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该投诉由 GLAD 代表一名 78 岁妇女提起，她因是跨性别者而被 Sunrise Assisted Living 拒绝入住房间。这是美国第一起针对老年长期护理机构提起的歧视法律诉讼。

2021 年 10 月 21 日，奥古斯塔——LGBTQ 法律倡导者和捍卫者 (GLAD) 今天提起歧视诉讼与缅因州人权委员会合作，代表一名 78 岁妇女，由于她是跨性别者，她被缅因州琼斯波特的 Sunrise Assisted Living 拒绝入住房间。这是美国已知的第一起跨性别老年人针对长期护理机构提出的歧视投诉。投诉人的代理律师是 GLAD 律师 Ben Klein、Chris Erchull 和 Mary Bonauto。2021 年春，这位公开名为 Jane Doe 的投诉人因急性医疗紧急情况被送往 Pen Bay 医疗中心。Doe 女士的健康状况稳定后，医务人员确定她不需要住院护理，需要安置在辅助生活机构中。一名医院社工代表 Doe 女士联系了 Sunrise Assisted Living，并被告知他们有空房。然而，在得知 Doe 女士是变性人后，Sunrise 的管理人员通知医院，他们不会接收 Doe 女士，因为他们担心她想与女性室友住在一个房间里，尽管 Sunrise 经常将女性安排与其他女性一起住在半私人房间里。提出的索赔 GLAD 代表 Jane Doe 声称，Sunrise 机构基于 Doe 女士的性别认同、跨性别身份和性别特征对其进行了歧视，而这些都受到缅因州人权法案的明确保护。“我们的客户和许多老年人一样，迫切需要像 Sunrise 这样的辅助生活机构，”他说道。 GLAD 高级律师 Ben Klein“她只是希望随着年龄的增长，能像其他人一样，得到尊严、同情和理解。缅因州和其他21个州一样，将性别认同纳入反歧视法，正是为了解决这类歧视，以及像多伊女士这样的跨性别者在遭遇歧视时所遭受的深重伤害。” “缅因州人民以敢于让步而闻名，”他补充道。 GLAD 律师 Chris Erchull“Sunrise 因 Doe 女士的身份而将其拒之门外，从而丧失了这种视角。这起诉讼强化了长期护理机构的核心价值观：我们所有人随着年龄增长都有权享有尊严和尊重。由于 Doe 女士是跨性别者，Sunrise 拒绝为其提供病房，也迫使她住院时间超过了医疗团队的建议。” “我只是希望被像人一样对待，” Doe 女士说“我不希望任何人因为跨性别者的身份而被拒之门外，得不到所需的护理。我希望人们明白，我们每个人都在尽力过好自己的生活，他们不能这样对待别人。” 研究表明，跨性别老年人与其他老年人一样，甚至更有可能需要长期护理，包括辅助生活，因为长期被排斥和缺乏护理会导致不良的健康后果。然而，正如多伊女士的案例所示，跨性别成年人在年老后寻求护理和支持时，仍然面临着系统性和普遍性的歧视。 GLAD 民权项目主任 Mary Bonauto缅因州律师补充道：“我们明白，并非所有人都了解跨性别者，有些人对此感到不适。归根结底，这个案子关乎常识性价值观：我们希望被如何对待，以及我们该如何彼此相待？长期护理机构的护理人员知道如何以礼貌和尊重的态度接待和对待各行各业的人。这正是这位女士所要求的，也是法律所要求的。” 详细了解 Doe诉Sunrise辅助生活.

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Maine Youth Justice (MYJ), the ACLU of Maine, and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) are calling on Governor Mills to act with urgency to close Maine’s only youth prison.

The call comes after revelations that guards at Long Creek used a dangerous restraint, known to create a risk of serious injury or death, on multiple occasions last month to subdue incarcerated young people.

Last session, MYJ led the effort to pass LD 1668 — a bill to develop a plan to close Long Creek and divert resources to community-based services — in the state legislature, which the ACLU and GLAD supported.

LD 1668 passed in both chambers of the legislature, but Governor Mills vetoed the bill.

Leyla Hashi, communications coordinator, Maine Youth Justice

“This is yet another example of why closing Long Creek is long overdue. No youth prison will keep Maine’s communities any safer, and Long Creek consistently exacerbates a cycle of extreme harm against our most vulnerable youth. There is no fixing it. There is no reforming it. We need to SHUT this facility DOWN.

