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The Resistance Brief: This week in the fight for justice

Choosing Uncommon Courage

Blog von Ricardo Martinez (er/ihn), Geschäftsführer

The Resistance Brief: Choosing Uncommon Courage  

The current administration’s intimidation campaign is in full effect. We are witnessing attacks on academic freedom, corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, state and local governments, courts and judges, and now lawyers and law firms.

This is a comprehensive strategy to neutralize legal opposition, obliterate the separation of government powers, and block any pushback from institutions with broad influence and the power to act as arbiters of justice. It is a deeply disturbing pattern that demands loyalty along partisan lines above all else.

Unfortunately, we have seen some of the very entities that should be working to uphold and fortify the rule of law – including a handful of major law firms – bend a knee to these tyrannical abuses of power instead.

As an organization committed to using the tools of the law to uphold human rights and dignity, watching powerful law firms commit millions of dollars in pro bono work to the Trump administration to avoid sanctions has been especially disheartening and alarming. We cannot allow the legal profession’s independence to be compromised, or we risk undermining the very mechanisms that guard against autocracy.

Such anticipatory obedience may be an attempt to emerge unscathed from a period of political turmoil – but the decision to roll over and submit is anchored in fear and delusion. As we’ve seen time and again from this administration, the goalposts are in a constant state of flux. And as history clearly shows us, the more these firms acquiesce to bullying and unconstitutional tactics now, the more will be demanded of them to stay in the regime’s “good graces” in the future.

Caving to power should not be the accepted standard – especially when there are other options.

While some firms have made a “business decision” to cave to the demands of this administration for self-preservation – and ignored the historical consequences of this approach – others are resisting. WilmerHale Und Jenner & Block, Williams & Connolly, Perkins Coie, Und Keker, Van Nest & Peters are just some of the firms that have decided to fight back publicly and disrupt lawless power grabs. Williams & Connolly filed a lawsuit representing Perkins Coie in its challenge to the executive order targeting them, and was granted a temporary restraining order shortly after. And Keker, Van Nest & Peters penned a New York Times op-ed, Our Law Firm Won’t Cave to Trump. Who Will Join Us?

Theirs is not a rhetorical question. We’ve asked the same thing: Who will join us?

This is an all-hands-on-deck moment – where every institution and person in public service should think strategically about the role they will play in protecting our democracy.

Last month, I attended the Pro Bono Conference in Washington, D.C. and had several conversations with pro bono counsel who attended. Many of them confided in me that the Trump administration’s attacks on law firms have caused a chilling effect, and, as a result, their firms are apprehensive about publicly partnering with advocacy organizations. This is some of what we must contend with as we seek justice and work to uphold the rule of law and judicial review. Luckily, there were also organizations present who were boldly stepping up and eager to practice uncommon courage.

Fear is natural, but it cannot be what guides us. I have learned that on the other side of fear is a path forward, towards justice. We must ask ourselves the right questions to think and act courageously, even in the face of peril. If we have limited power now, the right first question might be: How do we build power?

In last week’s Resistance Brief, I wrote about some of the tangible steps we can take to prevent the proliferation of political violence: staying informed, contacting representatives, supporting local equality organizations, donating often and generously. What I didn’t mention explicitly was that all those suggested actions can foster an environment of agency, empowerment, community, and defiance – which, in turn, can help protect our democracy.

Compounding power by remaining coordinated, building coalitions, and uniting in a shared vision helps interrupt corruption and builds public confidence in our institutions, making us all feel braver. This is why Keker, Van Nest & Peters’s op-ed is a timely example of an effort to unite a profession known for its creativity, moxie, boldness, and independence.

Compounding power also creates layers of resistance, made up of groups and individuals coming together to develop a diverse and well-resourced coalition, ready to collectively challenge threats to our democracy whenever possible. This is the way we rebuild healthy political and societal norms. This is how we forge innovative partnerships that allow us to urgently and aggressively pursue justice for LGBTQ+ people. And GLAD Law is already forging those partnerships with courageous firms like Stapleton Segal Cochran LLC Und Langer Grogan & Diver P.C., who have stepped up to join us on several of our 6 legal challenges to Trump’s executive orders.

History offers us many examples of times when communities have risen to meet the moment, despite the risk, because the long-term payoff was worth it. We are safeguarding the futures of generations to come – to have a shot at perfecting and living out the promise of freedom our constitution grants us.

