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Grayson Alexander talks history-making role, politics, future plans
When Grayson Alexander was growing up he never dreamed he would make history as the first out transgender person to become an Illinois General Assembly page, an accomplishment he achieved in a work-study program during the ...
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NATIONAL Trans death, ACA, 1957 gay wedding, serial killer
Several bridges and the city hall building in Houston were lit in transgender flag colors to honor the memory of Tracy Single, 22—a Black transgender woman who was found dead in a possible homicide in July, ...
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Reports: Wachowski back in the Matrix
Transgender filmmaker and Chicago native Lana Wachowski announced Aug. 20 that she would be directing a fourth Matrix film, according to Variety. Wachowski directed the three previous films in the series—The Matrix ( 1999 ), The ...
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Study finds older transgender men who are pregnant risk depression, lack of care
Older transgender men who become pregnant need better mental health care than female counterparts Transgender men who become pregnant are at increased risk for depression and difficulty getting medical care due to a lack of knowledge ...
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Trans ex-student prevails in restroom case
In Virginia, U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen ruled Aug. 9 that a school board's transgender bathroom ban discriminated against former student Gavin Grimm, multiple media outlets reported. In 2015, the Gloucester County School Board's policy ...
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Study Looks at Adolescent Experiences for Transgender Women of Color
Boston, MA, August 7, 2019—A groundbreaking study published in the most recent issue of Transgender Health finds that young transgender women of color hit several developmental milestones significantly earlier than their white peers. These milestones include ...
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ACLU opens arguments for trans prisoners' healthcare rights
ACLU of Illinois began arguments the week of July 30 for a federal injunction they say would improve healthcare conditions for transgender state prisoners. According to a May lawsuit filed by five transgender Illinoisans, transgender state ...
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Education board chair on pro-trans executive order, agency plans
By Joshua Irvine
After several years as a University of Chicago ( UChicago ) administrator, former Illinois State Board of Education official Darren Reisberg has returned to the agency as chair of the board. Reisberg entered the four-year term ...
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WORLD Intersex survey, Russian activist, Polish publication
Kenya will, for the first time, collect data on intersex people in its national population census, in a major victory for rights activists, the BBC reported. The August survey will determine the number of citizens who ...
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Pritzker signs restroom signage bill
Gov. JB Pritzker has signed SB 556, which amends the Equitable Restrooms Act to address signage on single-occupancy restrooms in the state. According to the rule, signed by Pritzker on July 26, single-occupancy restrooms shall be ...
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SHOWBIZ Indya Moore, Janet Jackson, Cazwell & Miss Peppermint, Andy Cohen
CAA has signed actor, model, writer and social activist Indya Moore, Deadline reported. The transgender, non-binary, Haitian-Dominician actor is part of the FX series Pose, co-created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Steven Canals, and which ...
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House passes Military Non-Discrimination Amendment
WASHINGTON July 11, 2019 — By a vote of 242-187, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a non-discrimination amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act ( NDAA ) that would make eligible for military service ...
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SHOWBIZ Lance Bass, trans actor, Miley Cyrus, 'Queer Eye'
In California, Lance Bass is a co-owner of Rocco's WeHo—the latest iteration in a small chain of establishments that mixes a traditional sports bar with an Italian-American eatery, Advocate.com noted. However, this queer spot also includes ...
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Illinois trans woman freed from prison
Strawberry Hampton—a transgender woman who was transferred to multiple Illinois men's prisons after making abuse allegations against inmates and guards—is now free after the public campaigned for her release, WBEZ.org reported. Hampton was supposed to be ...
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ART Darling Shear on artistic journey, making history
Mixed-media artist Darling Shear will become the first transgender artist to receive a grant from the Chicago Dancemakers Forum at the organization's annual awards celebration and benefit, to be held Thursday, July 11, at The Arts ...
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High court workplace cases affect LGBTQ veterans, military families, national security
WASHINGTON — Today, the Modern Military Association of America ( MMAA ) — the nation's largest non-profit organization for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer ( LGBTQ ) military and veteran community — and the ...
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Civil Rights Groups Urge Supreme Court to Protect LGBTQ Workers
WASHINGTON — The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and 57 other civil rights organizations filed a "friend of the court" brieftoday in a trio of cases ...
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Chicago Trans couple Precious and Myles Brady Davis expecting a baby
Chicago trans couple Myles and Precious Brady Davis have publicly announced they are expecting a baby this coming winter. Myles, 37—who identifies as a trans masculine, two spirit person of faith—is carrying their child with the ...
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NATIONAL Parade protests, trans billboards, 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
Protesters brought the San Francisco Pride Parade to a halt for 50 minutes shortly after it started June 30, lying down in Market Street at Sixth Street and chanting "F— the police!" and "Pride was a ...
