Noticias

Hogar » Maine

Maine Legislature Rejects Bills Targeting Transgender Student Athletes

AUGUSTA – The Maine Legislature rejected eight bills on Monday that targeted transgender student athletes, the transgender community and the Maine Human Rights Act. A broad coalition came together to organize in response, including equality organizations, health care providers, legal advocacy groups and everyday Mainers of all ages and backgrounds.

“Thousands of Maine people showed up at the State House, called and emailed their legislators and stood strong against eight different bills that targeted our community,” said Gia Drew, Executive Director of EqualityMaine. “We are grateful for the members of the Maine Legislature who listened and helped to defeat these harmful bills. Our community is resilient, and we want every transgender person in Maine to know that they are loved, that they are not alone, and that we will stand with them.”

The Legislature considered and rejected eight bills:

LD 233, An Act to Prohibit Biological Males from Participating in School Athletic Programs and Activities Designed for Females When State Funding is Provided to the School;
LD 868, An Act to Ensure Equity and Safety in Athletics, Restrooms, Changing Rooms and Housing at Elementary, Secondary and Postsecondary Schools;
LD 1002, An Act to Protect Children’s Identification by Requiring Public Schools to Use the Name and Gender Specified on a Child’s Birth Certificate;
LD 1134, An Act to Prohibit Males from Participating in Female Sports or Using Female Facilities;
LD 1704, An Act to Prohibit a School Administrative Unit from Adopting a Policy that Allows a Student to Use a Restroom Designated for Use by the Opposite Sex.
LD 1337, An act to Amend Maine Human Rights Act Regarding Female Athletes and Safety in Women’s Single-sex Shelters;
LD 1432, An Act to Remove Consideration of Gender Identity from the Maine Human Rights Act; and
LD 380, An Act to Amend Certain Laws Regarding Gender-affirming Health Care Services

“Maine voters made clear 20 years ago that it’s wrong to discriminate against someone because they are transgender, and the Maine Law Court weighed in in 2014 to affirm that schools must treat transgender students equally, including access to school bathrooms or locker rooms,” said Mary Bonauto, Senior Director of Civil Rights and Legal Strategies, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law).

“Let’s be clear – these bills were a direct attack on our rights, our dignity and our lives,” said Bre Danvers Kidman, co-director of MaineTransNet. “Our community rose up, stood shoulder to shoulder with allies across the state and shut them down. Transgender people do not exist to be used as a political wedge issue. Our civil rights are not up for debate. We are not going away. We know who we are, we know what we deserve and we will never stop fighting to live safe, free, and visible in every part of this state.”

More than 900 Maine people testified against efforts to deny trangender students access to health care and ban them from participating in school sports during a public hearing in May. The hearing drew an extraordinary cross-section of our state — parents, educators, fellow students, current and former athletes, faith leaders, and more — all united in defense of dignity, fairness, and inclusion. Their testimony reflected a clear consensus: these attacks do not reflect Maine values and have no place in our laws.

“Transgender student athletes are being targeted by some of the richest and most powerful men in the world. We are thankful for the tremendous work of our allies in the Legislature who stood up for what is right, and for the members of the trans community who told their stories and demonstrated the harm these terrible bills would have caused,” said Destie Hohman Sprague, Executive Director of the Maine Women’s Lobby.

“Every student should be treated with kindness and respect, and they should be able to attend school and play sports without fear. These bills wouldn’t have just hurt transgender girls, they would have hurt everyone and subjected all Maine girls to invasive procedures that violate personal privacy,” said Sue Campbell, Executive Director of OUT Maine.

The coalition remains united and prepared to respond to future threats to equality and human rights in Maine. As efforts to roll back protections or target vulnerable communities continue to surface across the country, advocates, organizations, and community members across the state stand ready to defend Maine’s values of compassion, courage and humanity.

Defending Voters’ Rights in Maine

Hogar » Maine

Actualizar: LD1149 died in committee in May 2025.

The ability to participate in elections is fundamental. It is of the utmost performance that every person can make their voice heard at the ballot box. However, LD1149 would make it more difficult — and for some people, practically impossible — to vote.

