48, CA-49, MN-02, and KS-03.

Last week, HRC hosted a National Weekend of Action as part of our continued efforts to mobilize voters. Spearheaded by HRC’s on-the-ground staff and 32 local volunteer steering committees across the country, HRC engaged with voters at nearly 1,000 #TurnOUT the vote events across the country, including phone banks, canvassing, and early vote rallies throughout the weekend. With more than 140 staff deployed around the country, HRC has already had more than 2,600 volunteers complete nearly 14,500 volunteer hours, trained more than 1,550 local advocates, and helped more than 33,400 people register to vote.

The estimated 10 million LGBTQ voters across the nation have proven to be one of the most important voting blocs in the nation. And with support for LGBTQ equality at historic heights, HRC has used sophisticated analytics to identify and mobilize 52 million “Equality Voters” nationwide who support LGBTQ-inclusive policies including marriage equality, equitable family law, and laws that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The immense power of LGBTQ voters and allies has been proven time and time again in recent years, including during the challenging 2016 cycle. In a watershed moment for the LGBTQ community, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory was the only incumbent governor of either party to lose re-election and the only incumbent governor to lose re-election in North Carolina’s history — in large part due to his  discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ HB2 law. The power of Equality Voters was also made crystal clear in 2017 when a wave of pro-equality and openly LGBTQ candidates were elected in states across the country. In Alabama, HRC-endorsed candidate Doug Jones claimed a historic victory over his opponent — the notoriously anti-LGBTQ politician Roy Moore. In Virginia, voters sent a resounding message rejecting the politics of hate and fear by electing pro-equality candidates up and down the ballot.

For more than a year, HRC has been on the ground building support for pro-equality candidates with priority investments in six key states — Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — and in nearly 70 congressional districts nationwide. The critically important work is a part of coast-to-coast campaign to mobilize voters for the midterm elections called HRC Rising, which represents the largest grassroots expansion in the organization’s 38-year history.

Supporters in any state can text “VOTER” to 30644 to verify their voter registration, find their polling place, and receive election reminders. For more information on how to get involved, sign up to volunteer, or join an advocacy training, visit HRC’s Equality Voter Action Center.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-mails-hundreds-of-thousands-of-members-supporters-nationwide-encouragin?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

COMING NOVEMBER 2018 – A New, Redesigned DADDYHUNT

Daddyhunt is releasing an UPGRADE this NOVEMBER – a complete redesign of our website and mobile app. The next generation of the Daddyhunt website and mobile app will give you more ways to connect with Daddies and their admirers. SIMPLER. BETTER. FASTER.

Please visit: www.daddyhuntapp.com/latestnews

#ExperienceMatters

www.daddyhunt.com/blog/2018/09/coming-november-2018-a-new-redesigned-daddyhunt?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daddyhunt+%28Daddyhunt+Blog%29

As Trump Campaigns For Vukmir & Walker, Here’s What Their Anti-LGBTQ Agenda Means for Wisconsin

As President Donald Trump heads to Wisconsin tomorrow to campaign for Governor Scott Walker and U.S. Senate Candidate Leah Vukmir, HRC is exposing the records of these anti-equality candidates who have a long historyof undermining LGBTQ equality.

“Scott Walker and Leah Vukmir are two extremists who are the antithesis of Wisconsin values,” said HRC Wisconsin State Director Wendy Strout. “From their long records attacking Wisconsin’s most marginalized communities, to their continuous efforts to sell out their constituents to score cheap political points, they remain far out of touch with the majority of Wisconsinites who support fairness and equality. Wisconsin voters won’t stand for their discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ agenda. With less than two weeks until the crucial midterm elections, HRC is mobilizing its hundreds of thousands of members and supporters in Wisconsin to reject the politics of hate and elect pro-equality champions Senator Tammy Baldwin and Tony Evers.”

Governor Scott Walker’s dangerous record includes supporting Wisconsin’s constitutional amendment banning marriage equality, vetoing a bill to provide domestic partner benefits to workers and attempting to kill a domestic partner registry. He supports banning qualified transgender people from serving in the military, saying he “wouldn’t change” the Trump-Pence administration’s unconstitutional policy. Walker also rejected Medicaid expansion under Obamacare and supported repeal of the entire law, which could have stripped health care from millions of Wisconsinites, including the 2.4 million Wisconsin residents with a pre-existing condition.

