12/22/2020

DEFENSE/JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ/MILITARY/OBAMA: “Ten years ago today, I joined President Obama as he signed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell into law. Thanks to sound implementation by civilian and uniformed leaders across the @DeptofDefense, today our military is stronger, more capable, and more inclusive for all who serve.“ ––Joe Biden, Twitter.com, December 22, 2020 7:48 […]

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12/8/2020

GOVERNMENT/LGBTQ/RELIGION/TRUMP ADMIN: “The Trump administration has issued new guidance on religious exemptions for federal contractors that critics say grants them carte blanche to discriminate against LGBTQ workers, women, religious minorities and others. The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs released Monday [Dec. 7, 2020] its final rule on exemptions to Title VII […]

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11/25/2020

BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN/CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19/JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ/MINORITIES/TRANSGENDER/WOMEN: “As many as 1 in 3 women is the victim of gender-based violence at some point in her life, and that rate is even higher for women of color, lesbian and bisexual women, transgender individuals, and other members of vulnerable or underserved communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has made matters worse, creating a […]

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11/20/2020

BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN/JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ/MINORITIES/TRANSGENDER: “At least 37 transgender and gender-nonconforming people have been killed this year, most of them Black and Brown transgender women. It’s intolerable. This Transgender Day of Remembrance, we honor their lives—and recommit to the work that remains to end this epidemic of violence. To transgender and gender-nonconforming people across America and around […]

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10/27/2020

2020 ELECTION/CIVIL RIGHTS/HEALTHCARE/IMMIGRATION/JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ/VOTING/WOMEN: “Health care is on the line. Workers’ rights are on the line. Civil rights are on the line. Women’s rights are on the line. LGBTQ+ rights are on the line. Immigrant rights are on the line. Don’t sit this one out. Head to http://makeaplan.com and make your plan to vote today.“ […]

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10/16/2020

JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ/MINORITIES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people — particularly Black and Brown transgender women — is an epidemic that needs national leadership. But Donald Trump has done nothing but fan the flames of transphobia. It has to end. https://t.co/v2DAbcIcCv?amp=1″ ––Joe Biden, Twitter.com, October 16, 2020 1:54 pm […]

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10/15/2020

HOLIDAY/JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ: “This #SpiritDay — and every day — we must stand up to hate and intolerance. It’s up to all of us to ensure every young person is affirmed and accepted just as they are — regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.“ ––Joe Biden, Twitter.com, October 15, 2020 7:25 am […]

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10/12/2020

2020 ELECTION/CRIME/JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ: “Today marks 22 years since Matthew Shepard passed away after a brutal anti-gay hate crime. Over two decades later, violence against LGBTQ+ Americans is at an all-time high. As president, I’ll strengthen our hate crimes laws and make clear that bigotry has no place in America.“ ––Joe Biden, Twitter.com, October 12, 2020 […]

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10/11/2020

2020 ELECTION/JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ: “I want every member of the LGBTQ+ community to know you are loved and accepted just as you are — whether you’ve come out or not. I’ll fight every day in the White House to create a country where you can live open, proud, and free — without fear. #NationalComingOutDay“ ––Joe Biden, […]

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9/20/2020

JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ/MILITARY: “Nine years ago, our nation took a big step toward justice, fairness, and equality by repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell… I remain proud today to stand with the LGBTQ+ community in their tireless pursuit of equality and human rights. Generations of Americans, many of them LGBTQ+, have shed blood around the world in […]

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9/20/2020

JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRANSGENDER: “Rather than put the national security interest of our country first, Trump reversed the Obama-Biden administration efforts to allow transgender personnel the right to serve and protect our nation. As president, I will direct the Department of Defense to allow transgender service members to serve openly, receive needed medical treatment, and be free […]

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9/20/2020

EU/HUMAN RIGHTS/JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ: “Let me be clear: LGBTQ+ rights are human rights — and ‘LGBT-free zones’ have no place in the European Union or anywhere in the world. https://t.co/zc8YvSq6iN?amp=1″ ––Joe Biden, Twitter.com, September 20, 2020 2:00 pm […]