“We urge Maine state legislators and the governor to take action to close Long Creek. One more day is too long to wait as kids in Long Creek continue to suffer physical and psychological trauma from the cruel realities of incarceration.”

Alison Beyea, executive director, ACLU of Maine

“These revelations are the latest in a series of unconscionable acts of violence against young people detained at Long Creek. The entire project of incarcerating young people is violent, and it must end now. Children do not belong in prison.

“Governor Mills had the opportunity to close Long Creek earlier this year by signing LD 1668 into law. But she vetoed the bill, saying it didn’t account for public safety. We disagree. Long Creek’s continued operation degrades public safety. Incarceration traumatizes young people, especially LGBTQ youth and youth of color who are overrepresented at Long Creek.

“Public safety means no kids in prison. It means kids receiving the help and support they need, close to home, so that they can lead thriving lives. Despite her veto, Governor Mills has the power to close Long Creek. She should use it.”

Mary Bonauto，GLAD 民权项目主任

“Reports issued to the State on conditions at Long Creek in 2017 and again in 2020 highlighted concerns regarding the use of restraints, absent or inconsistent staff training, and the failure of the adults to use de-escalation techniques and bring in mental health counselors rather than force. It was not long ago that the State settled an excessive force case brought by the ACLU of Maine on behalf of an 11-year-old who had his face slammed into a metal bed frame by correctional officers. These young people are entrusted to the care of the State of Maine.

“For any number of reasons, and despite good faith efforts by many involved, Long Creek is not working and not providing rehabilitation. The legislature agreed in the last session, as shown by the passage of LD 1668, which set out a years-long plan for closing Long Creek and justly transitioning workers employed there. These concerns remain, and the State needs to provide immediate oversight to end this brutal treatment now.”

详细了解 Maine Youth Justice 和缅因州美国公民自由联盟.

Wins for Transgender Equality as the Maine Legislative Session Ends

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Proposals targeting transgender girls and women for exclusion in sports and shelters were both defeated in the 2021 session

GLAD, Equality Maine, MaineTrans.Net, ACLU ME, ME Women's Lobby

July 20, 2021 (AUGUSTA) – The Maine Senate adjourned for the session last night without taking up a proposal that would have banned transgender girls from participating in school sports (LD 926), thereby killing the measure. The House voted against the bill in June before the recess. A separate bill (LD 1238) that would have allowed shelters to turn away transgender women or any woman because of their race, national origin, religion, disability, or sexual orientation was also voted down in both the House and Senate in June.

EqualityMaine, MaineTransNet, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), ACLU of Maine, the Maine Women’s Lobby, and the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics issued the following statements heralding the defeat of both measures:

Gia Drew, Program Director at EqualityMaine: “Once again Mainers have stood up for fairness by saying no to harmful proposals that would ban transgender girls from school sports and deny transgender women access to shelter and vital social services. As students, parents, coaches, and pediatricians testified, transgender girls who play sports simply want and deserve the same opportunity as their peers to be part of a team, to feel like they belong, and to develop important qualities like leadership, self-respect, and teamwork. The Maine legislature has sent a message to transgender kids that they belong.”

Quinn Gormley, Executive Director, MaineTransNet: “I’m proud to see our Maine legislators support inclusion for transgender girls and women. I know well from my own work in the community that transgender women experience some of the highest rates of housing insecurity, harassment, and violence among women in Maine. There is always more work our state can do to ensure our social service networks can fully support all women in times of need, but in defeating LD 1238 the legislature recognized that allowing shelters to turn away some of our most vulnerable community members is counter to that goal.”

Meagan Sway, Policy Director, ACLU of Maine: “It’s a relief to see the legislature stop these misguided bills targeting transgender girls and women. Efforts to ban trans girls from participating in girls’ sports jeopardize their mental health, physical well-being, and ability to access education opportunities similar to other students. Efforts to ban trans women from shelters would deny shelter to some of our most vulnerable community members when they need help the most. Today our state has once again affirmed the truth: all children and adults, including trans children and trans people, belong in Maine.”

