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Tuesday, October 23, 2018
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Neighborhoods: New Work by Tracy Weil
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NCLR and GLAD Refute Trump’s Transgender Military Ban Argument
Doe was the first lawsuit to challenge the Trump-Pence transgender military ban and won the first preliminary injunction halting the ban. On December 10, attorneys on both sides will argue this issue before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. To secure an order keeping the ban from going into effect, NCLR and GLAD successfully demonstrated that the ban is likely to be held unconstitutional, and that thousands of transgender troops would suffer irreparable harm from the ban. Three other federal district courts have also issued preliminary injunctions blocking the ban.
“In direct response to President Trump’s orders, the military has produced an implementation plan that has the purpose and effect of ridding the military of transgender people from service,” said GLAD Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi. “The military’s own research on this topic shows that a ban weakens military strength. Transgender people have been courageous warriors. They have served on the front lines. The Trump-Pence administration owes them a debt of gratitude, not this kick in the teeth.”
“Secretary Mattis was ordered to implement the President’s ban, and that’s what he did,” said NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter. “Four federal courts have independently concluded that the ban is based on discrimination, not military needs, and that enforcing it would undermine our national security by excluding qualified individuals simply because they are transgender. The government has failed to show any reason for the D.C. Court of Appeals to reverse that conclusion and permit this harmful policy to go into effect.”
While the administration’s appeal on the dissolution of the injunction is heard at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, the case is proceeding in the federal district court where GLAD and NCLR continue to push the administration to turn over documents it has withheld from discovery.
Some background:
June 30, 2016: The United States Department of Defense (DOD) adopted a policy permitting transgender people to serve in the military based on a nearly two year DOD review determining that there was no valid reason to exclude qualified personnel from military service simply because they are transgender.
July 26, 2017: President Trump tweeted that “the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military.”
August 9, 2017: NCLR and GLAD filed Doe v. Trump, the first lawsuit filed to stop the ban, challenging its constitutionality and requesting that the court issue a nationwide preliminary injunction to stop it from taking effect while the case is being heard in court.
August 25, 2017: President Trump issued a memorandum ordering Secretary of Defense James Mattis to submit “a plan for implementing” the ban by February 21, 2018. Secretary Mattis delivered this (the “Mattis Plan” and panel report) to President Trump on February 22, 2018.
October 30, 2017: The United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that Doe v. Trump plaintiffs had established a likelihood of success on their claim that President Trump’s ban violates equal protection, that plaintiffs would be irreparably harmed without a preliminary injunction to stop the ban, and that the public interest and balance of hardships weighed in favor of granting injunctive relief and temporarily halting the ban while the case is heard by the court.
March 23, 2018: President Trump accepts the “Mattis Plan” and issues a memorandum in which he “revoked” his August 25 Memorandum.
April 20, 2018: Defendants file a motion to dissolve the October 30 nationwide preliminary injunction enjoining the transgender military ban issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia; a motion to dismiss Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Complaint; and a Motion for Summary Judgment.
May 11, 2018: Plaintiffs file their cross-motion for summary judgment, as well as motions in opposition to Defendant’s motions to dissolve the injunction and dismiss Plaintiffs’ complaint.
August 6, 2018: Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly denies Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss and Motion to Dissolve the Preliminary Injunction
NCLR and GLAD have been at the center of the legal fight challenging the Trump-Pence transgender military ban since filing Doe v. Trump, the first of four cases filed against the ban, on August 9, 2017.
Log Cabin Republicans PAC Announces 2018 Endorsements
“The endorsements of LCR PAC in the 2018 midterm elections show our dedication to GOP allies who stand with the LGBT community,” Log Cabin Republicans President Gregory T. Angelo stated. “The lion’s share of our lobbying efforts in the 115th Congress centered upon garnering support for the Fair & Equal Housing Act, a first-of-its-kind LGBT non-discrimination bill authored by a Republican: Congressman Scott Taylor of Virginia. It should come as no surprise that most all of our incumbent endorsements are co-sponsors of that legislation. They are paired with candidates in competitive races who actively sought our support, and Senator Dean Heller of Nevada, who voted for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) when that legislation was most recently considered in 2013.”
The endorsed incumbents are:
Senator Dean Heller (R-NV)
Congresswoman Susan Brooks (R-IN)
Congressman Mike Coffman (C-CO)
Congressman John Culberson (R-TX)
Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL)
Congressman Dan Donovan (R-NY)
Congressman John Faso (R-NY)
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
Congressman John Katko (R-NY)
Congressman Leonard Lance (R-NJ)
Congressman Tom MacArthur (R-NJ)
Congressman Tom Reed (R-NY)
Congressman Scott Taylor (R-VA)
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R-NY)
The endorsed candidates are:
Kimberlin Brown Pelzer (R-CA)
Justin Fareed (R-CA)
Sean Flynn (R-CA)
Amie Hoeber (R-MD)
Take a Stand for Transgender & Intersex People
On Sunday, October 21, The New York Times reported that
the Trump Administration is preparing to redefine the term “sex” for
the purposes of several key government agencies. This redefinition is
out of step with science, medicine and the law—and is intended to not
only to eliminate protections for transgender and intersex people, but
to stop recognizing transgender and intersex people all together.