Someday, future generations will look to us for guidance. Perhaps the next question to ask ourselves is: how will we define our legacy as ancestors today?

What to do, what else to know: 

Spenden Sie noch heute

Lesen Sie weitere Ausgaben des Resistance Brief.

Der Blog

The Resistance Brief: This week in the fight for justice

Strategies against surveillance

Blog von Ricardo Martinez (er/ihn), Geschäftsführer

A few weeks back, the Department of Homeland Security eliminated an explicit ban on the surveillance of people based solely on sexual orientation and gender identity via an update to an Office of Intelligence and Analysis policy manual. It happened quietly and was quickly buried under a mounting stack of unconscionable presidential executive actions. But the change evoked a feeling of danger and fear that may be indicative of a broader shift in strategy to intensify political violence against the LGBTQ+ community.

The World Health Organization’s definition of political violence includes the deliberate denial of basic needs (food, health care, education) and human rights (freedom of speech, freedom of association). It’s hard not to brand the attack on our community with political violence when LGBTQ+ people are being removed from government websites and from policies meant to protect us from unlawful surveillance. All while investigations into anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination have all but stopped, nondiscrimination protections in K-12 schools, colleges, and universities are under attack, LGBTQ+ asylum-seekers are being deported without due process, and threats to HIV funding are looming.

The removal of sexual orientation and gender identity from the Office of Intelligence and Analysis policy manual was a rollback of the Biden administration’s efforts to implement the 2020 Bostock gegen Clayton County decision, which sought to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. While this inclusive manual’s language was only four years old, it provided a layer of protection that could prevent some of the unlawful surveillance LGBTQ+ people – disproportionately queer and trans people of color – have experienced throughout history.

This surveillance of queer people has taken many forms: the Lavender Scare in the ‘50s when federal employees were identified and removed from government service because of peddled disinformation that they posed a national security threat; the FBI investigation of one of the first queer rights organizations, the Mattachine Society, because of alleged communist ties; the police raids of gay bars that eventually led to the Stonewall riots; FBI surveillance of ACT UP and the Center for Constitutional Rights in the ‘90s; surveilling and purging gay servicemembers and then the intermediate Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. More recent examples include federal law enforcement surveillance of Black Lives Matter protestors, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton trying to obtain data on the number of Texans who had updated their gender marker on their driver’s licenses, and the US Department of Agriculture asking for the names of LGBTQ+ employee resource group leaders.

During my time in Texas, I became keyed into these types of attacks. It conditioned me to try to recognize patterns in government actions, policy-making, bill filings, and language used by anti-equality lawmakers. What I noticed was that their actions were attempts to create building blocks meant to stretch the permissible parameters of cruelty. Apathy paved the way for going further while community action and resistance moderated and delayed the execution of their anti-LGBTQ+ playbook. Resistance can topple their plans built upon a flimsy scaffolding of bias and fear. Together, we have the power to undermine these plans.

GLAD Law will continue to do our part with our surge-litigation strategy that aggressively pursues justice through swift, strategic action to use all aspects of the law to stop, delay, and reduce the harm of the Trump administration’s unconstitutional actions. Of the six challenges we have filed to date, five have succeeded with temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions blocking harmful policies, while one is pending.

To guard against further attacks on LGBTQ+ people, we must all be ready. We know there are proven tactics that can help prevent the proliferation of political violence. So this week, let’s focus on the actions that combat political violence: public condemnation of attacks on our community, building bridges where we can, empowering local communities, early warning and preparing not panicking.

What to do:

  • Review Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Surveillance Self-Defense Guide.
  • Identify 1-2 trusted news sources: It is so easy to go down a rabbit hole of bad news. Pick your trusted sources and monitor your information intake.
  • Add your lawmakers’ office number to your phone: Make sure you use it to remind them to speak out and publicly condemn anti-LGBTQ+ attacks and voice your concerns about unlawful surveillance.
  • Attend town halls and school board meetings: Building resilient communities starts with local participation, public comment, and accountability.
  • Adopt a statewide equality group or local LGBTQ+ center: Early warning mitigates the impact of political violence efforts. Sign up for updates to receive action alerts.
  • Be ready to mobilize: There will be moments that call for large protests and direct action. You can help most by participating directly. But if that is not an option, you can also support that work by volunteering as a legal observer, helping with planning, or delivering essentials like food, water, and first aid supplies.