Mary L. Bonauto, GLAD Civil Rights Project Director “We all care about equity and opportunity for girls, but banning transgender girls from all programs and activities from pre-k through college is only about exclusion. We are happy that the legislature saw the proposed sports ban as a red herring that would generate no new opportunities for cisgender girls but would inflict real harm on transgender young people. Maine has had transgender athletes participating in sports for years, including under a 2013 policy for interscholastic sports of the Maine Principals’ Association. Allowing young people to develop and grow as people through participating in sports is good for them and when they are stronger, our communities are, too.”

Destie Hohman Sprague, Executive Director, Maine Women’s Lobby: “With these votes, the legislature affirmed a simple fact: every Mainer deserves to live with safety and respect. For those who experience abuse or housing insecurity, community organizations help fill that gap. Organizations that exist to ensure that safety are exactly the right places to welcome and affirm trans Mainers, and there is no place for legislation in our state that does not guarantee the rights of everyone to live in dignity, free from abuse.”

Dee Kerry, Executive Director, The Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics: “We applaud the state legislature for upholding the rights of transgender children to be able to play on teams according to the gender they live in. The vast majority of youth this bill would have harmed are school-age children who just want to play on a sports team and have fun. As pediatricians, we will always stand up for the health and well-being of all children and advocate for their right to live full and healthy lives. The trend of anti-transgender legislation being introduced and enacted across the nation is alarming and Maine legislators have shown that discrimination has no place in our state.”

At a public hearing on these bills on May 6, transgender youth and their families, nontransgender student athletes, coaches, pediatricians, school administrators, shelter service providers, social workers, community advocates, and more all provided powerful testimony against the proposed transgender student sports ban and exclusionary shelter bill:

Lane J., Kittery high school sophomore and soccer player: I absolutely love the sport of soccer. I have played on girls’ soccer teams for the last 5 years. Playing soccer has always been the highlight of my day each summer and fall: it’s my opportunity to work out, to collaborate with other girls with the same passion, and just have fun. I have been completely accepted by my coaches and teammates. Please don’t deny other transgender girls the opportunity to have these experiences, and the ability to be on a team, having fun, being active, and learning about sportsmanship.

Dr. Michele LaBotz, sports medicine doctor for over 20 years: The participation of transgender girls in girls’ athletic teams does not disadvantage their teammates. Athletic performance depends upon many factors including physiological, mental, and social. The best practice for student-athlete development is when success is based upon the growth of athletic skill of a team or individual, rather than attempts to eliminate rightful participants due to concern about the possible loss of performance advantage.

Gianna Romano, Assistant Coach and former high school athlete: [If transgender girls were banned from girls’ sports when I was playing] I may not have been able to play at all. At the time, our numbers were declining and we needed anyone and everyone willing to try the sport out. In a time where schools are being forced to combine teams and co-op for different sports, I am perplexed as to why we would even be considering a law that would make it even more challenging to attract participants.

Ali Lovejoy, VP of Social Work, Preble Street: To say that we must choose either the safety of cisgender women or the safety of transgender women is a false choice…The impact of this bill would be to systematically exclude women – women who experience higher rates of trauma, violence, and homelessness – from the most basic resources necessary to stay alive.

Andrea Mancuso, Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence: We know from decades of experience that perpetuating discriminatory policies against any group of identity does not increase safety in shelter programs. Any disruptive behavior that might occur at a shelter can be dealt with under existing shelter policies that apply to all residents equally.

Equality Maine works to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in Maine through political action, community organizing, education, and collaboration. www.equalitymaine.org

MaineTransNet is Maine’s transgender community organization dedicated to supporting and empowering transgender people and those that love them. www.mainetrans.net

ACLU of Maine is the state’s guardian of liberty. It is active in the courts, the legislature, and the public sphere to defend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and to extend their promises to all Mainers. www.aclumaine.org

通过战略诉讼、公共政策倡导和教育，GLBTQ 法律倡导者和辩护人致力于在新英格兰和全国范围内创建一个没有基于性别认同和表达、艾滋病毒状况和性取向的歧视的公正社会。 www.gladlaw.org

The Maine Women’s Lobby engages in legislative advocacy which increases the health, wellness, safety, and economic security of women and girls in Maine, and all Mainers who experience gender-based discrimination or oppression. www.mainewomen.org

博客

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This year on Give OUT Day we want to say thank you to all of our supporters for showing up for us all year long. We also want to share the love by encouraging GLAD supporters to learn about groups doing important work near you.

The following list features some of our New England partners and other organizations whose innovative work we want to highlight. Our sincere gratitude– we couldn’t do this work without you.