The
Movement Advancement Project (MAP) supports transgender and intersex
people in the United States. MAP seeks to promote understanding of the
lives of transgender people and to advance the conversation about the
issues facing transgender people.
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Check out a few key resources from MAP and their partners at the
National Center for Transgender Equality and the ACLU.
TAKE ACTION:
- READ MAP's latest blog post about what the Trump Administration’s attempt to redefine “sex” means
- WATCH a transgender youth and his family talk about what it means to be transgender and how their family has stood with their son
- SHARE your story about being transgender or the ways that you’re supporting transgender and intersex people using the hashtag #WeWontBeErased
- DONATE to organizations like the National Center for Transgender Equality, the ACLU, InterACT Advocates and MAP that are working in the courts, in the halls of Congress, and in the living rooms of families across the country to increase understanding of transgender and intersex people, and advance equality for all.
Monday, October 22, 2018
Happy 20th Anniversary to Cher's 'Believe'
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Cher’s 'Believe' album, Warner Bros. Records will release the album for the first time ever on vinyl. The quadruple platinum album that revolutionized pop music is set to be released on vinyl December 7, 2018. You can pre-order the record HERE.
Additionally, Warner Bros. Records has officially released the 'Believe' music video for the first time digitally today.
The Trump Administration’s Hate is Too Late: There is No Reversing Transgender Rights
“Trump is too late. We are not going back to a time when transgender people were in the closet, were ignored, or excluded. As a society and as a community, we have already moved on. We are here and not going anywhere. The National LGBTQ Task Force is fighting Trump’s heartless, extremist, and transparent political attack on millions of Americans.
The courts, science, medicine, and civil and human rights leaders are united in the definition of gender, sex, gender identity, gender expression, and gender discrimination –– no matter what Trump and his administration says or does. Transgender people are our teachers, doctors, veterinarians, veterans, business owners, clergy, children, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends. Transgender and gender non-conforming people are people, and no re-writing of the rules can delete us.
If Trump and the other narrow-minded bigots in the administration were to have their way, these new rules would impact nearly every segment of our society. This is an attempt to roll back civil rights. Anyone who does not conform to rigid gender stereotypes could be at risk. Everyone deserves rights and protection. No exclusions. It is disgusting that leaders who are paid by the people of the United States of America would be using our tax dollars to purposefully deny anyone in our nation rights and protections. The rules being proposed are vile, politically motivated, and discriminatory.
Dehumanizing those you do not like is the hallmark of an authoritarian government. The Trump administration’s cruelty only further unites the voices of progress. We have the law on our side, we have the medical community on our side, we have morality on our side, we have decency on our side. Most of all, we have an incredibly resilient transgender community leading us towards inclusion, justice, and equality for all. The National LGBTQ Task Force will do everything in our power to fight these proposed rule changes. We will not back down.”
DNC: 15 Things the Trump Administration Has Done to Roll Back Protections for LGBTQ People
This weekend, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration has developed a proposal that would legally define gender as based solely on a person’s genitalia at birth, a significant setback to recognition of transgender individuals, as well as federal protections against discrimination in health care, education, and more. This discriminatory action is just the latest assault on LGBTQ people and their rights since Trump’s inauguration. Despite running as an alledged “ally” of the LGBTQ community, Trump and his administration has engaged in a deliberate strategy to undermine and eliminate protections for LGBTQ people.
Here are 15 things the Trump administration has done to roll back protections for the LGBTQ community via the DNC:
- The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking to eradicate federal recognition and protection of transgender Americans by redefining gender to be based solely on a person’s genitalia at birth.
New York Times: “‘Transgender’ Could Be Defined Out of Existence Under Trump Administration”
- The Department of Labor is developing a rule to allow federal contractors to fire LGBTQ people.
BuzzFeed News: “Trump Is Planning A New Rule To Let Federal Contractors Fire Employees For Religious Reasons”
- Trump barred most transgender recruits from serving in the military.
Military.com: “New Trump Transgender Military Policy Bars Those With Gender Dysphoria”
- The State Department began refusing visas for same-sex partners of U.S. diplomats and U.N. workers if they are not married (even those from countries where same-sex marriage is not legal).
- The Department of Health and Human Services is allowing health care providers to discriminate against LGBTQ people on the basis of “moral objection.”
CNBC: “Feds To Create HHS Unit To Protect Health Workers Objecting To Doing Abortions, Treating Transgender people.”
