This month’s focus – LGBTQA rights
We are in good legislative shape in New York State – with recent passage of GENDA and banning of conversion therapy, we continue to see that legislators in our state prioritize protection and equality for LGBTQA members of our communities.
There are, however, continued federal efforts to reduce protections and rights, from restricting transgender individuals from participating in the military, to proposing restrictions on adoption and foster parents based on sexual orientation, to eliminating healthcare protections from the ACA. These measures are primarily directives from the administration, changes to rules in HHS, State Department, etc. So without legislative control in both the House and Senate, we’ll continue to be thwarted from passing legislation like the Equality Act that would prevent these measures.
In the meantime, we need to be vigilant – pay attention to opportunities to provide public comments to changes, support organizations that are fighting to protect the LGBTQA community:
Follow:
Human Right’s Campaign – www.hrc.org
ACLU – www.aclu.org
Saratoga Pride – www.saratogapride.com
GLAAD – www.glaad.org
PFLAG – www.pflag.org
These are the organizations that we need to be ready to support when they raise the call to fight for the rights of our community members, be it in our own community, or across the country.
And it’s not just about fighting – it’s about being an effective ally. Ensuring equality for the LGBTQA community isn’t going to be legislated into being, it’s also going to be a result of the cis-het community taking a stand against discrimination wherever and whenever we encounter it.
Don’t forget to follow Saratoga Pride on facebook to keep up with all this month’s events celebrating pride (here)!