You can also help GLAD Law continue to act swiftly and decisively to secure even more legal victories:

  • Commit Pro-Bono Hours: If you or your firm want to make a commitment to help address the coordinated assault we are under, please email us to pledge pro-bono commitments.
  • Join GLAD Law’s Lawyer Referral Service: Assist LGBTQ+ community members in need of answers to legal questions.
  • Donate Generously: Become a monthly donor to ensure steady, dependable support. Interested in anchoring an upcoming fundraising campaign to secure funding for our rapid response visionary leadership? Reach out to us!

What else to know: 

Spenden Sie noch heute
Updates erhalten

Lesen Sie weitere Ausgaben des Resistance Brief.

Nachricht

Bundesgericht lehnt weiteren Versuch der Trump-Administration ab, das Transgender-Militärverbot umzusetzen und setzt landesweite einstweilige Verfügung wieder in Kraft

Die führenden Anwälte der Kläger sagen, dass Militärfamilien einem „erdrückenden Druck“ ausgesetzt seien und dass der Antrag auf Auflösung „nichts weiter als eine unaufrichtige Taktik in letzter Minute sei, um Verwirrung zu stiften und Verzögerungen zu verursachen“.

US-Bezirksrichterin Ana Reyes lehnte heute einen Antrag der Trump-Regierung ab, die bundesweite einstweilige Verfügung ausgestellt in Talbott gegen TrumpRichterin Reyes erließ am 18. März eine einstweilige Verfügung. Sie stellte darin fest, dass das Verbot die nationale Sicherheit untergrabe und wahrscheinlich verfassungswidrig sei. Sie bezeichnete es als „durchtränkt von Feindseligkeit und strotzt vor Vorwänden“. Die Beklagten reichten am 21. März einen Antrag auf Auflösung des Verfahrens ein.

In ihrer heutigen Stellungnahme lehnte Richterin Reyes den Antrag der Beklagten mit der Begründung ab: „Die Beklagten können sich der Diskriminierung von Transgender-Personen nicht entziehen, indem sie die Richtlinie als Maßnahme zur Bekämpfung von Geschlechtsidentitätsstörungen bezeichnen.“ Richterin Reyes lehnte außerdem den Antrag der Beklagten ab, ihre einstweilige Verfügung auszusetzen, während das Verfahren weitergeht.  

Aufgrund der heutigen Entscheidung tritt Richter Reyes‘ Anordnung, die die Regierung an der Durchsetzung des Verbots hindert, am Freitag, den 28. März, um 19 Uhr in Kraft. Diese einstweilige Verfügung stoppt die Umsetzung des Verbots und schützt transsexuelle Militärangehörige und Rekruten vor erheblichen Schäden, während über die Zukunft des Verbots vor Gericht entschieden wird. Zu diesen Schäden gehören die Entfernung von Militärangehörigen aus Einsätzen, die Verweigerung von Offizierspatenten und Beförderungen, die Verweigerung von Verwaltungsurlaub, die Verweigerung medizinisch notwendiger Versorgung und schließlich die Einleitung eines Verfahrens zur unfreiwilligen Entlassung, einem Verfahren zur Behandlung von Fällen von Fehlverhalten.

Die führenden Anwälte in Talbott gegen Trump, GLAD Law Leitender Direktor für Transgender- und Queer-Rechte Jennifer Levi Und NCLR-Rechtsdirektor Shannon Minter, reagieren Sie auf das Urteil von Richter Reyes:

„Diese Bemühungen, das Inkrafttreten der einstweiligen Verfügung zum Schutz unserer Transgender-Truppen zu verzögern, belasten die Militärfamilien mit einem erdrückenden Druck, während sie sich in einer Schwebephase bewegen, deren Ausgang verheerende Schäden für die Militärkarrieren dieser unglaublichen Soldaten bedeuten wird“, sagte GLAD Law Senior Director für Transgender- und Queer-Rechte Jennifer Levi„Es ist undenkbar, dass wir die mutigen Menschen, die so viel für unser Land opfern, so behandeln.“

„Dieser Antrag war nichts weiter als eine letzte Taktik, um Verwirrung zu stiften und Verzögerungen zu verursachen. Es gibt keine Rechtfertigung für eine Politik, die darauf abzielt, Tausende hochqualifizierte, qualifizierte und ausgezeichnete Transgender-Soldaten, von denen viele an kritischen Orten weltweit eingesetzt wurden, rücksichtslos zu entlassen. Die Regierung hat eingeräumt, dass sie keine Beweise für ihre Position hat und keinen Grund, Personen zu entlassen, die fähig und ehrenhaft dienen“, sagte NCLR-Rechtsdirektorin Shannon Minter.

