LGBTQ Access and Services Expanded, Improved

This year has seen some particularly hard blows to LGBTQ rights.

We are dismayed the Trump administration removed health care protections for gender identity in the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) non-discrimination provision (Section 1557). It scales back protections not only for transgender people but also immigrants and people who have had an abortion. The fact that the rule change was enacted on the 4th anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting adds insult to injury.

This decision was one of many that have targeted transgender and gender non-conforming people on federal and state levels.

So far in 2020, dozens of states have each considered several pieces of anti-trans legislation, including bathroom/locker room/sports-related bans, health care related encoded discrimination, general discrimination carve-outs, and even an anti-trans marriage bill.

Kentucky considered four separate anti-trans legislation pieces in 2020.

Other states that have entertained anti-trans legislation include Washington, Idaho, Indiana and Alaska.

Of those pieces, two in Idaho passed – a bill banning trans youth from school athletics, and a gender marker bill. Both were stopped in the courts.

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a landmark win for LGBTQ people in this country, ruled on June 15 that it is a violation of federal law to fire someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

In its opinion SCOTUS held that “An employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender defies the law.” This historic 6-3 decision was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was appointed by President Trump and generally considered among the conservative block on the court. 

And in Virginia, three pro-LGBT bills were passed, including a general anti-discrimination law and a law specifically prohibiting discrimination in medicine.

While this is good news, it’s notable that these were the only positive, pro-LGBTQ bills passed and more discriminatory bills and actions are coming.

Just recently, the Indiana Attorney General is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a lower court decision allowing same-sex couples in Indiana the right to both be listed as parents on the birth certificate of their children. This case is widely believed to be one of the first steps in chipping away at Obergefell v. Hodges, the case guaranteeing same-sex couples the right to marry.

We must keep fighting!

We know you’ll keep fighting for LGBTQ rights in your neighborhood and in the voting booth.

Planned Parenthood will keep fighting too.

This past year, we saw over 1,500 patients in our western health centers for trans affirming health care, and we are working to expand trans affirming health care to our eastern clinics.

We are working to expand, In•clued, our ground-breaking QTPOC (queer, trans, people of color) focused sex ed program. Our Education team is working towards finessing and fine-tuning In•clued to focus on the needs of POC transwomen and non-binary people.

We’ll continue learning from the LGBTQ community as how to best serve them, and we’ll continue to provide extensive training and information to all clinicians and Planned Parenthood staff so we can keep improving and provide the best care possible.

You can help Planned Parenthood keep expanding care for the LGBTQ community with your donation.

Tags: LGBTQ