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Pritzker signs order that protects trans+ students
On June 30—typically, the culmination of everything LGBTQ during Pride Month—Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed an executive order protecting transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary students throughout the state. The event took place at Chicago's Lake View ...
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Transgender county residents now able to use restrooms, other facilities without showing ID
Cook County Commissioner and Human Relations Committee Vice-Chairperson Kevin Morrison presented an amendment eliminating language that allows someone to ask for identification to prove another person's gender in order to access certain public accommodations at the ...
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City salutes LGBT veterans, Army veteran speaks for trans military service
Video below
The City of Chicago held the annual Salute to LGBT veterans, "Liberty and Justice for All," at Daley Plaza on Tuesday, June 25. The guest speaker, Tatyana Moaton, transgender veteran and human resources manager at Howard ...
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Zoe Spears is 10th trans woman killed this year
Zoe Spears, a 23-year-old Black transgender woman, was fatally shot in Fairmount Heights, Maryland, Out.com reported. She is the 10th trans woman reported murdered this year in the United States. On June 1, Johana "Joa" Medina ...
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Janet Mock signs historic Netflix deal
Author/director/producer Janet Mock has signed a historic deal with Netflix—making her the first out transgender woman who can call the creative shots at a major content company, Variety reported. The multimillion-dollar deal, which spans three years, ...
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Zoe Spears is 10th Black trans woman slain in 2019, NBJC responds
WASHINGTON — On Thursday, June 13, Zoe Spears ( 23 ) was killed in Fairmount Heights, Maryland, a Washington D.C. suburb. Spears is the tenth Black transgender woman murdered in 2019. She was killed just a ...
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WORLD Conversion therapy, Bermuda march, trans officer, Belgium ban
Germany plans to ban all conversion therapies under a new law to be introduced this year by German Health Minister Jens Spahn, PinkNews noted. It's estimated there are around 1,000 attempts in Germany each year to ...
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Court lets Trump anti-trans ban stand, and orders new review
On June 14, the The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed President Trump's ban on transgender members of the military to stand—setting aside a ruling by U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman, who is one of ...
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Court lets Trump trans ban stand and orders new review
On June 14, the The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed President Trump's ban on transgender members of the military to stand—setting aside a ruling by U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman, who is one of ...
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Dignity president blasts anti-trans Vatican statement
The Chicago-based president of Dignity, a national organization of LGBT Catholics, criticized both the message and timing of a June 10 Vatican guidance questioning contemporary understandings of gender identity. Chris Pett said that the 31-page document, ...
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Death at Rikers Island: Her name is Layleen Polanco
WASHINGTON—Last week, we lost another member of the Black Trans Community. Layleen Polanco, a 27-year old Black trans woman, was found dead in her cell at Rikers Island, where she had been serving time for an ...
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New report reviews laws, policies affecting LGBTs in U.S. territories
( Boulder, CO ) June 11, 2019—Progress towards full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) people in the United States has ebbed and flowed, resulting in an often-confusing patchwork of legal protections. ...
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Latest WorldPride additions include Janet Mock, Madonna
NYC Pride—the official host of WorldPride 2019 | Stonewall 50—announced the three keynote speakers scheduled to lead a dialogue during the Human Rights Conference on June 24-25 ( and who all happen to be transgender ): ...
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NBJC on Murder of Chynal Lindsey, "We Are Still Fighting For Our Lives"
WASHINGTON — Recently, Chynal Lindsey, 26, a Black transgender woman from Dallas, Texas was killed. Gender violence continues to disproportionately impact Black women and girls, including Black trans women and girls. In response to the tragic ...
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Panic-defense bills introduced in Congress
On June 5, Sen. Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts) and Congressman Joe Kennedy III (D-Massachusetts) introduced bills (the Gay and Trans Panic Defense Prohibition Act) in the United States' Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, that would ban ...
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NATIONAL Conversion therapy, honoring trans pioneers, case against ex-guv
Colorado banned gay conversion therapy as openly gay Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill one day before the start of LGBT Pride Month, ABC News reported. Polis actually signed two bills dealing with LGBT rights: the ...
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WORLD Trans woman murdered, gay-sex laws, trans mayor
A transgender woman was murdered and decapitated during the weekend of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia ( IDAHOBIT ) in the Mexican state of Veracruz, according to Gay Star News. According to reports, Jesusa ...
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Trans asylum-seeker dies while in ICE custody
Johana Medina, a transgender asylum-seeker from El Salvador, died while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) custody on June 1. Medina is the second transgender immigrant to die in ICE custody since President Donald ...
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Illinois General Assembly Advances Non-Binary Gender Marker on Licenses
Springfield — Illinois would allow individuals to select a non-binary gender marker on their drivers' licenses and state identity cards under a measure approved Wednesday by the Illinois General Assembly, according to Equality Illinois, the state's ...