Talbott gegen Trump war die erste Klage gegen Präsident Trumps jüngste Anordnung zum Verbot transgender Personen im Militär. Der Fall wird im Namen von 32 Klägern geführt und von den LGBTQ+-Anwaltsgruppen GLAD Law und NCLR mit Pro-Bono-Rechtsberatung von Wardenski PC und Kropf Moseley PLCC vorgebracht.

Jennifer Levi von GLAD Law und Shannon Minter von NCLR, die führende Anwälte in diesem Fall, sind selbst Transgender und verfügen jeweils über mehr als drei Jahrzehnte Erfahrung in der Prozessführung in richtungsweisenden und wichtigen LGBTQ+-Fällen. Gemeinsam führten Levi und Minter 2017 den Rechtsstreit gegen das Transgender-Militärverbot in Doe gegen Trump Und Stockman gegen Trump, das zudem eine bundesweite einstweilige Verfügung zur Blockierung dieses Verbots erwirkte.

Erfahren Sie mehr über Talbott gegen Trump.

Der Blog

The Resistance Brief: This week in the fight for justice

Faith, justice, and persistence

Blog von Ricardo Martinez (er/ihn), Geschäftsführer

The Resistance Brief: Faith, Justice, and Persistence  

We are living through a time of escalating discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and violence. Our inability to provide immediate relief to so much suffering keeps us up at night. I know it weighs heavy on my spirit.  

For me, those feelings are wrapped up in my Catholic upbringing. My relationship status with my faith remains “it’s complicated,” but there is an inextricable connection that binds my advocacy to the lessons I learned attending church as a child alongside my mother and grandmother. They taught me my highest purpose is to do the greatest good for people without compromising myself or my values.

Recently, I’ve prayed for collective decency, kindness, and mercy. And for the safety and well-being of all people. While systems of oppression are not new, and the fight for LGBTQ+ equality is ongoing, the current callous attacks on our community and disregard for our humanity (sometimes in the name of faith) feel unholy.  

One of my favorite passages has always been, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did it for me.” I always loved that lesson, which uplifts the innate dignity we all possess. It is a lesson that calls us to reflect on how we treat those with the least power: marginalized communities, people experiencing homelessness, and people who are sick or imprisoned. How we treat “the least of these” defines who we are and is a measure of the strength of our democracy. 

The current landscape and its many horrors are aimed at creating insufferable conditions and coercing us to abandon those within our community who need us the most.  

But I’m reminded of another lesson I learned in the church pew as a child: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” The test we face is our ability to show up for each other. 

Whether it’s immigrants being detained, deported, and disappeared with no due process, unaccompanied LGBTQ+ minors surrendering themselves at the border, trans women being brutalized by police, cutting off funding for humanitarian aid and HIV prevention, or transgender inmates experiencing unspeakable abuse in prisons – the realities of the toll this moment is having may consume and overwhelm us.  

But it’s important to understand that we feel this way by design. The current federal administration is conducting a stress test on just how much indignation towards marginalized communities we will tolerate. But one thing I know about the queer community is that we are relentless in our pursuit of justice and equality. Regardless of how tired we are, of how scared we may be, we show up for those in need. 

I’m really proud of the path GLAD Law has taken to provide relief and support to those who need us the most at this time. 

Shortly after the inauguration, GLAD Law took immediate action challenging Trump’s Day One anti-transgender executive order. As a result of that order, the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) began placing transgender women in solitary confinement, at imminent risk of being moved to men’s facilities and losing their necessary medical care. 

Transgender women face incredibly high rates of harassment and assault, including sexual assault, when housed with men, and withdrawal of medical care causes devastating health impacts. GLAD Law acted quickly, filing three cases, Moe gegen Trump, Doe gegen Bondi, Und Jones gegen Bondi, securing rulings for our clients to remain in women’s facilities and ensuring their continued medical care. We’ve continued to add plaintiffs to our cases as we hear from more transgender women at risk, and this week, the federal judge granted an order directing BOP to return two women from men’s facilities where they’d been transferred. 

