LGBTQ Parenting Roundup: An Apple for the Teacher Edition
Here’s what’s happening that I haven’t covered elsewhere, including progress—and protests—in LGBTQ-inclusive education, mixed results in Tennessee, and more same-sex penguin moms!
Advocating
HHS Rule Allows Religious Discrimination in Health Care
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has finalized a new rule that will allow health care workers to refuse to provide or assist in providing medical services if doing so violates their religious or moral beliefs. In other words, it will allow them to discriminate widely—putting LGBTQ people and our families, among others, at risk.
Appeals Court: Yes, Foster Agencies that Turn Away Same-Sex Couples But Take Public Funds Are Discriminating
A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that Philadelphia can require foster care agencies that have city contracts to adhere to the city’s nondiscrimination laws. The ruling comes in a case in which one agency tried to claim its religious beliefs allowed it to refuse service to same-sex prospective parents—while still taking public funds.
HHS Proposes Eliminating Data Collection on Sexual Orientation of Foster and Adoptive Youth, Parents
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said this week that it wants to abandon the collection of foster care and adoption data that would have helped to more effectively serve LGBTQ youth.
Give OUT Today for LGBTQ Families
In the past two years, the threat to LGBTQ individuals and families has grown, and the nonprofits supporting our families need our help more than ever. Please consider giving today, the seventh annual Give OUT Day, in order to increase the impact of your giving.
Passover Reflections on Faith, Freedom, and Family
I’ve been celebrating the spring holidays with my interfaith family and reflecting that Passover and Easter this year come in the shadow of ongoing and spiteful religious exemption laws in a growing number of states and in the federal government. These laws, widely seen as targeting the LGBTQ community, would allow people to cite their religious beliefs as a reason to discriminate against others. I have to remind myself, however, that we shouldn’t set religion and LGBTQ equality as necessarily opposing forces.
Two Stories of Transgender Servicemembers and Their Families
President Trump’s senseless ban on transgender people in the military went into effect Friday. Here are two recent pieces on transgender servicemembers who are parents and the impact the ban is having on them and their families.
Arizona Repeals Anti-LGBTQ Curriculum Law
Two weeks after the state of Arizona was sued for its anti-LGBTQ health curriculum in public schools, Governor Doug Ducey (R) signed a repeal of the law.
Tell Congress: #Protecttranstroops — and Their Families
Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate with bipartisan support to block President Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military. Now your help is needed to get additional sponsors for these bills and protect the many transgender service members—and their families—serving with honor and bravery.
LDS Church Says Children of LGBT Parents May Be Blessed, Baptized; Same-Sex Couples No Longer “Apostates”
In a major reversal of policy, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said that children of LGBT parents may now be blessed and baptized in the faith, and that same-sex couples in the LDS Church will no longer be considered “apostates.”