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Le point sur la résistance : cette semaine dans la lutte pour la justice

Choosing Uncommon Courage

Blog de Ricardo Martinez (il/lui), directeur exécutif

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 et Jenner & Block, Williams & Connolly, Perkins Coie, et 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?

Dans 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 et 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?

Que faire, que savoir d'autre : 

Faites un don aujourd'hui

Lire d'autres éditions du Resistance Brief.

Blog

Le point sur la résistance : cette semaine dans la lutte pour la justice

Strategies against surveillance

Blog de Ricardo Martinez (il/lui), directeur exécutif

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 c. Comté de Clayton 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: 

Faites un don aujourd'hui
Recevez des mises à jour

Lire d'autres éditions du Resistance Brief.

Nouvelles

La Cour fédérale rejette une nouvelle tentative de l'administration Trump de mettre en œuvre l'interdiction des militaires transgenres et rétablit l'injonction préliminaire à l'échelle nationale

Les principaux avocats des plaignants affirment que les familles de militaires sont confrontées à une « pression écrasante » et que la motion de dissolution n'était « rien de plus qu'une tactique fallacieuse et de dernier recours pour semer la confusion et provoquer des retards ».

La juge Ana Reyes, du tribunal de district américain, a rejeté aujourd'hui une motion de l'administration Trump visant à dissoudre le injonction préliminaire nationale délivré en Talbott contre TrumpLa juge Reyes a émis l'injonction le 18 mars dans une ordonnance ferme dans laquelle elle a statué que l'interdiction porte atteinte à la sécurité nationale et est probablement inconstitutionnelle, la qualifiant de « trempée d'animosité et dégoulinant de prétextes ». Les défendeurs ont déposé la requête en dissolution le 21 mars.

Dans son avis rendu aujourd'hui, la juge Reyes a rejeté la requête des défendeurs, estimant que « les défendeurs ne peuvent pas éviter de discriminer les personnes transgenres simplement en qualifiant la politique de lutte contre la dysphorie de genre ». La juge Reyes a également rejeté la demande des défendeurs de suspendre son injonction préliminaire pendant que l'affaire se poursuit.  

Suite à la décision d'aujourd'hui, l'ordonnance du juge Reyes interdisant au gouvernement d'appliquer l'interdiction entrera en vigueur le vendredi 28 mars à 19 heures. Cette injonction suspend l'application de l'interdiction et protège les militaires et les recrues transgenres des préjudices importants qu'elle entraîne, en attendant que les tribunaux statuent sur son avenir. Ces préjudices incluent le retrait des militaires de missions, le refus d'attribution de commissions et de promotions, la mise en congé administratif, le refus de soins médicaux nécessaires et, finalement, le placement en procédure de séparation involontaire, une procédure utilisée pour traiter les cas de mauvaise conduite.

Les principaux avocats de Talbott contre Trump, Directrice principale des droits des personnes transgenres et homosexuelles de GLAD Law Jennifer Levi et Directeur juridique du NCLR Shannon Minter, répondent à la décision du juge Reyes :

« Ces efforts visant à retarder l'entrée en vigueur de l'injonction préliminaire visant à protéger nos troupes transgenres imposent aux familles de militaires une pression écrasante alors qu'elles naviguent dans des limbes dont les conséquences auront des conséquences dévastatrices sur la carrière militaire de ces soldats incroyables », a déclaré Jennifer Levi, directrice principale des droits des personnes transgenres et queer de GLAD Law« Il est impensable que nous traitions de cette façon des individus courageux qui se sacrifient tant pour notre pays. »

« Cette motion n'était rien d'autre qu'une tactique de dernier recours pour semer la confusion et retarder les choses. Il est impossible de défendre une politique qui vise à écarter de manière irresponsable des milliers de militaires transgenres hautement qualifiés, compétents et décorés, dont beaucoup ont été déployés dans des zones critiques à travers le monde. Le gouvernement a reconnu ne disposer d'aucune preuve pour étayer sa position et n'avoir aucune raison de renvoyer des personnes qui servent avec compétence et honneur », a déclaré Shannon Minter, directrice juridique du NCLR.