“An Act to Require an Individual to Present Photographic Identification for the Purposes of Voting” is a voter suppression referendum that will keep eligible voters from being able to actively participate in our political process. Among other issues, LD1149 would eliminate ongoing absentee ballots, cut the time period for early absentee voting by two days, impose barriers to the use of secure ballot drop-off boxes, and prevent voters from requesting an absentee ballot over the phone. In addition, LD1149 would require voters to provide photo ID from a restrictive list of acceptable forms of ID every time they vote.

GLAD Law submitted testimony in opposition to LD1149 highlighting the barriers photo ID requirements and restricted absentee voting and early voting will have on all Mainers, especially on transgender voters. Lea nuestro testimonio aprender más.

GLAD Law is a member of the Save Maine Absentee Voting Coalition, a diverse, nonpartisan group of organizations from across Maine who believe that fair, open, and accessible elections are the cornerstone of our democracy.

Protecting Human Rights and Transgender Youth in Maine

Hogar » Maine

Actualizar: Victory! On June 16, 2025, the Maine Legislature rejected eight bills that targeted transgender student athletes, the transgender community, and the Maine Human Rights Act. Aprende más.

Our schools should create a supportive environment where every student can receive an education and participate in school activities.

But several bills have been filed this session that would single out transgender young people for exclusion, roll back nondiscrimination protections, and open the door to harassment and bullying of all Maine girls.

Tell your lawmakers to oppose harmful bills and protect transgender youth and human rights in Maine!

Revisar la full advocacy toolkit for more ways to make a difference.

Racially Inclusive Curriculum in Maine

Hogar » Maine

For decades, scholars and educators have recognized the value of a “windows and mirrors” approach to teaching, where a school curriculum can serve as a “mirror” reflecting a student’s own background back to them, or as a “window” into other identities and traditions. These window and mirror effects are all the more important when young people have few opportunities to see their lives, culture, and history mirrored back to them or shared with their peers.

GLAD Law presentó testimonio en apoyo de LD957, LD1202, y LD1474, bills that will strengthen and further integrate the teaching of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history, African American studies, and Wabanaki studies in Maine schools. GLAD Law’s testimony describes how racially inclusive school curriculum can foster a sense of belonging and community among students, increase educational achievements for all students, and prepare youth with the knowledge they need to participate in our democracy and succeed in an increasingly diverse society.

Education Discrimination Remedies in Maine

Hogar » Maine

Unlawful discrimination is extraordinarily harmful for all people, especially students. These harms have a lasting impact that deprives young people of equal opportunities to grow, learn and succeed—and deprives us all of those young people’s unique insights, talents, and contributions.

LD1647, “An Act to Amend the Maine Human Rights Act to Provide Additional Remedies for Educational Discrimination,” would make compensatory damages available for students who can prove they have experienced unlawful educational discrimination. These damages were historically available under federal law until 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court severely limited remedies. Now, students must rely on the Maine Human Rights Act (MHRA) to protect them. However, the modest civil penalties provided under the MHRA are not enough to cover the costs of litigation or compensate victims for the harms they have suffered.

LD 1647 is a common-sense bill that restores the status quo as it existed before 2022 when the damages were available, and in doing so reaffirms Maine’s commitment to building an education system where all students can thrive.

leer el testimonio from GLAD Law and the ACLU of Maine to learn more.

Expanding Access to HIV Prevention in Maine

Hogar » Maine

With HIV cases rising due to an active HIV outbreak in Bangor and federal funding for HIV prevention under threat, we must act boldly at the state level to preserve access to proven, cost-effective prevention strategies.

GLAD Law along with over 60 community organizations, public health advocates, constituents, and individuals testimonio presentado En soporte de LD1687, “An Act to Clarify and Increase Access to HIV Prevention Medications.” This bill would builds on the 2021 law allowing people to access PrEP and PEP directly from a pharmacist without a prescription.

