Advocacy You Can Do Today

National Advocacy

Congress is considering H.R. 2616, a bill that would require schools to disclose a student's identity to their legal guardians and obtain their consent before providing transgender and nonbinary students with accommodations they are entitled to under federal law, such as access to appropriate bathrooms or being called by their chosen name and pronouns. Policies like this risk student safety and undermine safe learning environments.

Policies like this can have serious consequences for transgender students. Many young people rely on school as a safe space and may not feel safe sharing personal information at home. Requiring disclosure in order to access their rights removes that safety and exposes students to potential harm. Ultimately, many students will face the impossible choice of being themselves at school or safe at home.

Moreover, the bill would prohibit educators from discussing or advancing so-called “gender ideology” in elementary and middle schools, depriving students of a well-rounded education, threatening free speech, and stifling academic freedom. Such a prohibition will all but erase transgender students from the classroom, exacerbating already dire levels of harassment and discrimination against these vulnerable kids.

This bill represents federal overreach into local education decisions and could lead to broader censorship and restrictions in classrooms. Educators should be able to support students, not be forced into roles that compromise their ability to keep students safe.

Act now and tell your Representative to vote no on H.R. 2616.

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On April 28, the Trump administration announced a proposal to rescind the Equal Access Rule (EAR), which guarantees equal access to programs and services funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. We're fighting back!

The Equal Access Rule benefits all people seeking access to housing and homeless services, but its impact is vital for members of the Trans community seeking the services of homeless shelters. As part of their campaign against the trans community and fair housing, Trump officials are proposing to eliminate the EAR and replace it with a new rule which would force recipients of HUD-funding to discriminate against the trans community. 

The EAR was originally issued over ten years ago to ensure family members, such as fathers, teenage boys, and grandparents could access the same shelter as their family. It was updated to address barriers faced by transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming persons when accessing single-sex facilities. The EAR protects universal access to HUD resources, whether it’s keeping a family at a shelter united with their teenage son or protecting access to life-saving resources for a transgender person.

Instead of allowing providers to care for those in need, the new rule would force providers to turn away members of the trans community who do not follow narrow definitions of gender. Under the Trump administration's proposal, members of the trans community who are experiencing homelessness would have to risk their lives in shelters that are not safe for them, on streets that do not welcome them, or with people who might further isolate them from reaching out for support.

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In the continued administrative attack against transgender people, the FCC has asked for comment on whether the TV Oversight Management Board (TVOMB) should create new TV ratings to alert viewers to “transgender and gender non-binary programming” and “the discussion or promotion of gender identity themes.”

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is targeting LGBTQ stories. They are trying to control what you see on television. This government overreach is dangerous to the existence of an independent and free media.

And the Public Notice does not state how a change in TV ratings will impact gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters and stories on TV. Applying warning labels to programs with transgender and nonbinary characters and stories incorrectly equates them to programming with coarse and crude language, sexual situations, or violence. 

This makes life harder for LGBTQ Americans. It sends a message that the FCC can pressure the TVOMB to add even more ratings that stigmatize other diverse groups.

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