Rep Joe Kennedy & Trans Advocates

Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ participated in a media conference call hosted by Congressman Joe Kennedy III and advocates fighting for transgender equality. The call followed an organizational meeting hosted by Kennedy with colleagues and representatives from organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal, National Center for Transgender Equality, the Palm Center, PFLAG and Human Rights Campaign to discuss the Trump Administration's efforts to ban trans troops, erode protections for trans students and workers and take away health care for trans patients. Kennedy has been Chair of the Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus’s Transgender Equality Task Force since 2017 and was outraged at the Trump administration attempt to erase the identities of approximately 2 million people in the country who are transgender by proposing that the U.S. Health & Human Services (HHS) legally define sex under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to only be by the sex they are born with. Kennedy in his opening remarks talks about how the Trump administration from day one has been targeting our LGBTQ community especially members of our trans community including our youth in schools and strategically attacking trans soldiers by attempting to redefine our trans community out of existence.

First Congressman Kennedy introduced Luc Athayde-Rizzaro from the National Center for Transgender Equality, Policy Counsel who advocates to ensure transgender people can access life-affirming, nondiscriminatory health care at the federal and state level. Then we heard from Aaron Belkin, Founding Director of the Palm Center one of the most effective LGBTQ rights organizations in the United States who addressed the transgender military issue and more followed by Sharon McGowan, Lambda Legal, Chief Strategy Officer and Legal Director who talked about Lambda Legal’s efforts to resist any attempt by the Trump Administration or any other opponent of LGBTQ equality to roll back our community’s progress. Next we heard from Ian Thompson, American Civil Liberties Union, Senior Legislative Representative who works to advance the organization’s civil liberties and civil rights agenda in Congress and the executive branch by focusing on LGBTQ rights, HIV/AIDS and sex education. Thompson talked about the Amy Stevens Case twice delayed by US Supreme Court. Then David Stacy, Human Rights Campaign, Government Affairs Director talked about why the Equality Act should be a priority for the new Democratic Majority in the House of Representatives come 2019. Stacy leads HRC’s federal policy team including advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and the executive branch. The call concluded with openly trans Diego Miguel Sanchez, PFLAG, Director of Advocacy, Policy & Partnerships who talked about the crisis facing our transgender youth in our school systems. Since 1973 PFLG has been advancing LGBTQ equality through its mission of support, education and advocacy.

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