Throughout her almost two decades in public office, Leah Vukmir has derailed efforts to pass commonsense protections for the LGBTQ community, including protections for LGBTQ youth facing discrimination and bullying at school. She is a long time opponent of marriage equality and has close ties to some of the nation’s most virulently anti-LGBTQ organizations, such as the Family Research Council. Vukmir has consistently voted against pro-equality legislation, and she has pushed for a license to discriminate in the healthcare system that would prioritize physicians’ beliefs over life-saving patient care. In addition to her attacks on the LGBTQ community, Vukmir’s extremist agenda also includes attacks on voting rights; health care, including reproductive rights and mental health treatment; education; and the environment.

In Wisconsin, HRC has identified more than 560,000 million “Equality Voters” — voters who support LGBTQ-inclusive policies. HRC has prioritized investments and organizing in Wisconsin in the 2018 cycle, and has staff and resources on the ground in the state as part of the largest grassroots expansion in the organization’s 38-year history.

www.hrc.org/blog/as-trump-campaigns-for-vukmir-walker-heres-what-their-anti-lgbtq-agenda-mea?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Taiwanese Advocates Gear Up to Fight for Marriage Equality on the Ballot in November

In November, marriage equality will be on the ballot in Taiwan as advocates seek to defend Taiwanese progress on LGBTQ rights.

Last May, the Taiwanese Constitutional Court issued a historic verdict declaring that existing law, which prevents marriage equality, was unconstitutional. The decision called for either the Civil Code to be amended or for a new law to be enacted that would permit marriage equality.

The National Yuan, Taiwan’s legislature, has until May 2019 to enact marriage equality into law. If it fails to act, same-sex couples automatically receive the right to marry.

Anti-LGBTQ groups in Taiwan mobilized to derail this progress. With the support of American exporters of hate, such as Brian Brown, anti-LGBTQ advocates succeeded in getting measures put on the November ballot to prevent marriage equality. They are also attempting to stop LGBTQ-inclusive education in schools which is currently provided for by law.

HRC spoke with 2016 HRC Global Innovator Jennifer Lu, who heads the Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan, about the work to protect Taiwan’s progress towards marriage equality and uphold the law that allows for inclusive gender education.

Can you tell us more about the referendum? What are its implications for LGBTQ people in Taiwan?

On November 24, there will be five referenda on the ballot in Taiwan pertaining to LGBTQ rights — three of which are supported by anti-LGBTQ groups. These anti-equality measures seek to define marriage as between one man and one woman, create a separate law for same-sex couples as a lesser alternative to marriage, and to roll back LGBTQ-inclusive portions of Taiwan’s Gender Equity Education Act, which for 14 years has ensured students learn respect and understanding for LGBTQ peers.

Of the two ballot measures proposed by LGBTQ advocates, the first seeks to affirm the Constitutional Court’s 2017 ruling that same-sex couples in Taiwan have the freedom to marry. The second seeks to safeguard LGBTQ-inclusive portions of the Gender Equity Education Act.

How is the Coalition working to ensure that the anti-LGBTQ measures do not succeed?

We’re building a grassroots campaign unlike anything Taiwan has seen before. Every day, our volunteers across the country are engaging voters about the importance of marriage equality and inclusive education. We’re organizing events that equip volunteers with the tools they need to talk to the people in their own lives — their parents, grandparents, colleagues — to make sure they’re voting. We’re also running an ambitious advertising and media campaign to ensure voters get to know their LGBTQ neighbors and the people who love them. We thank HRC’s members and supporters for providing $10,000 of support to a vital member of our coalition, the Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBT) Hotline Association.

There are alarming reports that American exporters of hate have been working to stop marriage equality in Taiwan. What can advocates do to counter their messaging?

The National Organization for Marriage instigated the three anti-LGBTQ measures on the ballot in November. Brian Brown has been here, working to galvanize anti-equality groups. Their materials are often carbon copies of the same messaging and scare tactics debunked and defeated in the U.S., Ireland, Australia, and elsewhere. They’re trying to use fear to divide society, but their fear-mongering won’t work because Taiwanese society is rooted in mutual respect.

What can the international community do to support you in the lead up to the referendum?

If anyone has family and friends who are voters in Taiwan, please reach out to them to ensure they vote on Nov. 24. Also, join HRC and other co-sponsors at an event on November 2 at the Stonewall Inn in New York City that supports our campaign for equality.