- Betsy DeVos and the Department of Education refused to protect transgender students from bullying and harassment.
BuzzFeed News: “The Education Department Officially Says It Will Reject Transgender Student Bathroom Complaints”
- The Bureau of Prisons eliminated Obama-era policy protecting transgender prisoners.
NBC News: “The revised Transgender Offender Manual now mandates officials ‘use biological sex as the initial determination’ for trans inmate placement decisions.”
- The Department of Justice gutted policies that protect transgender people from employment discrimination.
BuzzFeed News: “Jeff Sessions Just Reversed A Policy That Protects Transgender Workers From Discrimination.”
- The Department of Justice dropped a lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s anti-transgender “bathroom bill.”
Slate: “Justice Department Withdraws Litigation over North Carolina’s HB2, Citing Fake Repeal”
- The Department of Commerce removed sexual orientation and gender identity from the proposed 2020 Census survey.
- Trump announced the “Deploy or Get Out” rule, which could remove HIV+ military personnel from service.
Newsweek: “How Trump’s ‘Deploy or Get Out’ Policy Could See People With HIV Kicked Out of Military For No Reason”
- The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
Wall Street Journal: “Trump Administration Backs Baker Who Refused to Make Wedding Cake for Gay Couple.”
- Trump created inhospitable work environments for LGBTQ federal employees.
Politico: “[The Trump administration] fostered a climate where six staffers who are LGBT described removing their wedding rings before coming to work in the morning, taking down photos of their partners and families or ultimately finding new jobs further away from certain political appointees.They did not want to be identified; two said they feared being reassigned for being gay.”
- The Trump White House has yet to appoint an LGBTQ liason.
BuzzFeed News: “Trump doesn’t have an LGBT liaison at the White House, a position that previously served under president Barack Obama as a conduit between the executive branch and organizations — and individuals — when decisions were made on LGBT policies. The last White House LGBT liaison under Obama had said she was afraid this would happen.
- The Trump White House refused to acknowledge Pride Month for the second year in a row.
NBC News: “President Trump Misses LGBTQ Pride Month — Again”
Nice to see StevieB: Denver
I had to finish my paper for my “History of Denver” class. Yes, I feel that this choice in class was a softball class. I had a choice from the Denver history, or the entire history of Islam. I really should have learned more about an entire part of the globe, filled with rich beauty, and religious meaning. Nah, I chose Denver history. This was driven by the deep desire to be that dude who can bore you to death by tales of historic buildings in downtown being the first department store, or why there are no Asians in Denver.
Funny story. Denver was founded by a group of Racist bigots. Racist bigots whom hated everyone and everything. That was my paper….. How white men are assholes. This is why I won’t take any American history classes because I just turn every paper into a non-stop manifesto of why straight-white-men suck. I didn’t think this class would be the same…. It is.
My paper was about the Anti-Chinese Riot of 1880. Yeah…. Already you know where this is heading. Apparently the Denver working class got tired of compete for the small supply of back-breaking labor jobs in laundry sweat shops. Also they felt threatened by a mixed culture of eating establishments. So… in October 1880 a mob gathered and destroyed Denver’s China Town.
On a side note, I always wondered why Denver doesn’t have a China Town, I also wondered why there was not any cultural diversity in the city. Now I know. We’re assholes. Murdering assholes, as the riot led to the deaths of Chinese minority business owners. This is why.
Friday, October 19, 2018
Matthew Shepard Foundation Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Denver Gala
“We are ecstatic to welcome all the honorees to Denver. Each of them has made an impact in their various fields and are making a difference in the the lives of the LGBTQ+ community and exude the spirit of Matt. For that, we are so thankful,” said Judy Shepard, the Foundation’s founder and board president.
Judy and Dennis Shepard, the parents of Matthew Shepard–whose brutal and homophobic murder was the impetus for the Matthew Shepard Foundation as well as the Hate Crimes Prevention Act–will be speaking at the event.
Sarah Brightman - Hymn
Sarah said of the track, “Many years ago I was driving up the highway in Carmel and I put a cassette in the tape player, and the first song that came on was ‘HYMN.’ I remembered the song from the seventies and it’s a beautiful song. I'm really looking forward to letting it go and having its wings for everyone to hear.”
Sarah’s much anticipated fifteenth full-length album, HYMN, will be released on November 9, 2018 (Decca Gold/ Universal Music Group). This marks the multi-platinum, GRAMMY® award-nominated, classical crossover pioneer’s first new studio recording since she released the international chart-topper Dreamchaser in 2013.
Art CSA aims to connect Denverites to Globeville artists
CAB has released 25 Fine ArtBox shares ($500), featuring four original paintings, and 25 Intro ArtBox shares ($300), featuring 4 original prints, jewelry and a fashion item. Subscribers can purchase a share online and then “harvest” their ArtBox at a pick-up event on Saturday, December 8, just in time for the holidays.