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7/19/2020

CONFEDERATE FLAG/JOE BIDEN/LGBTQ/MILITARY: “Banning the Confederate flag from military installations was long overdue. Banning the LGBTQ Pride flag — the very symbol of diversity and inclusion — is undeniably wrong. The Pentagon should ensure it is authorized, or as President, I will.” -Joe Biden, Twitter.com, July 19, 2020 10:48 am […]

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10/16/2019

ATTORNEY GENERAL/LGBTQ/TRANSGENDER/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The parents of Matthew Shepard, the gay college student whose murder led to the passage of a groundbreaking federal law that expanded the definition of violent federal hate crimes, harshly criticized the Trump administration’s record on civil rights in a letter read aloud in their absence during a Justice Department ceremony […]

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8/14/2019

BUSINESS/GOVERNMENT/LABOR/LGBTQ/RELIGION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. businesses with federal government contracts would be allowed not to hire LGBT+ candidates on religious grounds under a proposed rule announced on Wednesday [8-14-19] by the U.S. Department of Labor. The policy change would state that government contractors, including universities, hospitals and corporations, can claim religious exemptions in employment decisions if […]

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8/14/2019

LABOR/LGBTQ/RELIGION/SUPREME COURT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration opened the door Wednesday [8-14-19] to permitting government contractors to discriminate against LGBT employees with a proposed rule that frames the issue as protecting companies’ religious beliefs. The Labor Department proposal follows a string of Supreme Court decisions that protected business owners’ rights to refuse service to gay […]

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7/3/2019

HUMAN RIGHTS/LGBTQ/MINORITIES/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The Trump administration plans to officially launch a new panel on human rights as early as Monday [7-8-19]— one already under scrutiny from Democrats who fear its stated focus on ‘natural law and natural rights’ could undercut protections for women and LGBTQ people around the world. State Department officials are […]

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5/31/2019

LGBTQ/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “As we celebrate LGBT Pride Month and recognize the outstanding contributions LGBT people have made to our great Nation, let us also stand in solidarity with the many LGBT people who live in dozens of countries worldwide that punish, imprison, or even execute individuals….” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 31, 2019 2:12 pm […]

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5/31/2019

LGBTQ/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “….on the basis of their sexual orientation. My Administration has launched a global campaign to decriminalize homosexuality and invite all nations to join us in this effort!” –Donald Trump, Twitter.com, May 31, 2019 2:12 pm […]

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5/17/2019

CITIZENSHIP/LGBTQ/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Roee and Adiel Kiviti have been married almost six years and live in the United States. They are both American citizens, as is their 2-year-old son, Lev. However, they say their infant daughter, Kessem, has been denied birthright citizenship under a State Department policy that considers her ‘born out of wedlock’ — […]

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3/14/2019

LGBTQ/MIKE PENCE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Vice President Mike Pence hosted Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and his same-sex partner at the Naval Observatory for the Friends of Ireland breakfast on Thursday [3-14-19]. While the Pences hosted Varadkar last year as part of an annual trip the Irish delegation makes to Washington, this year the vice president and […]

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2/7/2019

EDUCATION/LGBTQ/MIKE PENCE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “In the upside-down logic of conservative religious politics, then-Indiana Gov. Mike Pence framed a law that permitted discrimination to be about ‘freedom’ and sparked such outrage — ‘Fix this now’ demanded Indiana’s leading paper — that he had to reverse it. Now it’s Karen Pence, the vice president’s wife, who’s stirring controversy […]

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7/3/2018

ABORTION/LGBTQ/SUPREME COURT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “In the week since Justice Anthony M. Kennedy announced his retirement, the future of Roe v. Wade has dominated the conversation among both liberals and conservatives, becoming a flash point in the partisan battle over President Trump’s pick to fill the seat. The effect Justice Kennedy’s retirement could have on lesbian, […]

Read More… from 7/3/2018

3/20/2018

LGBTQ/MIKE PENCE/PROTESTS: “Guess who just managed to pull a best-selling book out of their hat? That’s right: it’s John Oliver and the staff of Last Week Tonight—specifically, writer Jill Twiss—whose picture book, the somewhat cumbersomely titled Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Presents A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, is, as of this […]

Read More… from 3/20/2018

3/9/2018

LGBTQ/POLITICAL FIGURES/RELIGION: “Sen. Mike Lee reintroduced a controversial bill Thursday [3-8-18] that aims to protect religious freedom but which critics argue could lead to discrimination against the LGBTQ community. The Utah Republican unveiled a new version of the ‘First Amendment Defense Act,’ which was initially introduced in 2015 but not taken up by committee in […]