Talbott contre Trump Il s'agit de la première action en justice intentée contre le récent décret du président Trump interdisant l'entrée des personnes transgenres dans l'armée. L'affaire, portée au nom de 32 plaignants, a été portée par les associations juridiques LGBTQ+ GLAD Law et NCLR, avec l'aide des avocats bénévoles Wardenski PC et Kropf Moseley PLCC.

Jennifer Levi de GLAD Law et Shannon Minter de NCLR, les avocats principaux dans cette affaire, sont eux-mêmes transgenres et possèdent chacun plus de trente ans d'expérience dans la défense d'affaires LGBTQ+ marquantes et clés. Ensemble, Levi et Minter ont mené le combat juridique en 2017 contre l'interdiction de l'armée pour les personnes transgenres. Doe c. Trump et Stockman contre Trump, qui a également obtenu une injonction préliminaire à l'échelle nationale bloquant cette interdiction.

En savoir plus sur Talbott contre Trump.

Blog

Le point sur la résistance : cette semaine dans la lutte pour la justice

Foi, justice et persévérance

Blog de Ricardo Martinez (il/lui), directeur exécutif

Le dossier de la résistance : foi, justice et persévérance  

Nous traversons une période de discrimination, de harcèlement, d'intimidation et de violence croissante. Notre incapacité à apporter un soulagement immédiat à tant de souffrances nous empêche de dormir. Je sais que cela pèse lourdement sur mon moral.  

Pour moi, ces sentiments sont liés à mon éducation catholique. Mon lien avec ma foi reste le même.c'est compliqué, Mais il existe un lien indissociable entre mon engagement et les leçons que j'ai apprises en fréquentant l'église, enfant, aux côtés de ma mère et de ma grand-mère. Elles m'ont appris que mon but ultime est de faire le plus grand bien possible aux autres, sans compromettre ma personne ni mes valeurs.

Récemment, j'ai prié pour la décence, la bonté et la miséricorde collectives, ainsi que pour la sécurité et le bien-être de tous. Bien que les systèmes d’oppression ne soient pas nouveaux et que la lutte pour l’égalité LGBTQ+ soit en cours, les attaques cruelles actuelles contre notre communauté et le mépris de notre humanité (parfois au nom de la foi) semblent impies.  

L'un de mes passages préférés a toujours été : « Tout ce que vous avez fait à l'un de ces plus petits, c'est à moi que vous l'avez fait. » J'ai toujours aimé cette leçon, qui exalte la dignité innée de chacun de nous. Elle nous invite à réfléchir à la manière dont nous traitons les plus démunis : les communautés marginalisées, les personnes sans domicile fixe, les malades ou les détenus. La manière dont nous traitons « les plus petits » définit qui nous sommes et témoigne de la force de notre démocratie. 

Le paysage actuel et ses nombreuses horreurs visent à créer des conditions insupportables et à nous contraindre à abandonner ceux qui, au sein de notre communauté, ont le plus besoin de nous.  

Mais je me souviens d'une autre leçon apprise enfant sur les bancs de l'église : « Si un seul est maîtrisé, deux peuvent se défendre. Une corde à trois brins ne se rompt pas facilement. » L'épreuve à laquelle nous sommes confrontés est notre capacité à nous soutenir les uns les autres. 

Qu'il s'agisse d'immigrants détenus, expulsés et disparus sans procédure régulière, de mineurs LGBTQ+ non accompagnés se rendant à la frontière, les femmes trans brutalisées par la police, coupant le financement de l'aide humanitaire et Prévention du VIH, ou des détenus transgenres victimes d’abus innommables dans les prisons – les réalités du tribut que cette situation représente peuvent nous consumer et nous submerger.  