Many stories underscoring the direct harm of this administration’s actions have come to our attention through GLAD Law Antworten, our free, confidential legal infoline that provides people  with information, referrals, and, if possible, pro bono legal assistance. Over the last three months, our GLAD Law Answers line has received 827 new intakes, compared to 322 intakes by this time last year. The requests for support include questions from incarcerated individuals, people experiencing challenges accessing medical care, servicemembers impacted by the trans military ban, and people experiencing employment discrimination, bullying at school, harassment, and violence. 

I know it feels like fights that were settled and secure are being fought again. It’s not fair that our community is in the crosshairs once more and being scapegoated for political gains. And while we can and should be frustrated that we’re fighting the same, tired playbook, that also means GLAD Law has the blueprint to fight back. Our cases against BOP show how the law and the courts can play their rightful role in stopping unthinkable harm. The Reagan-appointed federal judge saw how Trump’s BOP policy violates the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act and the 8th Amendment, acted quickly, and to date, BOP has complied with those orders. 

That blueprint to get us out of this moment includes showing up for community – all of it. And when I need some reassurance, I call in my mom’s prayer circle, who have been praying every Tuesday and Thursday for a just and merciful outcome. 

What to do, what else to know: 

Spenden Sie noch heute

Lesen Sie weitere Ausgaben des Resistance Brief.

Der Blog

The Resistance Brief: This week in the fight for justice

Dropping the ball

Blog von Ricardo Martinez (er/ihn), Geschäftsführer

I was in Palm Springs last week when I started hearing about California Governor Gavin Newsom’s podcast and his comments on how he believed that transgender girls and women participating in sports is “deeply unfair.”

I had heard about the launch of his podcast and was excited about the premise: having honest, nuanced, and curious conversations about issues people feel strongly about.

But what transpired did not seem curious, nuanced, or honest – it felt like a political calculation at the expense of a small, vulnerable community who are already under significant threat.

I’ve spent a large part of my career working with lawmakers – educating them on issues that impact our community, answering tough questions, and sharing constituent stories that illustrate how policy and laws affect real lives. I’ve been in rooms where lawmakers have told me that they can’t support specific LGBTQ+ issues because polling is not on their side. And I’ve been in meetings with lawmakers who express empathy and understanding but, when it comes time to cast their vote, have been unwilling to show uncommon political courage.

I’m no longer surprised by politicians who determine their support based on political calculations. But what I struggle to understand about Governor Newsom’s comments is the answer to the questions why now, and why with a right-wing media personality like Charlie Kirk?

Here was an opportunity for conversation. Rather than cowering to pressure or prioritizing politics over principles, I thought – as I know many others did – that Governor Newsom would lead a nuanced discussion. He didn’t. Instead, he disregarded constituents he once celebrated and to whose struggle for recognition and survival he once drew awareness – noting the importance of protecting transgender people because they deserved no less.

I’m most flabbergasted by the timing. The Governor’s remarks seem especially reckless, given the relentless attacks transgender Americans are currently under – attacks that go far beyond sports and are driven in no small part by anti-LGBTQ influencers like Kirk.

There is room to have conversations about people’s genuine concerns and questions about fairness and safety in girls’ and women’s sports. GLAD Law and others in our movement and community have been engaging in those conversations, with the public and with policymakers, to understand why people feel conflicted, and to propose workable policies that ensure fairness and opportunity for all girls, including transgender girls.

This approach is reminiscent of what worked nearly 15 years ago when I worked with GLSEN. I often heard stories from our chapter network about administrators, parents, and coaches coming together to figure out how all students could experience the joy of physical education, sports, and play in an environment where they feel safe, valued, and included.

Yes, these conversations were happening in 2010, and schools were figuring it out on their own. That’s what our public schools and educators do on a whole range of issues, because of their deep commitment to making sure every student is supported and has an opportunity to learn. It wasn’t until anti-equality lawmakers began pushing “bathroom bill” copycat legislation and spreading disinformation about trans folks to create fear and manufacture outrage that schools became epicenters for conflict rather than collaborative solutions.

If Governor Newsom was reaching for dialogue and collaboration with the premiere of his podcast, he fell far short of that mark. At a time when LGBTQ+ people are facing a full-scale attack – from being banished from federal websites, to having our lives and families deleted from school libraries and classrooms, to encountering threats to essential healthcare, to being branded dishonest, lacking in integrity, and unfit to serve in the military, to having our basic right to exist and function in society questioned – our community needs and deserves better than fair-weather allies.