Affirming Spaces Project

新罕布什尔

Affirming Spaces Project (ASP), scheduled to launch in August 2021, will serve the trans and GNC community of NH, primarily by connecting TGNC persons with local TGNC-friendly businesses and services. ASP also plans to engage in community education and advocacy.

Donate to Affirming Spaces Project

Coyote RI

罗德岛

Coyote, which stands for “Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics,” was originally founded in 1973 by Margo St. James, who filed and won a class-action lawsuit in 1979 to decriminalize indoor sex work in RI. Coyote, which resumed its activism in 2010 in response to Rhode Island’s full criminalization of prostitution in 2009, is a coalition of current and former sex workers that advocates for the human, health, labor, and civil rights of sex workers in RI and across the nation.

Donate to Coyote RI

Kamora’s Cultural Corner

Hartford, CT

Founded by activist Kamora Herrington, Kamora’s Cultural Corner (KCC) centers Black LGBTQ+ artists and their perspectives, intentionally creating spaces for community building, healing, and connection through Black queer art. In November 2020, KCC held a “Black Art Heals Tour” to exhibit their art throughout the Southeast.

Donate to Kamora’s Cultural Corner

Maine Inside Out

Portland, ME

Maine Inside Out (MIO), founded in 2008, holds theater programs at Long Creek Youth Development Center, Maine’s youth correctional facility. MIO continues to engage youth upon their release from Long Creek through community engagement, peer and adult support, participant-led advocacy, leadership development, and practical skill-building.

Donate to Maine Inside Out

公开

Brattleboro, VT

Out in the Open is a multi-issue social justice movement connecting rural LGBTQ people to build community, visibility, knowledge, and power. Last year, Out in the Open organized a Rural Community Care Support Network to provide mutual aid to the rural LGBTQ+ VT community during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Donate to Out in the Open

现已推出

Springfield, MA

Out Now, founded in 1995, provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth to learn about and explore themselves and the history of the LGBTQ+ movement while developing leadership skills. Out Now’s many programs include an Our Liberation! Theater of the Oppressed workshop.

Donate to Out Now

Sisters Unchained

Jamaica Plain, MA

Founded in 2015 by Ayana Aubourg, Meron Teklehaimanot, and Vanessa Ly, Sisters Unchained provides a safe space for the daughters of formerly and presently incarcerated mothers to heal and realize transformative social change. Sisters Unchained is a prison-abolitionist organization supporting community-based alternatives to incarceration.

Donate to Sisters Unchained

罗德岛州TGI网络

罗德岛州普罗维登斯

TGI Network was founded in 2011 and serves trans, intersex, and GNC (TGI) Rhode Islanders through support, advocacy, and education. TGI Network currently offers three peer-led support groups for questioning persons, TGI persons, and their loved ones.

Donate to TGI Network of RI

Governor Mills Signs Juvenile Justice Right to Counsel and Due Process Bill

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Governor Mills has signed LD 320 An Act to Provide the Right to Counsel for Juveniles and Improve Due Process for Juveniles into law. The law applies needed reforms to Maine’s juvenile legal system that will divert young children from incarceration and ensure that when youth are incarcerated they have an advocate in their corner able to articulate their concerns and ask for a closer look at their circumstances.

LD 320 will provide justice-involved youth with both the right to counsel upon incarceration and due process rights to seek alternatives to incarceration. It sets a minimum age of twelve for commitment to a juvenile correctional facility and provides that younger children may be detained no more than 7 days unless their lawyers agree. The bill ends the minimum one-year commitment to juvenile correctional facilities and requires judges to consider both the age of a young person and whether the offense committed would be considered a juvenile misdemeanor when deciding whether incarceration is appropriate. Rep. Victoria Morales of South Portland, who represents the District containing Long Creek Youth Development Center, sponsored the bill.

