Many of us woke up to discover that President Trump has decided to ban transgenders from serving in the military because the cost is too expensive. This is an egregious violation of equal rights in a country that touts equality, justice, and freedom for all. The medical cost for transgender people in the military now is a little over 8 million dollars per year, a far cry less than the United States tax payers have paid for Trump's travels to his resort in Florida at a staggering cost of 29 million dollars. 

We will not accept the President's decision to violate the equal rights of transgender people and continue to push for equity for all people.

Photo credit: Feministing

By Laila Kearney

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More LGBT people were killed in the United States in 2016 than in any of the 20 years since record-keeping began, with the total boosted by the deaths of 49 people in an attack at a gay club in Florida last June, an advocacy group said on Monday.
The release of a report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs coincides with the first anniversary of the massacre at Orlando's Pulse nightclub, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Excluding Pulse victims, 28 Americans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender were killed in 2016, which was up 17 percent from 24 killed the previous year, according to the annual report. The number of killings last year was the highest since 2012, when 25 LGBT people were killed.
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Including Pulse victims, murders of LGBT people rose 217 percent in 2016. Not all of those killed in the nightclub attack were LGBT.

Article from US News

Photo credit: Deviant Art

June is Pride Month and there are some amazing events in Arizona.

June 16th Phoenix Mercury's Pride Night

•  7:00 p.m. Friday, June 16. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix. $11-$135.25. 800-745-3000.

​June 16th-18th Bisbee Pride

• Friday through Sunday, June 16-18. Locations and times vary by event. For more information visit bisbeepride.com. 

​June 23rd Phoenix Pride Community Spirit Awards

•  6-9 p.m. Friday, June 23. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave, Phoenix. $60-$120. 602-277-7433.

​June 23rd-24th Flagstaff Pride in the Pines

• Friday and Saturday, June 23-24. Thorpe Park, 560 N. Thorpe Road, Flagstaff. Bowling is free. $6-$10 for Friday Official Pride Kickoff. $15-$65 Saturday entrance. $11-$21 Official Pride After Party. 

​June 24th Pepper MaShay and Foam Party

• 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday, June 24. Charlie's Phoenix, 27 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. Free. 602-265-0224.

​June 25th Miss Gay Arizona America

• 5 p.m. Sunday, June 25. Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe. $20. 480-350-2822.

​June 27th Diamond Backs LGBT Pride Night

• 6:40 p.m. Tuesday, June 27. Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix. $16-$235. 602-514-8400.

​June 28th Open Voice: Pride Day Event

• 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 28. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix. Free. 602-257-1222.

​June 30th Gay Idol Finale 

• 6-9 p.m. Friday, June 30. The Rock, 4129 N. 7th Avenue, Phoenix. $20 to compete. Free admission. 702-883-2525.​

For the first time today a Federal court decided that it is illegal to discriminate in employment for people that identify as two spirit/LGBT under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that Title VII includes sexual orientation. The court determined that the word sex in Title VII includes sexual orientation. Chief Judge Diane Wood was quoted as saying, "It is actually impossible to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation without discriminating on the basis of sex. It would require considerable calisthenics to remove the 'sex' from 'sexual orientation.’” The court came to this decision after reviewing cases presented to the Supreme Court regarding employment discrimination over the last twenty years. Chief Judge Wood wrote, “In this case, we have been asked to take a fresh look at our position in light of developments at the Supreme Court extending over two decades. We have done so, and we conclude today that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a form of sex discrimination.” This is another step in the direction for equity and equality. 

Discrimination of transgenders is a huge problem and a constant discussion in the United States right now. Transgender individuals experience discrimination during the hiring process and if they are hired, the discrimination continues. Many people fail to use the correct pronouns with a transgender individual and some refuse to respect the wishes of the individual. Many transgender individuals fear being outed at work, an act that has lead to being fired for some. In 2015, it is reported that 16 percent were unemployed and 28 percent were living in poverty. That is worse than the average for Arizona. When looking at transgender individuals of color, the numbers increase because of the added discrimination of race. It is legal in the state of Arizona to discriminate against a person because of their gender identity. 

The following are results from the 2015 Arizona Transgender Survey found on AZ Central.