Was Sie wissen und tun müssen: 

Spenden Sie noch heute

Lesen Sie weitere Ausgaben des Resistance Brief.

Nachricht

Transgender Military Ban Attorneys and Plaintiffs in Talbott gegen Trump React to Yesterday’s Hearing to Block the Ban

“The government presented no evidence to justify yanking qualified personnel from vital positions worldwide,” says GLAD Law

WASHINGTON, DC—U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes heard yesterday arguments in Talbott gegen Trump to make a determination about whether to issue a preliminary injunction that would block implementation of the transgender military ban resulting from President Trump’s executive order. She is expected to issue her decision on this motion prior to March 25.

Der Talbott case has 20 plaintiffs who are experiencing significant harms as the result of the ban, including paused deployments, forced administrative leave, delay or denial of essential medical care, and other significant harms including what would eventually result in the end of their military careers by being discharged through administrative separation, a process used to address instances of misconduct. 

Jennifer Levi von GLAD Law Und Shannon Minter vom NCLR, Die führende Anwälte in diesem Fall, are transgender themselves and each have more than three decades of experience litigating landmark and key LGBTQ+ cases. Together, Levi and Minter led the legal fight in 2017 against the transgender military ban in Doe gegen Trump Und Stockman gegen Trump, which secured a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the ban.

Leitende Anwälte GLAD Law Leitender Direktor für Transgender- und Queer-Rechte Jennifer Levi Und NCLR-Rechtsdirektor Shannon Minter along with plaintiffs Major Erica Vandal Und Zweiter Leutnant Nicolas Talbott, respond to yesterday’s hearing:

“The government presented no evidence to justify yanking qualified personnel from vital positions worldwide,” said GLAD Law Senior Director für Transgender- und Queer-Rechte Jennifer Levi. ” We’ve seen plaintiffs abruptly removed from active combat deployments, specialized training operations, and critical leadership roles despite meeting all standards. These service members, and many others, now find their careers suspended, creating dangerous gaps in our military and threatening national security. The American public should be deeply troubled by an administration willing to compromise military readiness to advance its hostility toward transgender people. We remain hopeful the court will act swiftly to stop this senseless damage.”

“I wish every American could have been in court today to hear firsthand for themselves the government admit they have absolutely no evidence to justify this ban,” said NCLR-Rechtsdirektorin Shannon Minter. “For these servicemembers to be put into this situation, where they are being separated from not just jobs, but a lifelong commitment to military service and to our country—and at the pace at which the government has so aggressively moved to implement this ban—the harms that they have suffered and are continuing to suffer are so disturbing. I can’t stress enough the severity of the harms and the extraordinary pressure that these individuals and their families are currently under.”

“I have served with distinction in the United States Army for nearly 14 years. Before me, my father served for four decades. I grew up on military bases. The military was and continues to be my entire life,” said Major Erica Vandal. “I also have an incredible family. I am married with two children, and their support for me and my military career has required tremendous sacrifices on behalf of our country. I am grateful to have them in my life and for their support, as I know so many servicemembers are to their own families. It’s difficult to have a conversation with them about what’s happening. It’s hard to fully comprehend the full scope and impacts of a ban. The military that we know and love and that I have dedicated my life to is suddenly rushing to place on administrative leave and then purge every transgender servicemember for reasons unrelated to our ability to do our jobs or meet the standards. It is systematically dismantling our careers and seeking to place a stain upon our permanent records for nothing more than who we are.”

“From growing up and working on my grandmother’s family farm in Lisbon, Ohio to my pursuit of a graduate degree in criminology, I have been focused on one thing: training, studying, and meeting my goals to become a member of our military,” said Zweiter Leutnant Nicolas Talbott. “I am now a platoon leader for my military policing unit in the U.S. Army Reserve, and more than anything, I just want to continue to do the job that I have qualified for, trained for, and committed to in order to serve my country. The forced separation of dedicated, qualified servicemembers, the dismantling of careers, and the disrespect shown to families who have sacrificed so much is so counter to our military values. These policies disregard merit and achievement and unleash unfathomable harms upon the lives, families, and careers of transgender servicemembers.”

Erfahren Sie mehr über Talbott gegen Trump.