Mary L. Bonauto, GLAD’s Civil Rights Project Director, issued the following statement applauding the signing of the bill:

“Among our highest duties as a society is the care and support of young people. This is a step forward in shrinking the role of the criminal justice system in young people’s lives. LD 320 seeks to limit the use of secure confinement for Maine’s youngest children and provides all incarcerated young people with legal representation to seek the care, opportunities and support they need to be accountable, heal, and grow in healthy ways. This law recognizes that punitive measures are harmful and counterproductive to these goals and to public safety. Too many LGBTQ youth, youth of color, youth with disabilities, youth with limited financial means, and youth belonging to all of these categories, are pulled into the correctional system with unintended but significant long-term consequences. Most often, youth become entangled in the system for low level offenses and because there are no community services in place to keep them in their communities and connected to family and school. We’ve had many reports detailing the negative impacts of incarceration on children and their communities as well as recommendations for what our state needs to do to address those impacts. This bill is a positive step to move Maine forward and enable young people to succeed in taking their places in our communities.”

GLAD also testified in support of LD 1668, a bill led by Maine Youth Justice would that set a timetable for closing Long Creek over a period of years, provide a just transition for state workers, and reallocate resources into health care, education, employment and housing opportunities for youth. The legislature passed LD 1668 but it was vetoed by the governor.

Learn more about LD 320.

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June 18, 2021 (AUGUSTA) – Yesterday the Maine legislature voted down a proposal (LD 1238) that would have allowed women’s shelters across the state to turn away transgender women or any woman they wanted to – whether because of their race, national origin, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.

A second proposal targeting transgender girls for exclusion from school sports was voted down 80-53 in the House late last night, and is still pending a vote in the Senate when the legislature reconvenes June 30. That bill received strong opposition at a May public hearing from coaches, pediatricians, transgender youth and their parents and peers, as well as Maine officials and organizations, including the Attorney General, former Chief Justice Leigh Saufley, the Maine Principals’ Association, and the Human Rights Commission.

Shelter service providers, community service and justice organizations spoke out against the shelter bill (LD 1238) and are applauding the legislature’s actions to support inclusion of transgender women, and all people, in need of survival and emergency services.

“Once again Mainers have stood up for fairness by saying no to harmful proposals that would deny transgender women access to shelter and vital social services. Shelters across our state play a critical role in providing safety to women in need. Turning transgender women away from shelters puts those women at risk of exactly the type of mistreatment and abuse our shelter services are meant to prevent,” said Gia Drew，EqualityMaine 项目总监.

“I’m proud to see our Maine legislators support inclusion for transgender women. I know well from my own work in the community that transgender women experience some of the highest rates of housing insecurity, harassment and violence among women in Maine. There is always more work our state can do to ensure our social service networks can fully support all women in times of need, but in defeating LD 1238 the legislature recognized that allowing shelters to turn away some of our most vulnerable community members is counter to that goal,” said Quinn Gormley，MaineTransNet执行董事.

“It’s a relief to see the legislature stop this misguided bill that targeted transgender women and would have opened the door to discrimination in shelters on the basis race, national origin, religion, disability, or sexual orientation as well. Efforts to ban trans women from shelters would deny shelter to some of our most vulnerable community members when they need help the most. Today our state has once again affirmed the truth: all people, including trans people, belong in Maine,” said 缅因州美国公民自由联盟政策主管梅根·斯威 (Meagan Sway)

“We know we can accommodate all women, transgender or not, when they are in need of emergency and homeless shelter because, as legislators heard at the hearing on LD 1238, the dedicated individuals who staff and run our shelters have been doing just that. Managing the stress and conflict that can occur when individuals are experiencing trauma, vulnerability and less privacy and autonomy is some of the hard work performed by shelter staff and management. Women seek out shelter services when they are at their most vulnerable, whether due to trauma, houselessness, or violence. With this vote our legislators affirmed the inclusion required by law, and also what shelter providers said at the hearing: that all women, including transgender women, deserve access to survival services. This is the record we’ve built in Maine; we treat all humans with dignity and respect,” said Mary L. Bonauto，GLBTQ 法律倡导者和捍卫者组织民权项目主任

“With this vote the legislature affirmed a simple fact: every Mainer deserves to live with safety and respect. For those who experience abuse or housing insecurity, community organizations help fill that gap. Organizations that exist to ensure that safety are exactly the right places to welcome and affirm trans Mainers, and there is no place for legislation in our state that does not guarantee the rights of everyone to live in dignity, free from abuse,” said Destie Hohman Sprague, Executive Director, Maine Women’s Lobby

缅因州平等组织 致力于通过政治行动、社区组织、教育和合作，确保缅因州女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋和变性人的完全平等。 www .equalitymaine.org

缅因州运输网络 is Maine’s transgender community organization dedicated to supporting and empowering transgender people and those that love them. www.mainetrans.net