​15 Percent of respondents who reported having lost at least one job because of their gender identity

16 Percent of respondents who were unemployed

21 Percent of respondents employed in the past year who said they were forced to use a restroom that did not match their gender identity at work; were told to present as the wrong gender in order to keep their jobs; or had a boss or coworker share private information about their transgender status without permission

28 Percent of respondents living in poverty
28 Percent of respondents employed in the last year who reported being harassed, denied a promotion or fired based on gender identity or expression during that year

32 Percent of respondents who had been homeless
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68 Percent of respondents who said their ID documents did not match their preferred name and gender, a common obstacle during the job-application process

The South Dakota legislature has sent a ‘License to Disriminate’ bill to the governor for signing. The bill, SB 149 would enshrine taxpayer-funded discrimination into state law by allowing state-funded adoption and foster care agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ youth in their care and to reject qualified prospective LGBTQ adoptive or foster parents based on the agency’s purported religious beliefs.
Thursday, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) joined the ACLU of South Dakota in urging South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard to veto the bill  describing it as discriminatory legislation targeting LGBTQ people and other minorities.
“We implore Governor Daugaard to veto this legislation. This proposal grants state-funded adoption agencies a license to discriminate, harming children in needs of families by rejecting a wide range qualified prospective parents including LGBTQ parents and by acting against the best interest of LGBTQ youth in the agency’s care,” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow. “Last year, when Governor Daugaard vetoed HB 1008, he stood on the right side of history and protected transgender children. He must do the same now. This legislation puts discrimination ahead of the best interests of more than a thousand children in South Dakota waiting for a loving home.”
“The governor’s veto of HB 1008 put South Dakota on the right side of history, but Senate Bill 149 is a harmful and discriminatory piece of legislation that sets South Dakota backward. This would allow state-funded child placement agencies, based on their religious beliefs, to discriminate against children and prospective parents. Loving, qualified families could be turned away simply because they are LGBT, of a different faith than the agency, or divorced. The hundreds of children who are awaiting forever families in our state deserve better than this. Their best interests should be our priority, not the religious beliefs of these agencies,” said ACLU of South Dakota Policy Director Elizabeth A. Skarin. “We hope that Governor Daugaard recognizes the harm that discriminatory laws like SB 149 cause our state and considers a veto. If SB 149 becomes law, we want to hear from you or any child or family you know that is harmed. We will be examining our legal options.”
Last year, Governor Daugaard vetoed HB 1008, legislation that attacked the rights of transgender children in public schools by attempting to force them to use restrooms and other facilities inconsistent with their gender identity. Daugaard said that meeting with transgender students in his state “put a human face” on the legislation’s potential effect, and helped him to see things “through their eyes.”
SB 149 would allow state-licensed and taxpayer-funded child-placement agencies to disregard the best interest of children, and turn away qualified South Dakotans seeking to care for a child in need — including LGBTQ couples, interfaith couples, single parents, married couples in which one prospective parent has previously been divorced, or other parents to whom the agency has a purported religious objection. There are an estimated 1,174 children in South Dakota’s foster care system. The measure would even allow agencies to refuse to place foster children with members of their own extended families — a practice often considered to be in the best interest of the child. A qualified, loving LGBTQ grandparent, for example, could be deemed unsuitable under the proposed law.  It would also allow agencies to refuse to provide appropriate medical and mental health care to LGBTQ children if the agency has a purported moral or religious objection to providing those services. Shockingly, under SB 149, an agency couldn’t lose its license or contract as a result of subjecting a child to abusive practices like so-called conversion therapy if it claimed such “therapy” is compelled by religious belief.
Leading local pediatricians and legal experts, as well as the Adoption Exchange, the Child Welfare League of America, the National Association of Social Workers and Voices for Adoption sent letters to South Dakota legislators expressing their concern about SB 149.
Research consistently shows that LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the foster care system, as many have been rejected by their families of origin because they are LGBTQ. These young people are already vulnerable to discrimination and mistreatment while in foster care, and SB 149 would only exacerbate the challenges they face.

LGBTQweekly.com.

On February 22, 2017, the Trump Administration decide to rescind protection for trans students that allowed them to use the bathroom of their choosing. This was an act supported by the Department of Education and Justice Department. With this, trans students will be forced to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond to the  boy/girl binary of biological sex. According to White House Spokesperson Sean Spicer, President Trump is a believer in states rights and has decided that this is not a federal issue. According to the Williams Institute at Harvard Law, 150,000 students aged 13-17 will be hurt by the new administrations decision. This is a civil rights issue that needs to be addressed. Forcing trans students into situations that make them feel unsafe and could result in acts of violence is a civil rights issue. 

If you are concerned, please take the time to voice those concerns to your Arizona representatives. 

Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake can be reached through their contact pages.