Community-Briefing der ersten 100 Tage

Community-Briefing der ersten 100 Tage

Als die zweite Amtszeit der Trump-Regierung ihre ersten 100 Tage erreichte, hielt GLAD Law ein Live-Briefing für die Community ab, um über die dringenden rechtlichen Herausforderungen zu informieren, die wir eingeleitet haben, um die unerbittlichen Angriffe der Regierung auf LGBTQ+-Personen und andere gefährdete Gemeinschaften zu stoppen, zu verzögern und den Schaden zu verringern.

Unser Geschäftsführer Ricardo Martinez und Mitglieder unseres Rechtsteams – Chris Erchull, Jennifer Levi und Polly Crozier – diskutierten die Klagen Wir haben bisher Klagen eingereicht, von denen fünf bereits dazu geführt haben, dass schädliche politische Maßnahmen blockiert wurden. Außerdem konnten wir die allgemeine rechtliche und politische Lage, mit der wir konfrontiert sind, verhindern. Das Briefing enthielt auch wichtige Erkenntnisse und Möglichkeiten, wie jeder von uns aktiv werden kann, um sich zu schützen und den Kampf für LGBTQ+-Gerechtigkeit zu unterstützen.

Wenn Sie die Veranstaltung verpasst haben oder das Gespräch noch einmal verfolgen möchten, Fügen Sie Ihre E-Mail-Adresse hinzu, um die vollständige Aufzeichnung anzusehen.

Lassen Sie uns gemeinsam weiter voranschreiten.

Konnten Sie nicht am Anruf teilnehmen? Geben Sie unten Ihre E-Mail-Adresse ein, um auf die Aufzeichnung zuzugreifen:

Mit der Übermittlung Ihrer E-Mail-Adresse stimmen Sie dem Erhalt von Updates von GLAD Law zu. Sie können sich jederzeit abmelden.

Wenn Sie Probleme mit diesem Formular oder dem Zugriff auf die Aufzeichnung haben, wenden Sie sich bitte an mouellette@glad.org.

Ressourcen und Links:

Der Blog

The Resistance Brief: This week in the fight for justice

Protecting a dream

Blog von Ricardo Martinez (er/ihn), Geschäftsführer

If I’m being completely honest, I’d like to get married. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be turning 43. I’m the last of my siblings to get hitched and one of the last of my college friend group to have that experience.  

I’ve imagined my mom walking me down the aisle. I want my best friend and fiercest straight ally to be my best man. And, if I’m able, I want to eventually provide a loving home to children who need one or explore assisted reproduction to become a father. 

This dream, only fully available to me in the last ten years thanks to the long-term work of GLAD Law and other advocates, is one that I don’t usually share with many people. I’m grown enough to remember when marriage wasn’t an option for me, so I’ve always tempered my expectations. And while I shouldn’t have to, the reality is that there are times when that dream feels more fragile and less like a sure thing.  

Marriage equality, and thus my dream, should absolutely be safe and secure. It is protected nationwide by sturdy Supreme Court precedent and federal law, as well as by state law and state constitutional guarantees in several states. It also has strong public support because people across all walks of life understand how marriage and family life can be the grounding center of our lives, provide supports that create stability, and give us a sense of community and collective belonging. 

But as symbolic resolutions are introduced in state legislatures, asking the Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell, I can’t help but feel uneasy. I know I’m not alone in feeling this way. Many people have expressed worry about what could happen in the future and asked for suggestions on how to protect their relationships. These worries are coming from many quarters – young people with LGBTQ+ parents, siblings, grandparents, other family members, and friends, and of course LGBTQ+ people themselves – because marriage equality touches and benefits entire communities across the country. 

Let me be crystal clear: No state can take your marriage away. These resolutions, should they pass, will not invalidate anyone’s current marriage or prevent same-sex couples from marrying in any state. Any effort to unravel the freedom to marry would be long and difficult. GLAD Law and our partners are committed day in and day out to defend that freedom. 

These brazen antics signal an attempt to pick a fight. Stunts happen in politics, and the media amplifies them, causing sensory overload. But the silver lining of these resolutions is that they remind people about something that deeply matters: families.  

Families are precious, whatever their makeup, and attempts to undermine them ignite our instinct to protect them. And we should – LGBTQ+ families are part of every community. In the end, many members of our community (but certainly not all) are getting married and raising kids, and LGBTQ+ families have hopes, dreams, successes, and struggles like any other. Threats to disrupt families are bad for everyone.  