缅因州美国公民自由联盟 缅因州是缅因州自由的守护者。它活跃于法院、立法机构和公共领域，捍卫宪法和权利法案，并向所有缅因州居民兑现其承诺。 www.aclumaine.org

通过战略诉讼、公共政策倡导和教育， GLBTQ 法律倡导者和捍卫者 致力于在新英格兰和全国范围内创建一个没有基于性别认同和表达、艾滋病毒状况和性取向的歧视的公正社会。 www.gladlaw.org

The Maine Women’s Lobby engages in legislative advocacy which increases the health, wellness, safety, and economic security of women and girls in Maine, and all Mainers who experience gender-based discrimination or oppression. www.mainewomen.org

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2021 年 6 月 18 日（奥古斯塔）— GLBTQ 法律倡导者和捍卫者 (GLAD) 今天对州长 Janet Mills 签署 LD 1115 的消息表示欢迎， 改善艾滋病预防药物获取途径的法案，哪个扩大访问范围一种简单、安全、有效的药物，即艾滋病毒暴露前预防 (PrEP)，可将艾滋病毒传播风险降低近 100%。该法案由坎伯兰参议员希瑟·桑伯恩发起，众议院议长瑞安·费克托、参议员内德·克拉克斯顿和纳坦·利比共同发起，获得了两党支持。同性恋者反歧视联盟 (GLAD) 是致力于推动该法案通过的联盟成员，并在立法机构作证。

新法律授权药剂师在短期内无需处方即可配发PrEP以及HIV暴露后预防用药（PEP）。该法律还要求承保方在无需事先授权或分步疗法的情况下承保至少一种HIV预防药物，并在缅因州法律中纳入联邦监管要求，即PrEP必须由私人保险公司提供且无需共付额，从而降低了获取PrEP的障碍。此外，通过要求药剂师将顾客与医疗机构联系起来，以进行持续的PrEP监督并满足其他重要的健康需求，该法律还将改善整体医疗服务的可及性。缅因州是全美第三个通过此类立法的州，这将使包括缅因州农村社区在内的最弱势群体能够快速获得PrEP。

“暴露前预防（PrEP）为我们提供了结束艾滋病毒流行的最佳机会，” Ben Klein，GLAD 高级律师兼艾滋病法律项目主任“尽管PrEP的安全性和有效性已被证实，但它的处方量和利用率仍然不足，尤其是在医疗保健服务获取不平等且感染艾滋病毒风险更高的人群中。这项法案将大大有助于开放PrEP的获取渠道，并帮助我们终结艾滋病毒疫情。”

“这项法律使缅因州在确保所有需要并能从中受益的人都能获得 PrEP 和 HIV 暴露后预防 (PEP) 方面处于领先地位，”他补充道 GLAD 法律研究员 Anthony Lombardi， WHO 作证代表同性恋者反歧视联盟 (GLAD) 在立法听证会上表示：“这项法律将特别为农村社区和有色人种社区的人们提供更多机会。在这些社区，包括经济和资源不平等以及系统性种族主义在内的结构性障碍使人们容易受到艾滋病毒感染风险增加和整体健康状况较差的影响。”

在一个支持该立法的社区立场声明超过 30 个组织、倡导者和医疗专业人士解释了扩大 PrEP 获取渠道的影响：

简而言之，HIV暴露前预防（PrEP）是HIV预防领域的重大突破；它是一种简单、安全的每日服用药片，可将HIV传播风险降低近100%。对于我们当中最脆弱的群体，包括有色人种、居住在农村地区的人群、被监禁的人群以及正在努力保持安全的注射毒品人群，通过任何简单易得的途径以低成本或免费获得这种药物至关重要。HIV暴露后预防（PEP）同样重要且必要，应在潜在HIV暴露后立即进行，包括在性侵犯情况下。我们需要竭尽全力扩大PrEP/PEP的可及性，并创造更多途径减少HIV传播。

除了 GLAD 之外，主张通过 改善艾滋病预防药物获取途径的法案 包括缅因州平等组织, 弗兰妮·皮博迪中心，以及健康公平联盟.