Mais il est important de comprendre que ce sentiment est intentionnel. L'administration fédérale actuelle effectue un test de résistance pour déterminer le degré d'indignation que nous sommes prêts à tolérer envers les communautés marginalisées. Mais une chose que je sais à propos de la communauté queer, c'est que nous sommes infatigables dans notre quête de justice et d'égalité. Quelle que soit notre fatigue ou notre peur, nous sommes présents pour ceux qui en ont besoin. 

Je suis vraiment fier du chemin parcouru par GLAD Law pour apporter secours et soutien à ceux qui ont le plus besoin de nous en ce moment. 

Peu après l'investiture, GLAD Law a immédiatement réagi en contestant le décret anti-transgenre de Trump. Suite à ce décret, le Bureau fédéral des prisons (BOP) a commencé à placer les femmes transgenres à l'isolement, les exposant ainsi à un risque imminent de transfert vers des établissements pour hommes et de perte des soins médicaux nécessaires. 

Les femmes transgenres sont confrontées à des taux extrêmement élevés de harcèlement et d'agressions, y compris sexuelles, lorsqu'elles sont hébergées avec des hommes. L'arrêt des soins médicaux a des conséquences dévastatrices sur leur santé. GLAD Law a réagi rapidement en déposant trois plaintes. Moe contre Trump, Doe c. Bondi, et Jones c. Bondi, obtenant des décisions permettant à nos clientes de rester dans des établissements pour femmes et garantissant la continuité de leurs soins médicaux. Nous avons continué d'ajouter des plaignantes à nos dossiers à mesure que nous recevons des témoignages de femmes transgenres en danger, et cette semaine, le juge fédéral a rendu une ordonnance ordonnant au BOP de renvoyer deux femmes des établissements pour hommes où elles avaient été transférées. 

De nombreuses histoires soulignant les dommages directs causés par les actions de cette administration ont été portées à notre attention par le biais Réponses juridiques GLAD, notre ligne d'information juridique gratuite et confidentielle, qui fournit des informations, des orientations et, si possible, une assistance juridique bénévole. Au cours des trois derniers mois, notre ligne GLAD Law Answers a reçu 827 nouvelles demandes, contre 322 à la même période l'an dernier. Ces demandes proviennent notamment de personnes incarcérées, de personnes rencontrant des difficultés d'accès aux soins médicaux, de militaires touchés par l'interdiction d'entrée dans l'armée pour les personnes transgenres, et de personnes victimes de discrimination à l'emploi, d'intimidation à l'école, de harcèlement et de violence. 

Je sais que l'on a l'impression que des combats autrefois réglés et sécurisés sont à nouveau menés. Il est injuste que notre communauté soit à nouveau dans le collimateur et utilisée comme bouc émissaire pour des gains politiques. Et même si nous pouvons et devons être frustrés de devoir lutter contre le même scénario dépassé, cela signifie également que GLAD Law dispose du plan pour riposter. Nos poursuites contre le BOP montrent comment la loi et les tribunaux peuvent jouer leur rôle légitime pour mettre fin à des préjudices inimaginables. Le juge fédéral nommé par Reagan a constaté que la politique du BOP de Trump viole la loi fédérale sur l'élimination du viol en prison et le 8e amendement. Il a agi rapidement et, à ce jour, le BOP s'est conformé à ces ordonnances. 

Ce plan pour nous sortir de cette épreuve implique de nous impliquer pleinement dans la communauté. Et quand j'ai besoin de réconfort, j'appelle le cercle de prière de ma mère, qui prie tous les mardis et jeudis pour une issue juste et miséricordieuse. 

Que faire, que savoir d'autre : 

Faites un don aujourd'hui

Lire d'autres éditions du Resistance Brief.

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Le point sur la résistance : cette semaine dans la lutte pour la justice

Dropping the ball

Blog de Ricardo Martinez (il/lui), directeur exécutif

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.

Ce qu'il faut savoir, ce qu'il faut faire : 

Faites un don aujourd'hui

Lire d'autres éditions du Resistance Brief.