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2/26/2018

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LEGAL/LGBTQ/NEW YORK: “A federal appeals court in Manhattan ruled on Monday [2-26-18] that federal civil rights law bars employers from discriminating based on sexual orientation. The case, which stemmed from the 2010 dismissal of a Long Island sky-diving instructor, was a setback for the Trump Justice Department, whose lawyers found themselves in the unusual […]

Read More… from 2/26/2018

2/23/2018

DEFENSE/JAMES MATTIS/LGBTQ: “U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has made his recommendations to the White House on transgender individuals and military service, the Pentagon said on Friday [2-23-18]. Major David Eastburn, a Pentagon spokesman, said the recommendations had been made earlier on Friday and the White House would make any policy decisions. In September, the Pentagon […]

Read More… from 2/23/2018

2/12/2018

EDUCATION/LEGAL/LGBTQ: “A spokeswoman for the Department of Education confirmed on Monday that the department is no longer investigating civil rights complaints from transgender students banned from using bathrooms conforming with their gender identity.The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights ‘continues to use current law and current regulation to determine if any child in school is […]

Read More… from 2/12/2018

2/9/2018

LGBTQ/MIKE PENCE/SPORTS: “The 2018 Winter Olympics officially opened on Friday [2-9-18] but the first bit of drama has already boiled over: a three-way dispute between Adam Rippon, the first openly gay American man to qualify to compete in the Winter Games; Mike Pence, the conservative vice president and longtime opponent of gay rights; and the […]

Read More… from 2/9/2018

2/7/2018

LGBTQ/MIKE PENCE/SPORTS: “US Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon reportedly turned down a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence after criticizing him for his stance on gay rights. After reading a January 17 interview in which Rippon criticized Pence, the vice president’s staff asked the US Olympic Committee to set up a conversation that same day […]

Read More… from 2/7/2018

2/7/2018

LGBTQ/MIKE PENCE/SPORTS: “Gay U.S. figure skater Adam Rippon said on Thursday [2-8-18] he is willing to meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who has expressed staunchly anti-gay rights views, for an ‘open conversation’ – but only after the Olympics. Rippon set off a furore last month by reportedly criticizing Pence’s views on LGBT rights and […]

Read More… from 2/7/2018

1/8/2018

LGBTQ/SUPREME COURT: “The Supreme Court declined Monday [1-8-18] to consider a challenge to a Mississippi law authorizing individuals and merchants to deny service to same-sex couples on the basis of ‘sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions.’ The brief order comes as the justices grapple with a case posing many of the same issues in […]

Read More… from 1/8/2018

12/20/2017

LEGAL/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Pentagon for the first time has detailed the provisions it will use in admitting transgender recruits, issuing a memorandum that encompasses medical exams, room assignments and how the military will determine someone’s gender. The memorandum envisions a Jan. 1 start for the process of admitting transgender recruits, in line with court […]

Read More… from 12/20/2017

12/11/2017

LEGAL/LGBTQ/SUPREME COURT: “The Supreme Court said on Monday [12-11-17] that it would not hear an appeal in a case that could have resolved whether a federal law prohibits employers from discriminating against gay and lesbian workers. The case concerned Jameka Evans, who said a Georgia hospital discriminated against her because she is a lesbian. She […]

Read More… from 12/11/2017

12/11/2017

LEGAL/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A federal judge denied a renewed bid by the Trump administration to prevent transgender people from joining the U.S. military, ordering Monday [12-11-17] that such recruits be allowed to join beginning Jan. 1. The military announced it would begin admitting transgender recruits in light of the latest order by U.S. District Judge […]

Read More… from 12/11/2017

11/22/2017

1A/JEFF SESSIONS/LGBTQ/RELIGION: “The details were spare when the event appeared this past summer on Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s public schedule. He would speak to a group called Alliance Defending Freedom at a summit on religious liberty. It would be in Orange County, Calif., but no exact location was specified. No news media would be allowed […]