LD1687 will expand access to HIV prevention across Maine by addressing reimbursement for pharmacists, enabling pharmacists to administer long-acting injectable forms of PrEP, and ensuring insurance coverage of injectable PrEP.

Syringe Service Programs in Maine

Hogar » Maine

Maine is currently facing a public health crisis due to an outbreak of HIV in Bangor. Syringe service programs are an important element in ending the HIV epidemic, and GLAD Law is working in Maine to increase access to these programs and ensure best practices are met.

LD219 “An Act to Limit Hypodermic Apparatus Exchange Programs to a One-for-one Exchange”

Actualizar: Victory! On April 17, 2025, LD219 died in committee.

Ley GLAD submitted testimony in opposition to LD219, a bill that would worsen public health outcomes by creating a one-for-one limit for syringe exchange programs. One-for-one needle exchange programs limit syringe distribution by requiring participants to return a needle before they are given a new one. These programs have been found to be less effective at reducing the number of people reusing syringes.

GLAD Law’s testimony advocates for comprehensive harm reduction strategies, including community clean-up efforts, safe disposal programs, and education initiatives, to address concerns around syringe litter while remaining responsive to public health needs.

LD1078 “An Act to Support Maine’s Public Health Objectives by Increasing Access to Hypodermic Apparatus Exchange Programs”

GLAD Law joined the Frannie Peabody Center in submitting testimony in support of LD1078, legislation that would increase access to life-saving care through syringe service programs. LD1078 would allow providers of syringe service programs to operate at multiple locations within a county under one license. This flexibility would increase access to care, enhance staff capacity, and increase the accessibility of safe disposal sites.

orgullo portland

Hogar » Maine

orgullo portland

Sábado 21 de junio | Portland, ME | Aprende más

Celebre el orgullo con GLAD Law en el desfile y festival Pride Portland.

¡Orgullo Portland! reúne a personas de todas partes de EE. UU. y más allá para un desfile y festival anual en el centro de Portland, Maine, para celebrar y honrar los logros del movimiento LGBTQ+, crear conciencia sobre las luchas continuas de la comunidad y fomentar un entorno de inclusión, accesibilidad y solidaridad.

Aprende más

Academia de Santo Domingo y otros contra Makin

Hogar » Maine

El estado de Maine tiene un programa que proporciona fondos estatales para apoyar a los estudiantes que asisten a una escuela privada cuando el distrito escolar donde viven no tiene su propia escuela secundaria. En 2022, la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos falló en Carson contra Makin que el programa debe aplicarse a las escuelas religiosas.

Maine ahora exige que todas las escuelas que reciben fondos públicos cumplan con las disposiciones de no discriminación educativa de la Ley de Derechos Humanos de Maine. Dos escuelas religiosas presentaron demandas en el tribunal federal de distrito de Maine alegando que la aplicación de las disposiciones de la Ley de Derechos Humanos a ellas viola su libre ejercicio de la religión. El Tribunal de Distrito rechazó ambas impugnaciones y las escuelas apelaron ante el Tribunal de Apelaciones del Primer Circuito.

GLAD Law se unió a Lambda Legal en un escrito amicus curiae para plantear dos puntos generales: 1. Carson contra Makin la decisión no controla en este caso, y 2. Maine tiene intereses estatales imperiosos en exigir el cumplimiento de la MHRA.

Noticias

Hogar » Maine

Los defensores responden a la demanda del Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU. contra el estado de Maine por fallas en el sistema de salud conductual infantil de Maine

La demanda llega después de más de dos años de negociaciones entre las partes.

Augusta – Hoy, el Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos (DOJ) presentó demanda contra el estado de Maine basándose en sus conclusiones de junio de 2022 de que Maine discriminó a los jóvenes con discapacidades al no mantener un sistema adecuado de servicios de salud conductual que impidan la institucionalización. La demanda se produce después de que fracasaran las negociaciones del acuerdo.

“Veinticinco años después de la histórica decisión de la Corte Suprema Olmstead contra LC“A pesar de que durante más de una década se ha pedido que se garantice la disponibilidad de esos servicios, Maine no lo ha hecho. Lamentablemente, esta demanda fue el resultado necesario de ese fracaso continuo”, dijo Atlee Reilly, abogado gerente de Disability Rights Maine.