Additionally, anyone who purchases a Fine ArtBox can customize each of the four pieces, selecting a specific color, word, or bike style to be incorporated into the final works of art.
As a direct-purchase model, each artist will take home 85% of what the subscriber pays, a significantly higher commission than many traditional art distribution models.
“This is one more thing we can do to support artists in the RiNo Art District,” says Tracy Weil, Creative Director and Co-Founder of RiNo Art District, “It provides an outlet for Denverites to support artists directly.“
Painter Angela Craven agrees, “Starting or growing an art collection may feel overwhelming, but it’s easier when there is a sense of connection. Artists don’t inherently have a connection with their patrons or vice versa; this project allows us to develop direct relationships.”
This inaugural project includes art from fashion designer Stephanie Victa; metalsmith Nikki Dechent; painters Emily Cope, Greg Gandy, Angela Craven, and Leslie Jorgensen. Each of these six artists will receive a commission to create 25-50 shares for the program.
“I love agricultural CSAs, and I’m a community-minded producer,” says metalsmith Nikki Dechent, “Rather than art-buyers having to visit multiple smaller galleries to find art they like, curated boxes are simpler and the pickup is fun. Also, since the boxes are prepaid, we’re guaranteed work, which is comforting as an artist.”
Ultimately, CAB’s model facilitates a new entry point for everyday people to connect with Denver’s growing arts scene. “This project enables people to develop their own personal relationships with art and artists,” says CAB Founder Emily Cope. “Art can add such richness to our existence. We hope to allow people to find out what art can do for them.”
World Rugby Combine expanded to boost high performance player development in the Americas
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| Photo Courtesy of World Rugby |
Following the success of the 2018 Pacific Combine, which featured 30 players from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, the ‘Americas Combine’ will take place from 21-28 October in Glendale, Colorado, USA (the home of the Major League Rugby franchise, the Glendale Raptors) and will feature 25 players from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Uruguay and USA, some of whom were competing for their national A teams in the recent World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge tournament in Montevideo, Uruguay.
The week-long programme is a dedicated education, testing and assessment camp, aimed at preparing the next generation of test stars for professional rugby opportunities. Underscoring the project, the top performers will be prioritised for placement with pre-selected clubs, supported by an ongoing mentoring programme, delivered by the participating parties. Placement opportunities will primarily be arranged with Major League Rugby franchises, many of whom will be in attendance.
With player welfare and personal development as the central considerations, the initiative run in partnership with Rugby Americas, Pacific Rugby Players (PRP) and the five participating unions, reflects World Rugby’s ongoing commitment to developing sustainable high-performance pathways for emerging unions. The identification, development and assisting of the placement of talent across the globe, along with supporting that talent in their ambitions to play international rugby, will ultimately benefit Rugby World Cup preparation for unions.
During the camp, players will undergo intensive testing and assessment of their rugby and athletic ability, character, effort and ability to learn and develop as a rugby player, while tactical workshops will challenge players’ understanding of different aspects of the game. The players will also receive tutelage on professional contracting, social media, time management, mental skills, the life of professional athletes, and match officiating in elite competitions. The week will culminate in a match at 19:00 on Saturday 27 October between the ‘Americas Combine Selects’ and the Glendale Raptors at Glendale’s rugby specific Infinity Park.
The camp follows the inaugural Pacific Combine in Suva, Fiji, in March, in which six of the 30 Fijian, Samoa and Tongan players participating in that camp were placed into professional opportunities with pre-selected clubs in Super Rugby, Australia’s National Rugby Championship and New Zealand’s Mitre 10 Cup.
World Rugby Vice Chairman and Rugby Americas President Agustin Pichot said: “We are excited to expand our new player pathway project into the Americas, to accelerate the development of rugby in the region through its high-performance unions. There is a significant amount of young playing talent in the Americas to be nurtured and safeguarded. By providing the players with opportunities to enhance their performance and that of their national team, the sport can reap the benefits at Rugby World Cup 2019 and beyond.”
Rugby Americas CEO Dan Payne added: “At the end of the week, we expect to have a strong grasp of what each individual could bring to a professional environment on and off the field. Every interaction from the time the players arrive to the time they depart, will gather data toward their overall evaluation. Most importantly, the data will generate the feedback required for the continued growth of each individual as a player and a person.” World Rugby TV will be following the group of players on their journey within a dedicated documentary to be aired later this year.
National Expungement Week Kicks Off Tomorrow
Past convictions can haunt people long after their sentences have been completed, resulting in restricted access to housing, employment, education, public assistance, among other negative consequences. National Expungement Week events will offer as many wraparound services as possible to restore people's rights and lift up communities.
Vicente Sederberg will be participating in National Expungement Week by contributing staff time to the event in Denver on October 27.
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