Read More… from 11/22/2017

11/21/2017

LEGAL/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A second federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s proposed ban on transgender troops Tuesday [11-21-17], saying President Trump’s announcement of the ban in a series of tweets this summer was ‘capricious, arbitrary, and unqualified.’ In a preliminary injunction, Judge Marvin J. Garbis of the Federal District Court for Maryland halted a policy […]

Read More… from 11/21/2017

11/21/2017

HOUSE OF REPS/LGBTQ/POLITICS: “With Virginia’s first openly transgender elected official preparing to take her seat in the House of Delegates, the Republican leader of that chamber says it is time to end a tradition of addressing lawmakers by formal male and female pronouns. Instead of the ‘gentleman’ or ‘gentlewoman’ from a given jurisdiction, lawmakers will […]

Read More… from 11/21/2017

11/13/2017

CRIME/FBI/LGBTQ/RACISM/RELIGION: “Hate crimes across the country rose about 5% in 2016, the second-consecutive year in which federal authorities tallied an increase in the number of offenses motivated by bias involving race, religion or sexual orientation, according to FBI statistics released Monday [11-13-17]. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, relying on reports provided by more than 15,000 […]

Read More… from 11/13/2017

11/10/2017

LGBTQ/POLITICS: “Danica Roem knew she had made history this week when former Vice President Joe Biden called to congratulate her… The Democrat’s win Tuesday [11-7-17] means she will become the first openly transgender person elected and seated in a state legislature… While the focus has been on her defeat of a longtime incumbent and social […]

Read More… from 11/10/2017

10/31/2017

LGBTQ/POLITICS: “Virginia Democrat Danica Roem has been called a man by conservative opponents attacking her views on LGBT rights as she campaigns to become the United States’ only transgender state legislator. Roem does not shy away from her gender identity. In one campaign ad, she applies makeup at a bathroom mirror and takes hormone pills. […]

Read More… from 10/31/2017

10/30/2017

LEGAL/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A federal court on Monday [10-30-17] blocked parts of President Trump’s ban on transgender service members, preventing the Pentagon from overturning policies initiated by the Obama administration to allow transgender troops from serving openly. The order in Washington by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly temporarily prevents to the Pentagon from enacting the […]

Read More… from 10/30/2017

10/18/2017

LEGAL/LGBTQ: “Transgender people would be allowed to use public restrooms in North Carolina that match their gender identity under a settlement agreement filed on Wednesday that aims to resolve the federal lawsuit over the state’s widely criticized bathroom law. The consent decree proposed by Governor Roy Cooper, the American Civil Liberties Union and transgender people […]

Read More… from 10/18/2017

10/17/2017

FAKE NEWS/LGBTQ/MIKE PENCE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House is hitting back at The New Yorker magazine after an explosive profile of Vice President Mike Pence, contesting an anecdote about President Donald Trump joking that Pence wanted to ‘hang’ homosexuals as well as other details reported in the story. Reporter Jane Mayer wrote that the president […]

Read More… from 10/17/2017

10/12/2017

JEFF SESSIONS/LEGAL/LGBTQ: “Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday [10-12-17] that the administration wants to overhaul a variety of laws and regulations to make the process of applying for asylum in the U.S. more difficult, and to crack down on what he described as rampant fraud within that realm of the immigration system. Among the necessary […]

Read More… from 10/12/2017

10/6/2017

JEFF SESSIONS/LGBTQ/RELIGION: “Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued government-wide legal guidance Friday [10-6-17] that urges sweeping protection for religious freedom and could impact a series of pending policy decisions involving health care, LGBT rights and even disaster relief. Sessions billed the 25-page memo directed to all federal agencies as a response to an executive order President […]

Read More… from 10/6/2017

10/5/2017

JEFF SESSIONS/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LGBTQ: “Attorney General Jeff Sessions reversed an Obama-era reading of the Civil Rights Act in a memo this week, saying the Justice Department no longer considers workplace discrimination against transgender individuals to be covered by federal law. In a document dated Oct. 4, Mr. Sessions directed Justice Department lawyers to take the position […]

Read More… from 10/5/2017

10/5/2017

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LEGAL/LGBTQ: “Justice Department lawyers shortly before midnight Wednesday [10-4-17] asked a federal judge to dismiss a challenge to President Donald Trump’s proposed transgender military ban, calling the challenge ‘premature several times over’ because the policy has yet to go into effect… Under the directive, the Pentagon and DHS are expected to halt the use […]