While I work on creating my family and living out my dream, I feel honored to be able to help protect those families that have already been forged – including my kid brothers’. Six years ago, he got married to a wonderful man in Mystic, Connecticut. Being granted the opportunity to be part of the organization that helped pave that path for him makes me feel like I’ve come full circle in some way – and it also deepens my sense of responsibility.  

As we see so many things shaken up, it is hard not to worry about attempts to shake up marriage equality – symbolic or otherwise. But I know GLAD Law is preparing every day for any possibility. We will be there, with our allies, to defend against any attempt to reverse the Supreme Court’s 2015 marriage equality decision and to protect the dreams of so many like me. 

Was Sie wissen und tun müssen: 

Spenden Sie noch heute

Lesen Sie weitere Ausgaben des Resistance Brief.

Der Blog

The Resistance Brief: This week in the fight for justice

Turning fear into action

Blog von Ricardo Martinez (er/ihn), Geschäftsführer

Do you remember the energy back in 2017? The outrage, the immediate backlash, the knit pink hats, celebrities being vocally unafraid? The mass mobilizations everywhere ignited hope and kept folks from creeping into despair. That fever pitch of civic engagement peaked with the emergence of the national #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements.

On a local level, in Texas, I recall a similar moment of collective outrage that felt like an awakening when Governor Greg Abbott directed the Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate parents of trans kids. People uniformly felt their moral Spidey-Senses signaling the premonition of an impending threat and, as such, an urgency in action.

Once again, after the initial shock of this administration’s “flood the zone” with cruelty strategy, people are regaining their footing and finding their voice. I see glimpses of collective outrage and action, and I see it across issues, perhaps ushering in a collective cross-movement resistance. People are strategically agitating, thinking of workarounds to the mess created by DOGE and responding to this administration’s affront to American values of freedom, privacy, respect, and community.

  • Communities are leading Know Your Rights trainings on how to claim your rights if faced with ICE agents;
  • Consumers are engaging in boycotts to confront the staggering influence of billionaires on our lives and political system;
  • Outraged Americans are organizing protests in cities across the United States, showing up at town halls, and making calls to their federal and state senators and representatives;
  • Doctors are sharing vital information about infectious diseases on social media;
  • Organizations like GLAD Law are surging litigation efforts to stop, delay, and minimize the impact of these attacks on LGBTQ+ rights and our democracy.

At a time when the federal government is testing how much brutality Americans will tolerate against vulnerable people, this is the moment for action. It is the time to embrace our grief and fear, access our courage, and decide what our contributions to the resistance will be. 

There is a lot at stake. 

The Trump administration wants us to be numb to the complete expulsion of all transgender people from military service, shutting down global funding of HIV treatment access, the demonizing of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the exploitation of our children’s health and wellbeing. So many things that should be absolutely safe and secure feel like they’re being shaken up, including marriage equality, which has been undeniably good for kids, families, and society.

The last six weeks have left no doubt that there is a broad plan at work to deny LGBTQ+ people, BIPOC, and all women their fundamental rights and to test and erode democratic institutions. We cannot forget our moral strength and obligation to recognize and resist authoritarianism in all its forms.

We cannot tell ourselves that attacks on the rights or freedoms of others don’t touch us directly – because distance from brutality offers no protection from its reach.

GLAD Law will continue to show up to work every day to protect those rights and freedoms. Thank you for being part of this resistance with us.​​​​​

Was Sie wissen und tun müssen: 

Spenden Sie noch heute

Lesen Sie weitere Ausgaben des Resistance Brief.

Nachricht

On the Pentagon’s Complete Ban on Transgender Military Service

Last night, in keeping with President Trump’s January 27 Executive Order, the Pentagon released a policy that is a complete ban on transgender military service, forcing out current service members and banning transgender people from enlisting. 

The scope and severity of the ban are unprecedented. This is a complete purge of all transgender individuals from military service.

“This is a purge of unprecedented magnitude. There is nothing confusing or complicated about it. The military has 30 days to identify anyone it thinks is transgender, and the only way to avoid discharge is to prove you are not transgender. This is an unconscionable ban that forces the removal of talented service members who put their lives on the line for our nation and slams the door on qualified patriots who meet every standard and want nothing more than to serve their country.”

—Jennifer Levi, Senior Director of Transgender & Queer Rights

We are challenging this ban for the thousands of transgender service members and enlistees who meet and exceed the same rigorous military standards as others, and who put their lives on the line to serve their country.

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