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New York monument to honor trans activists Johnson and Rivera
New York — Today, Mayor de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray announced that the next She Built NYC monument will honor pioneering transgender activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, key leaders in the Stonewall ...
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"The Equality Act and Me" to be presented May 29
CHICAGO, Illinois—The Human Rights Campaign of Chicago will sponsor "The Equality Act and Me" panel on Wednesday, May 29 from 5pm-7:15pm at Morningstar, Inc., 7th floor, 22 W. Washington St., Chicago. Despite significant steps forward in ...
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Supreme Court backs trans restroom access, rules on abortion
On May 28, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on cases related to transgender restroom access and abortion. The court declined to hear the Pennsylvania case Doe v. Boyertown Area School District, allowing school districts to continue ...
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NATIONAL Murder suspect, intersex passport, GLSEN awards
In Tennessee, officials have made an arrest in the murder of Daniel Shields last July, NewsChannel5.com reported. Gerry Weatherby was charged with first-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping for the homicide of Shields, a bartender at ...
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MOMBIAN Trans/gender-creative children star in new picture books
Three new children's books each offer different approaches as they highlight different aspects of gender identity and expression. When Aiden Became a Brother, written by Kyle Lukoff and illustrated by Kaylani Juanita ( Lee & Low ...
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HHS expected to propose rolling back non-discrimination protections for more than 1.5 million transgender people
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights ( OCR ) is expected to announce tomorrow or soon after a proposed regulation that attempts to roll back existing federal protections prohibiting discrimination ...
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LGBTQ Inclusive Curriculum Bill Advances to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker
SPRINGFIELD — A significant legislative measure to ensure students in Illinois public schools would learn about the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in state and national history was approved by the Illinois Senate, ...
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New national report details police's transgender policies
A newly released report documents the troubled relationship between transgender Americans and the police departments charged with protecting them. "Failing to Protect and Serve: Police Department Policies Towards Transgender People" newly released by the National Center ...
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NATIONAL Military items, trans murders, Southern trans report
Sgt. 1st Class Janina Simmons became the first female African-American soldier to complete the U.S. Army Ranger School course in April, Ebony.com reported. According to LGBTQ Nation, Simmons proposed to her longtime girlfriend after her completion ...
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Legislation to ensure restroom access passes Illinois House
Legislation to modernize Illinois law to ensure single-occupancy restroom facilities are designated as gender neutral passed the Illinois House of Representatives Tuesday, said Equality Illinois, the state's civil rights organizations for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and ...
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NBJC on transgender deaths, "How Can We Celebrate Pride If We Keep Dying?"
WASHINGTON — This past weekend, Muhlaysia Booker, a young Black Transgender woman, was found murdered in Dallas, Texas. In April of this year, she was filmed being horribly beaten in public. Another Black Trans woman, Tamika ...
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WBAI installs new president, announces upcoming transgender-focused program
Wochner Law Firm LLC partner Corinne Cantwell Heggie will become the Women's Bar Association of Illinois ( WBAI ) president on May 30, having previously served as its first vice president and chair of a number ...
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Illinois Collaboration on Youth holds gender-expansive services symposium
Illinois Collaboration on Youth ( ICOY ) held a day-long gender expansive services symposium May 13 at the Chicago Teachers Union. The day focused on how girls and gender non-conforming youth are impacted by the juvenile-justice ...
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Chelsea Manning back in jail
On May 16, U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Trenga ordered Chelsea Manning back to jail after the transgender former U.S. Army intelligence analyst again refused to cooperate with a grand jury investigating a release of documents ...
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Trump opposes Equality Act
HRC videos below
A senior Trump administration official told exclusively to the Washington Blade that the president opposes the bill. "The Trump administration absolutely opposes discrimination of any kind and supports the equal treatment of all; however, this bill ...
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New Publication Promotes Health, Safety of Trans Youth in Confinement
( San Francisco, CA ) Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights ( NCLR ) and the Center for Children's Law and Policy ( CCLP ) released a new publication, Model Policy: Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and ...
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GLN hosts Chelsea Manning fundraiser
Aiming to lend financial support to transgender whistleblower Chelsea Manning's legal defense, the Gay Liberation Network ( GLN ) hosted a fundraiser May 4 at the home of GLN co-founder Andy Thayer. During the event, Thayer ...
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IDOC trans healthcare court case continues
Litigation continues in a federal lawsuit filed by five transgender Illinois prisoners who say that their healthcare is inadequate with Illinois Department of Corrections ( IDOC ) facilities. The prisoners, all of whom are transgender females, ...
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Pro-trans college aid bill sent to Pritzker
A bill that would allow transgender students to receive state financial aid for college, as well as undocumented students, is on its way to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's desk. House Bill 2691, known as the Retention of ...