Read More… from 10/5/2017

10/5/2017

JEFF SESSIONS/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LGBTQ: “The U.S. Department of Justice has reversed course on whether federal law banning sex discrimination in the workplace provides protections for transgender employees, saying in a memo that it does not. The memo sent to U.S. Attorneys’ offices on Wednesday [10-4-17] by Attorney General Jeff Sessions says Title VII of the Civil […]

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10/4/2017

LGBTQ/NIKKI HALEY/UN: “After siding with countries such as Saudi Arabia, Botswana and Qatar, Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley is denying that the U.S. voted in favor of the death penalty for gay people. The United Nations’ Human Rights Council voted 27-13 last week to condemn capital punishment in a variety of cases including against […]

Read More… from 10/4/2017

9/28/2017

GOP/LGBTQ/RELIGION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Thursday [9-28-17] that the White House does not agree with comments by Roy Moore, the Republican Senate candidate in Alabama, that many found offensive, including that homosexual conduct should be made illegal and that Muslims should not be allowed to serve in Congress… Moore’s remarks, which […]

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9/26/2017

LGBTQ/MILITARY: “The U.S. military’s top uniformed officer said Tuesday [9-26-17] that transgender service members who meet the ‘physical and mental standards’ required by the military should be allowed to serve, a position that appeared to put him at odds with President Donald Trump… Gen. Dunford, who serves as the principal military adviser to the president, […]

Read More… from 9/26/2017

9/11/2017

DEFENSE/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate is likely to tackle a slew of contentious issues this week during debate over the annual defense policy bill, from the status of transgender troops to war powers and even a surprise push by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to allow the military to close bases across the country. It’ll also […]

Read More… from 9/11/2017

9/8/2017

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LEGAL/LGBTQ: “The Trump administration told the Supreme Court Thursday [9-7-17] that the First Amendment entitles a Colorado baker to turn away gay couples seeking wedding cakes, despite state law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. While businesses that sell off-the-shelf goods may be bound by antidiscrimination laws, those that make custom products, like the […]

Read More… from 9/8/2017

8/31/2017

DEFENSE/DHS/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP MEMORANDA: “Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:) I am transmitting an alternative plan for monthly basic pay increases for members of the uniformed services for 2018. I strongly support our men and women […]

Read More… from 8/31/2017

8/30/2017

JAMES MATTIS/LGBTQ/MILITARY: “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis plans to convene a panel of experts to help implement a ban on transgender service in the military, but there are still too few top defense officials to adequately conduct the review, a top Pentagon spokeswoman said Wednesday [8-30-17]. Like other federal agencies, the Defense Department has dozens of […]

Read More… from 8/30/2017

8/29/2017

JAMES MATTIS/LGBTQ/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis kicked President Trump’s proposed ban on transgender people serving in the military down the road, announcing that transgender service members will continue to be allowed to serve pending the results of a study. In a statement on Tuesday [8-29-17] evening, Mr. Mattis said that he was establishing […]

Read More… from 8/29/2017

8/28/2017

LEGAL/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Civil-liberties groups on Monday [8-28-17] filed two lawsuits challenging President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender service members serving in the military, arguing that the prohibitions are unconstitutional. The suits state the ban violates rights to due process of service members and those who want to join the military. One of the two […]

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8/25/2017

DEFENSE/DHS/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP MEMORANDA: “Presidential Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security Military Service by Transgender Individuals… Until June 2016, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (collectively, the Departments) generally prohibited openly transgender individuals from accession into the United States military and authorized the discharge of […]

Read More… from 8/25/2017

8/23/2017

JAMES MATTIS/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House is expected to send guidance to the Pentagon in coming days on how to implement a new administration ban on transgender people in the military, issuing a policy that will allow Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to consider a service member’s ability to deploy in deciding whether to kick […]

Read More… from 8/23/2017

8/21/2017

AGRICULTURE/LGBTQ/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Sam Clovis, Donald Trump’s pick to be chief scientist for the Department of Agriculture, has argued that homosexuality is a choice and that the sanctioning of same-sex marriage could lead to the legalization of pedophilia, a CNN KFile review of Clovis’ writings, radio broadcasts, and speeches has found. Clovis made the comments […]