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GLAD 赞扬缅因州法律更新，允许扩大自愿确认亲子关系的途径

米尔斯州长签署 LD 222 法案，更新缅因州亲子法

2021 年 6 月 11 日（奥古斯塔）— 州长珍妮特·米尔斯签署了 LD 222， 缅因州亲子法更新法案该法律更新了缅因州的亲子关系法规，以扩大自愿亲子关系确认 (VAP) 的可及性。这是一种长期以来用于确认亲子关系的简单机制，但此前缅因州的许多父母（包括 LGBTQ 父母）都无法使用。联邦法律要求所有州提供简单的民事程序，以便在孩子出生时确认其亲子关系。这确保了亲子关系的保护和责任在孩子出生后尽快生效，并确保父母双方的身份都反映在孩子的出生证明上。在美国，每年大多数非婚父母所生的孩子都是通过 VAP 确认亲子关系的，VAP 相当于法院的亲子关系判决书。VAP 是自愿签署的，可帮助父母避免确认亲子关系的诉讼费用、延误和压力。由家庭法律咨询委员会起草并由主要发起人众议员芭芭拉·卡多内提出的 LD 222 扩大了 VAP 的可及性，以便更多儿童可以通过这种简单的行政程序受到保护。亲生父母一直以来都可以通过自愿确认亲子关系（VAP）来确认亲子关系，而这项法律扩大了通过辅助生殖技术获得预期父母的权利，而推定父母也可以签署自愿确认亲子关系（VAP）来确认其子女的亲子关系。2017年《统一亲子关系法》建议扩大自愿确认亲子关系的渠道。《统一亲子关系法》是由无党派的统一法律委员会制定的示范性法定语言，旨在确保各州的亲子关系法符合宪法，并为所有儿童提供平等的获得合法亲子关系保障的机会，无论其父母的性别或婚姻状况如何。FLAC建议大幅更新缅因州的亲子关系法 2015 年，在 Mary Bonauto 等人的协助下，立法机关批准了该建议，并通过缅因州亲子关系法案 (MPA) 承认了家庭形成的多种方式。尽管 MPA 对 LGBTQ 父母给予了同等的认可，但并不包括获得自愿援助计划 (VAP) 的权利。该法案更新了缅因州法律，以反映 2017 年 UPA 的建议，并确保儿童有更多机会获得亲子关系。GLAD 高级律师 Polly Crozier 表示：“与父母建立牢固的法律关系对孩子的幸福和稳定至关重要，这项法律更新使更多缅因州儿童能够获得这种保障。自愿援助计划是一种从孩子出生起就确立其合法亲子关系的直接方法。扩大自愿援助计划的覆盖范围为 LGBTQ 父母提供了一种公平、公正且负担得起的方式，让他们尽可能在孩子出生前就对其进行保护。”迄今为止，除缅因州外，加利福尼亚州、马里兰州、马萨诸塞州、内华达州、纽约州、罗德岛州、佛蒙特州和华盛顿州均允许 LGBTQ 父母通过 VAP 确认亲子关系。康涅狄格州最近颁布了《康涅狄格州亲子法》自 2022 年 1 月 1 日起，LGBTQ 父母将可以使用 VAP。有关 VAP 的更多信息可以在这里找到。

Alternative Discipline, Not Criminal Punishment, in Maine Schools

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GLAD opposes Maine’s LD 1444 because it creates a new crime that would have serious and long-term negative effects on young people.

In testimony to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, GLAD and EqualityMaine explained that the bill “…creates a crime that will have disastrous collateral effects for young people over their lifetimes and will not accomplish its goals in any event. The anti-bullying law enacted in 2011 recommends that schools consider “alternative discipline” rather than school exclusion or criminal penalties for addressing the consistent bullying of socially marginalized students. Other bills before the Legislature rightly seek to explore the uses of restorative processes to promote responsibility and accountability without exclusion from school or channeling young people into the criminal system.”

Instead, we would “like to see dedicated, enhanced, and creative efforts to build schools as zones of mutual respect that help prepare students for success in a diverse and ever-changing world and in which teachers and staff can support student learning and development.”

Read GLAD and EqualityMaine’s full testimony.

Addressing Discrimination Complaints in Maine Schools

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GLAD supports the goals of LD 1512, which would create an Office of the Education Ombudsman, which would serve as a resource and facilitate complaints for parents and students in the Maine’s public school system. The bill also directs the Department of Education to establish a commission to explore possible reporting and response systems to help public schools address reports of discrimination and harassment.

Read testimony delivered by GLAD and EqualityMaine.