Después de recibir inicialmente una queja presentada por Disability Rights Maine, el Departamento de Justicia de los EE. UU. llevó a cabo una extensa investigación y encontró:

“El sistema comunitario de salud conductual de Maine no proporciona suficientes servicios. Como resultado, cientos de niños son segregados innecesariamente en instituciones cada año, mientras que otros niños corren un grave riesgo de ingresar en instituciones”.
“Los niños no pueden acceder a servicios de salud conductual en sus hogares y comunidades, servicios que forman parte de una serie de programas existentes que el Estado anuncia a las familias a través de su programa Medicaid (MaineCare), pero que no pone a disposición de manera significativa ni oportuna. .”
"Los niños de Maine con necesidades de salud conductual son elegibles y apropiados para la variedad de servicios comunitarios que ofrece el Estado, pero permanecen en entornos segregados o corren un grave riesgo de institucionalización".
“Las familias y los niños en Maine están abrumadoramente abiertos a recibir servicios en entornos integrados. De hecho, los padres indicaron una fuerte preferencia por que sus hijos recibieran servicios en casa debido al trauma, la negligencia y el abuso que, según se informa, sufrieron en instalaciones residenciales dentro y fuera de Maine”.

Estos hallazgos no deberían haber sido una sorpresa para el estado de Maine, que había sido claramente consciente de la insuficiencia generalizada de su sistema de salud conductual comunitario para niños cuando un evaluación integral En 2018, se concluyó que los servicios de salud conductual para niños no estaban disponibles cuando se los necesitaba o que no estaban disponibles en absoluto. Dos años después, un estudio independiente evaluación independiente Un estudio del sistema de justicia juvenil descubrió que muchos jóvenes están detenidos y encarcelados en Long Creek porque no pudieron acceder a servicios comunitarios adecuados para sus necesidades de salud mental y conductual.

Lo que era cierto en 2018 sigue siendo cierto hoy: Maine sigue sin garantizar que los niños con discapacidades tengan acceso a los servicios de salud conductual basados en la comunidad que necesitan en sus hogares y comunidades. Como resultado, los niños con discapacidades en Maine son internados innecesariamente en centros residenciales, incluso en Long Creek y en otros centros residenciales tanto dentro como fuera de la ciudad. fuera del estado, cortando sus vínculos con la familia y la comunidad, lo que viola su derecho, según la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades, a recibir servicios en los entornos más integrados y adecuados a sus necesidades.

“Cuando los niños pueden acceder a tratamiento y apoyo cerca de casa, pueden mantenerse en contacto con sus familias y comunidades”, dijo Carol Garvan, directora legal de la ACLU de Maine. “Desafortunadamente, durante demasiado tiempo, Maine no ha garantizado estos servicios. Desde 2016, hemos estado trabajando para abordar las violaciones de los derechos humanos en Long Creek, pero no se ha hecho lo suficiente. Maine debe brindarles a sus niños los servicios que necesitan para vivir vidas saludables y seguras”.

“Los niños de Maine con discapacidades y sus familias merecen lo que exige la ley, que son servicios de salud conductual basados en la comunidad. La falta de prestación de esos servicios perjudica a los niños, tensa y fragmenta a las familias y tiene repercusiones en las comunidades. Maine puede y debe dar un paso adelante para cumplir con sus obligaciones con los servicios que exige la ley”, dijo Mary Bonauto, directora sénior de GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders.

Como indicó el Departamento de Justicia de Estados Unidos en su denuncia,

“Maine puede implementar modificaciones razonables para que los niños con discapacidades de salud conductual puedan vivir y prosperar en entornos integrados en lugar de ingresar a instituciones para acceder a la atención”.
“Pero en lugar de modificar su sistema de servicios para prevenir y resolver la segregación innecesaria, Maine ha priorizado la expansión de sus servicios institucionales”.

Lea el comunicado de prensa del Departamento de Justicia.