No. 9
Transgender rights in California’s public schools As theWashington Post reports, “With a law that spells out the rights of transgender students in grades K-12
set to take effect in California, school districts are reviewing locker room layouts, scheduling sensitivity train- ing for coaches, assessing who will sleep where during overnight field trips and reconsidering senior portrait dress codes.” Although it appears that a referendum will ultimately put the question to voters, regarding whether or not
this state supports the rights of transgender students to use the restroom where they feel comfortable and to be treated with fairness and dignity at school, the conversation has been started. Our community will have to keep fighting as we did when another proposition—Prop. 8—allowed the masses to oppress members of our community for a time. Ultimately, right wins; we know that now.
Not There Yet: Goals for a Gloriously Gay 2014
• Pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would make it illegal to fire or not hire someone because of her or his sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Work toward universal marriage equality in all 50 states.
• Add mandate for coverage of transition- related expenses for transgender patients to Affordable Care Act.
• Persuade Ugandan president NOT to sign “Anti-Homosexuality Act” into law; promote tolerance in east Africa by exposing roots of homophobia in the region, which emanate from American evangelical missionaries.
• Promote tolerance for LGBT people in Middle Eastern countries; expose horrors of homopho- bic torture and murder committed in the name of religion.
No. 10 (a tie)
ACA inclusion of protections for transgender people and Obama directive regarding military benefits for same-sex couples, families During his first State of the Union speech since being reelected, President Barack Obama said, “We must
protect those who serve their country abroad and we will maintain the best military in the world. We will invest in new capabilities, even as we reduce waste and wartime spending. We will ensure equal treatment for all service members and equal benefits for their families–gay and straight.” While there have been challenges in making administrators at Veterans Affairs comply with the president’s
directive, there is no sign of this administration letting up on the pressure to provide military benefits to spouses and families of service members. Likewise, the Affordable Care Act is clear in its mandate that transgender people must have equal access to
the health care they need and that they are protected from discrimination as they seek out coverage and care. Unfortunately, coverage of transition-related expenses is not mandated by the ACA—yet.
• Support efforts to roll back Vladimir Putin’s and Russian Orthodox Church’s so-called “Anti-Homosexual-Propaganda” law, which bans all communication about being gay and has exposed gay and transgender people to increased violence and discrimination across Russia.
• Boycott Cracker Barrel and all supporters of the homophobic vitriol spewed byDuck Dynasty star, Phil Robertson— pressure A&E Networks to reinstate its suspension of Robertson unless and until he apologizes for his offensive statements.
JANUARY 2014 | RAGE monthly 29
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