Nouvelles

Transgender Military Ban Attorneys and Plaintiffs in Talbott contre 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 contre 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.

Le 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 de GLAD Law et Shannon Minter du NCLR, le avocats principaux dans cette affaire, 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 c. Trump et Stockman contre Trump, which secured a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the ban.

Avocats principaux Directrice principale des droits des personnes transgenres et homosexuelles de GLAD Law Jennifer Levi et Directeur juridique du NCLR Shannon Minter along with plaintiffs Major Erica Vandal et Sous-lieutenant Nicolas Talbott, respond to yesterday’s hearing:

“The government presented no evidence to justify yanking qualified personnel from vital positions worldwide,” said Jennifer Levi, directrice principale des droits des personnes transgenres et queer de GLAD Law. ” 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 Shannon Minter, directrice juridique du NCLR. “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 Sous-lieutenant 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.”

En savoir plus sur Talbott contre Trump.

Briefing communautaire des 100 premiers jours

Briefing communautaire des 100 premiers jours

As the Trump administration’s second term reached its first 100 days, GLAD Law held a live community briefing to share updates on the urgent legal challenges we’ve brought to stop, delay, and reduce harm from the administration’s relentless attacks on LGBTQ+ people and other vulnerable communities.

Our Executive Director Ricardo Martinez and members of our legal team – Chris Erchull, Jennifer Levi, and Polly Crozier – discussed the lawsuits we’ve filed so far, five of which have already succeeded in blocking harmful policies, as well as the broader legal and political landscape we’re facing. The briefing also included key takeaways and ways each of us can take action to protect ourselves and support the fight for LGBTQ+ justice.

If you missed the event or want to revisit the conversation, add your email to watch the full recording.

Let’s keep moving forward—together.

Couldn’t join us on the call? Enter your email below to access the recording:

By submitting your email, you agree to receive updates from GLAD Law. You may unsubscribe at any time.

If you have any issues with this form or accessing the recording, please contact mouellette@glad.org.

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Le point sur la résistance : cette semaine dans la lutte pour la justice

Protecting a dream

Blog de Ricardo Martinez (il/lui), directeur exécutif

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. 

Ce qu'il faut savoir, ce qu'il faut faire : 

Faites un don aujourd'hui

Lire d'autres éditions du Resistance Brief.

Blog

Le point sur la résistance : cette semaine dans la lutte pour la justice

Turning fear into action

Blog de Ricardo Martinez (il/lui), directeur exécutif

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.​​​​​

Ce qu'il faut savoir, ce qu'il faut faire : 

Faites un don aujourd'hui

Lire d'autres éditions du Resistance Brief.

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À propos de l'interdiction totale du service militaire transgenre par le Pentagone

Hier soir, conformément au décret du président Trump du 27 janvier, le Pentagone a publié une politique il s'agit d'une interdiction totale du service militaire transgenre, obligeant les militaires actuels à quitter l'armée et interdisant aux personnes transgenres de s'enrôler. 

L'ampleur et la sévérité de cette interdiction sont sans précédent. Il s'agit d'une purge totale du service militaire pour toutes les personnes transgenres.

Il s'agit d'une purge d'une ampleur sans précédent. Elle n'a rien de confus ni de compliqué. L'armée dispose de 30 jours pour identifier toute personne qu'elle soupçonne d'être transgenre, et le seul moyen d'éviter la démobilisation est de prouver qu'on n'est pas transgenre. Il s'agit d'une interdiction inadmissible qui contraint à l'exclusion de militaires talentueux qui ont risqué leur vie pour notre nation et qui ferme la porte à des patriotes qualifiés qui répondent à tous les critères et qui ne souhaitent rien d'autre que servir leur pays.

—Jennifer Levi, directrice principale des droits des personnes transgenres et queer

Nous contestons cette interdiction pour les milliers de militaires et de conscrits transgenres qui satisfont et dépassent les mêmes normes militaires rigoureuses que les autres et qui risquent leur vie pour servir leur pays.

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