Read More… from 8/21/2017

8/11/2017

LGBTQ/NAVY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer said he would follow directions from the president on transgender people in the military but believes ‘any patriot’ should be allowed to serve. Spencer, speaking to reporters on Thursday [8-10-17] on a visit to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, said he would abide by any policy […]

Read More… from 8/11/2017

8/10/2017

LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump said on Thursday [8-10-17] that he is doing the United States military a ‘great favor’ by barring transgender people from serving in its ranks — even though the Pentagon has made no move to expel personnel since the commander in chief first tweeted the policy about-face two weeks ago. The […]

Read More… from 8/10/2017

8/9/2017

LEGAL/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Two advocacy groups sued President Trump in federal court Wednesday [8-9-17] over his declaration on Twitter last month that the Pentagon would a reinstate a ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military. So far, the armed services have not implemented a ban or moved to discharge anyone, saying that it […]

Read More… from 8/9/2017

8/3/2017

LGBTQ/POLICE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “In the week since President Trump declared that transgender Americans would no longer be allowed in the military, some municipal officials have responded with an invitation: join our police force instead. Several cities — including Houston; Austin, Tex.; Aurora, Colo.; and Cincinnati — have encouraged transgender people to apply to their police […]

Read More… from 8/3/2017

8/1/2017

COAST GUARD/DHS/LGBTQ/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The head of the Coast Guard is pledging he ‘will not break faith’ with transgender personnel, marking the strongest rebuttal yet by a leader of the armed forces to President Donald Trump’s declaration that he wants to ban all transgender troops. Commandant Paul Zukunft, in remarks to a Washington think tank […]

Read More… from 8/1/2017

7/28/2017

HEALTHCARE/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump’s tweets banning transgender Americans from serving in the armed forces not only sent shockwaves from the barracks to Capitol Hill, they also rocked the families of service members whose military health care coverage provides essential care for their transgender children. ‘I instantly started crying,’ Amanda Brewer told NBC Washington. Her […]

Read More… from 7/28/2017

7/27/2017

LEGAL/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s three-tweet plan to stop transgender individuals from serving in the military has yet to be clarified or implemented, but as it stands could run headlong into established case law. The same is true for the position the Trump administration took late on Wednesday [7-26-17], declaring that federal anti-discrimination law […]

Read More… from 7/27/2017

7/27/2017

LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “There will be ‘no modifications’ to the military’s transgender policy as a result of President Donald Trump’s declared ban on transgender men and women on Twitter, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs said in a message to top military officers on Thursday — the latest sign of the disarray following the commander-in-chief’s […]

Read More… from 7/27/2017

7/27/2017

LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine General Joseph Dunford, said in a written message on Thursday [7-27-17] to military leaders that there has been no change yet to the military’s policy on transgender personnel, despite plans for a ban announced by President Donald Trump. ‘There will be no modifications […]

Read More… from 7/27/2017

7/27/2017

GOP/LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Republicans on Capitol Hill are scrambling to respond to President Donald Trump’s announcement Wednesday [7-27-17] to reinstitute a ban on transgender people serving in the military after conservatives who lobbied the White House say they were pushing only to prevent the Pentagon from paying for medical costs associated with gender confirmation — […]

Read More… from 7/27/2017

7/27/2017

LGBTQ/MILITARY/PROTESTS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Demonstrators flocked to a military recruiting station in New York City and gathered at a plaza named for a San Francisco gay-rights icon on Wednesday [7-26-17] to protest President Donald Trump’s abrupt ban on transgender troops in the military. A crowd of at least a few hundred people gathered around the U.S. […]

Read More… from 7/27/2017

7/26/2017

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LGBTQ/LEGAL: “The US Justice Department on Wednesday [7-26-17] argued in a major federal lawsuit that a 1964 civil rights law doesn’t protect gay workers from discrimination, thereby diverging from a separate, autonomous federal agency that had supported the gay plaintiff’s case. The Trump administration’s filing is unusual in part because the Justice Department isn’t […]

Read More… from 7/26/2017

7/26/2017

LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump will bar transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military, he said, arguing their service brought ‘tremendous medical costs and disruption.’ ‘After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity […]

Read More… from 7/26/2017

7/26/2017

LGBTQ/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow… Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming… victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and […]