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Activists call for clemency for trans prisoner
Community activists are calling upon Gov. J.B. Pritzker to grant clemency to a transgender state prisoner who says her sentence was extended in retaliation for reporting abuse while she was incarcerated. Strawberry Hampton, a transgender woman, ...
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Support for trans students starts with their names
This fall, my former student Stefan came back to visit me. I was excited to hear about the beginning of high school, but he looked incredibly distressed. "How is freshman year going?" I asked, hoping to ...
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DePaul dinner honors trans icons Johnson, Rivera
On April 24, DePaul University students and faculty attended the Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera Dinner Gala to commemorate the trans icons who two of the influential figures of the Stonewall riots, The DePaulia reported. ...
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Gender-expansive symposium May 13
On Monday, May 13, Illinois Collaboration on Youth—in partnership with the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission—will be hosting a conference on expanding gender-responsive services from "girls only" to girls and gender non-conforming youth. The symposium will take ...
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Chelsea Manning fundraiser May 4
The Gay Liberation Network ( GLN ) will host a fundraiser on Saturday, May 4, at 7 p.m. for the legal defense fund of Trans whistle-blower Chelsea Manning. The event will take place at the home ...
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Pose, series focusing on ball culture, begins season June 11
Pose is a drama spotlighting the legends, icons and ferocious house mothers of New York's underground ball culture, a movement that first gained notice in the late 1980s. Making television history, Pose features the largest cast ...
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Trans activists file federal name-change lawsuits
Eight transgender Illinoisans filed a lawsuit on May 1 against Cook County officials, maintaining that name-change laws pertaining to convicted felons are inherently biased against transgender persons. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court's Northern ...
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Transgender Women to Challenge Constitutionality of Illinois Name Change Statute
CHICAGO — On Wednesday, May 1 at 10 a.m., eight transgender women will file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of certain statutory restrictions on name changes in the State of Illinois as applied to them. The ...
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NATIONAL Tampa mayor, trans woman's murder, Tennessee items
Equality Florida Action PAC released a statement praising Jane Castor—whom the organization backed—as Tampa's first LGBTQ mayor. She won April 23 with more than 70 percent of the vote. "Jane Castor's victory is a historic milestone ...
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WORLD Trans woman threatened, Ecuador marriage bill, equality coin
Armenia's first registered transgender woman, Lilit Martirosyan, has received death threats after making a historic speech in her country's national assembly, The Guardian reported. After speaking out against discrimination at a session of its committee on ...
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Trans woman fights bias during journey from Tennessee to Chicago
May 5 will be a meaningful day for Angelina Nordstrom. She will be speaking at the Chicago House 33rd Annual Spring Brunch Fashion Show on the importance of stable employment for the vulnerable. ( Also at ...
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Sheridan discusses workplace training and new book
Vanessa Sheridan, who is Center on Halsted's director of gender equity and inclusion, frequently gives public trainings about the transgender community. Sheridan's goals, she tells her audiences, are twofold: "The first is to give the best, ...
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Monica Helms discusses trans flag creation, new book, activism
In 2005, transgender U.S. Navy veteran Monica F. Helms started writing her autobiography, but eventually she set it aside, deciding that "my life was still continuing." "Last year, something in my head told me I needed ...
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GLN to Host Fundraiser For Chelsea Manning
The Gay Liberation Network will host a 7 p.m., Saturday, May 4th fundraiser for the legal defense fund of Trans whistle-blower Chelsea Manning at the home of GLN co-founder Andy Thayer and his husband, Aldo P. ...
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Anti-trans District 211 lawsuit dropped
Long-running litigation involving public-accommodations access for transgender students in the Northwest suburbs came to a seeming end April 15, when U.S. District Judge Jorge Alonso on Monday approved the dismissal of a lawsuit seeking to bar ...
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National Black Justice Coalition on Morehouse College's Inclusivity Policy
WASHINGTON — Morehouse College, a historically Black men's college, announced that they would be accepting applications from Trans men. In response to the news, the National Black Justice Coalition released the following statement: "Every student has ...
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NATIONAL Child-abuse bill, anti-trans attacks, Ariz. HIV/AIDS bill, Michigan gym
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine ( D-Virginia ) introduced legislation for the first time ever that seeks to protect LGBT kids from child abuse, The Washington Blade reported. The Protecting LGBTQ Youth Act seeks to prevent the ...
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SHOWBIZ Trans baritone, Billboard Awards, Kate McKinnon, Lena Waithe
Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Productions have announced it is greenlighting a documentary entitled Lucia's Voice ( Working Title ), OperaWire.com noted. The new film center on internationally renowned opera star Lucia Lucas will perform the title role ...
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