For more information about HRC’s work around the world, check out HRC.org/Global. 

www.hrc.org/blog/taiwanese-advocates-gear-up-to-fight-for-marriage-equality-on-the-ballot-in?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Survey Reveals 2018’s Hottest Halloween Costumes

OMG Halloween is just a week away and I’m still wondering how the month of October crept up so fast! Who else feels this way? We must face it though and come to terms with the fact that a) we don’t have a costume and b) we don’t have Halloween plans…oh the tragedy! It’s not […]

The post Survey Reveals 2018’s Hottest Halloween Costumes appeared first on PlentyOfFish Blog.

Survey Reveals 2018’s Hottest Halloween Costumes

Rami Malek on Freddie Mercury’s Bisexuality: ‘He Never Wanted to Be Categorized or Labeled’ – WATCH

Rami Malek spoke about how Freddie Mercury’s bisexuality is represented in the new film Bohemian Rhapsody.

Said Malek to GSN’s Jamie Tabberer: “I want everyone to be represented by this film. I think that’s exactly who Freddie Mercury was and is, is someone who’s inclusive of everyone. He never wanted to be categorized or labeled. He just was. Whatever he was should have been okay. And I think that’s the way he sees it.. If you’re out there and you’re exactly who you want to be, then I think for you Freddie Mercury might be a hero. He is for me.”

Added Malek: “Brian May told me this when we were talking about shooting the film. He said ‘There are a lot of people out there who don’t realize how significant of a death sentence it was. Over 35 million people have died of AIDS. It’s a pandemic that still exists. I was just in Swaziland seeing what Red and the Mercury Phoenix Trust have done. And if they don’t get those pills every day, this thing could have a resurgence like you wouldn’t believe. So as much as this is a very entertaining, emotional, celebratory film, it has an impact in so many different ways. It’s something you can take your kids to and perhaps give them a little bit of a history lesson, and still walk out singing some tunes.”

Malek recently spoke about his physical transformation into Mercury: “I have fake teeth. Freddie Mercury as a kid was called ‘Bucky.’”

And said he had to shoot the Live Aid Wembley stadium concert on the first day: “It was the most terrifying thing ever.”

The post Rami Malek on Freddie Mercury’s Bisexuality: ‘He Never Wanted to Be Categorized or Labeled’ – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Rami Malek on Freddie Mercury’s Bisexuality: ‘He Never Wanted to Be Categorized or Labeled’ – WATCH

Champion Israeli wrestler Nir Rotenberg wants to be a role model for queer athletes
The top wrestler in Israel wants to change pro sports by paving the way for other athletes to come out.

www.queerty.com/champion-israeli-wrestler-nir-rotenberg-wants-role-model-queer-athletes-20181023?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Andy Cohen Slams ‘Jackhole’ Trump for Creating ‘Scarier, Less Safe World’ for Trans People: WATCH

Watch What Happens Live! host Andy Cohen made the Trump administration his ‘Jackhole of the Day’ on Monday night, denouncing the plans published by the New York Times over the weekend to legally erase transgender identity by defining gender by genitalia at birth.

Said Cohen: “As it is, trans people are among the most vulnerable in our society and, as people in Washington quietly try to make this a scarier, less safe world for them, it’s time for the rest of us to decide what kind of country we want to be.”

The post Andy Cohen Slams ‘Jackhole’ Trump for Creating ‘Scarier, Less Safe World’ for Trans People: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Andy Cohen Slams ‘Jackhole’ Trump for Creating ‘Scarier, Less Safe World’ for Trans People: WATCH

4 Nashville Gay Bars Targeted by Pro-Trump ‘MAGA’ Hate Mail: WATCH

At least four gay bars in Nashville, Tennessee have been targeted with pro-Trump MAGA hate mail in the past week.

Newschannel 5 reports: ‘On Thursday, Melvin Brown, owner of Stirrup, received a flyer in the mail with the letters LGBT on the front of it. But instead of standing for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender, the letters LGBT are portrayed with a picture of the Statue of Liberty, a gun, a beer and an image of President Trump. The postcard has a “MAGA” stamp on the back of it and has a return address that traces back to an empty lot in downtown Nashville. “When you put a picture of an assault riffle on there which was used in the Pulse shooting and you mail it to every LGBT bar in Nashville, that is coming from a hateful place. To say that it’s disturbing is an understatement,” Brown said.’

The post 4 Nashville Gay Bars Targeted by Pro-Trump ‘MAGA’ Hate Mail: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

4 Nashville Gay Bars Targeted by Pro-Trump ‘MAGA’ Hate Mail: WATCH