Read More… from 7/26/2017

7/20/2017

HOUSE OF REPS/LGBTQ/MILITARY: “Several House Republicans are working behind the scenes to revive a failed effort to bar the Pentagon from funding gender reassignment surgeries for troops. A mix of GOP defense hawks and conservatives are urging Speaker Paul Ryan and his team to use a procedural trick to automatically include the controversial proposal in […]

Read More… from 7/20/2017

7/14/2017

EDUCATION/LGBTQ: “Transgender students once found an ally in the Department of Education, which under the Obama administration robustly investigated alleged violations of their civil rights and argued that federal laws against sex discrimination ensured their access to public school bathrooms and changing facilities. But that has changed in the months since President Trump took office. […]

Read More… from 7/14/2017

7/12/2017

ATTORNEY GENERAL/LGBTQ/TRUMP PEOPLE/JEFF SESSIONS: “Democrats and LGBT groups assailed Attorney General Jeff Sessions for an off-camera, closed-door speech Tuesday [7-11-17] to an organization designated as a ‘hate group’ by a prominent civil rights watchdog. As announced on his public schedule, Sessions addressed a crowd at the Alliance Defending Freedom’s Summit on Religious Liberty in Orange […]

Read More… from 7/12/2017

6/30/2017

LGBTQ/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump has broken with recent precedent by not recognizing June as LGBT Pride Month. The decision marks an end to two of his predecessors’ tradition of officially recognizing the month. President Bill Clinton first recognized it in 1999 in commemoration of the Stonewall Riots of late June 1969, which many […]

Read More… from 6/30/2017

6/12/2017

LGBTQ: “We will NEVER FORGET the victims who lost their lives one year ago today in the horrific #PulseNightClub shooting.… https://t.co/7lZGgDJkxZ” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, June 12, 2017 11:58am […]

Read More… from 6/12/2017

6/2/2017

LGBTQ/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump has yet to issue a proclamation for Pride Month, breaking a recent tradition that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender advocacy groups call ‘deeply disappointing’ but not entirely surprising. June is historically recognized as LGBT Pride Month. Former President Barack Obama issued a federal proclamation every year dating back to […]

Read More… from 6/2/2017

5/24/2017

CABINET/EDUCATION/LGBT/TRUMP PEOPLE/BETSY DEVOS: “Education Secretary Betsy DeVos refused to say Wednesday [5-24-17] whether she would block private schools that discriminate against LGBT students from receiving federal dollars, explaining that she believes states should have the flexibility to design voucher programs and that parents should be able to choose schools that best fit their children’s needs. […]

Read More… from 5/24/2017

3/6/2017

LEGAL/LGBTQ/SUPREME COURT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. Supreme Court avoided a ruling on transgender rights by sending a closely watched case involving bathroom access at a Virginia high school back to a lower court on Monday [3-6-17] after President Donald Trump rolled back protections for transgender students. Lawyers for a transgender student named Gavin Grimm, who […]

Read More… from 3/6/2017

2/22/2017

LGBTQ/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration on Wednesday [2-22-17] night withdrew Obama-era protections for transgender students in public schools that let them use bathrooms and facilities corresponding with their gender identity. The announcement is a significant victory for opponents of the Obama administration’s guidelines who believe the federal government never should have gotten involved in […]

Read More… from 2/22/2017

8/22/2013

LGBTQ/MISS U/RUSSIA: “Re Miss Universe Pageant, we’ve spoken w/the LGBT community in Russia who asked ‘please don’t leave, it would send the wrong signal.’ “  – 8/22/2013, Donald Trump, Twitter.com, trumptwitterarchive.com, 8/22/2013 […]

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5/15/2012

LGBTQ/OBAMA: “Why won’t @BarackObama repeal the Defense of Marriage Act if he supports gay marriage? http://t.co/FcxsbAty He is gaming the issue.” [3:32:45 PM]  – 5/15/2012, Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Trumptwitterarchive.com, 5/15/2012 […]

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5/1/2011

DONALD ON DONALD/LGBTQ/MARRIAGE: “It’s like in golf. A lot of people—I don’t want this to sound trivial—but a lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive. It’s weird. You see these great players with these really long putters, because they can’t sink three-footers anymore. And I hate it. I am a […]

Read More… from 5/1/2011