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Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders is pleased to announce the addition of Staff Attorney Zack M. Paakkonen, who will focus his work on legal issues facing the transgender community as part of GLAD’s Transgender Rights Project. Paakkonen joins the legal team on September 3rd.

“With so much work still left to be done to secure legal and social equality for transgender people, Zack Paakkonen is a tremendous addition to our legal team,” said Legal Director Gary Buseck. “With his experience advocating on behalf of transgender clients inside and outside the courtroom, he’s ready to hit the ground running as GLAD continues its cutting-edge work on transgender legal issues.”

Paakkonen brings to GLAD significant experience advocating for the rights of transgender clients in a variety of contexts. In 2008, he and his law partner Alice Neal founded West End Legal, LLC, in Portland, Maine, a general practice firm focusing on the needs of the local LGBT community. Paakkonen’s work included representing transgender clients in matters of family law and other probate matters, advising clients regarding discrimination matters in school and employment, handling matters involving youth in a variety of contexts, and advocacy for transgender people within the penal system and within state government on public policy matters.

“While I’m proud of the work I’ve done for the transgender community in private practice, I’m excited about the opportunity GLAD gives me to have a broader impact on improving and expanding legal protections for the transgender community in New England and across the country,” said Paakkonen.

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Yesterday, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the School Success and Opportunity Act (AB1266), ensuring that transgender students can fully access all school activities, sports teams, programs and facilities – including sex- segregated bathrooms and locker rooms – that match their gender identity.

The Massachusetts Transgender Equal Rights Coalition, which is working in Massachusetts for the passage of the Transgender Equal Access Bill, issued the following comments in response to the enactment of the California Law:

“We applaud Governor Brown and the state of California for taking this critical step to ensure that transgender youth have their gender identities affirmed and respected at school, and that they have the same opportunities as the rest of their classmates to play sports, participate in physical education classes, school clubs and attend field trips,” said Mason Dunn, executive director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition. “Ensuring that transgender students can access sex-segregated facilities and programs consistent with their gender identity is simple and fair, and increasingly becoming the norm, as we saw in Massachusetts when the Department of Elementary and Secondary education released its guidance on supporting transgender students in the Commonwealth’s schools.”

Read more about the Coalition and their full statement here.

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家 » 國家/聯邦 » Page 54

Boston, MA – Yesterday, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the School Success and Opportunity Act (AB1266), ensuring that transgender students can fully access all school activities, sports teams, programs and facilities – including sex- segregated bathrooms and locker rooms – that match their gender identity.

“But while Massachusetts has taken important steps to treat transgender students fairly in our public schools, it remains that transgender young people and adults can still be refused access to public places like hospitals, restaurants, homeless shelters, nursing homes and supermarkets,” added Dunn. “Our legislature can correct this injustice by passing the Equal Access Bill so that transgender residents of the Commonwealth have the same access to vital services and public spaces their fellow residents enjoy.”
“We commend Gov. Brown and the California Legislature for affirming the dignity of transgender youth and for their leadership on issues of transgender equality.” said Kara Suffredini, executive director of MassEquality. “We hope that Massachusetts lawmakers will follow their lead by passing the Equal Access Bill so that all residents of the Commonwealth, including transgender residents, can access our public spaces safely and without fear of discrimination or other unfair treatment.”
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About the Transgender Equal Rights Coalition
The Transgender Equal Rights Coalition is working to pass H. 1589/S. 643, “An Act relative to equal access in hospitals, public transportation, nursing homes, supermarkets, retail establishments, and all other places open to the public. Also known as the Equal Access Bill, this legislation would add protections based on gender identity to existing Massachusetts’ civil rights laws governing public accommodations, which currently prohibit discrimination on the basis of religious affiliation or belief, race, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, or any physical or mental disability. Gender identity is defined as “a person’s gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth.” Members of the coalition include: Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition; MassEquality; Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders; National Association of Social Workers, MA; Mass Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus; National Organization for Women, MA; ACLU of Massachusetts; Mass. LGBTQ Bar Association and ADL New England.

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家 » 國家/聯邦 » Page 54

華盛頓特區——由全國黑人正義聯盟和全國男女同性戀特別工作組領導的全國女同性戀、男同性戀、雙性戀和跨性別者 (LGBT) 權利組織聯盟今天發表了以下公開信：

公開信：特雷沃恩應受正義審判

我們無法想像特雷沃恩馬丁的家人和朋友所承受的持續痛苦和折磨。我們與他們團結一致，繼續為正義、公民權利和事件的終結而奮鬥。我們感謝所有為正義而奮鬥並將繼續奮鬥的人們。

特雷沃恩·馬丁理應得到正義，並享有公民權利。我們支持各組織和社區領袖敦促聯邦政府探索一切途徑，確保特雷沃恩獲得正義，並確保他的公民權利得到尊重。但我們的工作不只如此：我們將透過加強承諾，消除社區中的偏見、仇恨、種族歧視和暴力，來紀念特雷沃恩·馬丁。

我們代表著多元化的女同性戀、男同性戀、雙性戀和跨性別群體。我們的社群一直是偏見、歧視、定性和暴力的目標。我們親身經歷了年輕人因自身身份、被認定的身份或所愛之人而遭受攻擊的令人心碎的絕望：拉肖恩·布拉澤爾 (Rashawn Brazell)、勞倫斯·金 (Lawrence King)、阿里·福尼 (Ali Forney)、布蘭登·蒂納 (Brandon Teena)、布蘭登·懷特 (Brandon White)、馬修·邁克爾·邁克爾 (Matthew Shepillian)、米蘭·邁克爾·邁克爾·米蘭 (Matthew Shepillian)、米蘭·薩帕塔·麥克吉 (Matthew Shepard)、馬恩Zapata)、薩基亞·岡恩 (Sakia Gunn)、格溫·阿勞霍 (Gwen Araujo) 以及無數其他類似的人。

每個人，無論種族、宗教、性取向或性別認同，都必須能夠無憂無慮地走在街上。

Justice delayed is justice denied and in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “a right delayed is a right denied.” We honor Trayvon by seeking justice for all people.

全力以赴
美國公民自由聯盟
大聲相信
BiNet 美國
雙性戀資源中心
黑人平等中心
CenterLink：LGBT中心社區
高等教育LGBT資源專業人員聯盟
平等聯盟
家庭平等委員會
工作自由
同性戀、女同性戀和異性戀教育網絡
同性戀-異性戀聯盟網絡（GSA網絡）
獲取相等
通用汽車公司
男女同性戀倡議者和捍衛者
同性戀反歧視聯盟
哈維米爾克基金會
人權運動
移民平等
Lambda 法律
運動推進項目
全國黑人正義聯盟
全國女同性戀權利中心
全國反暴力項目聯盟
全國男女同性戀商會
全國男女同性戀特別工作小組
全國少數民族愛滋病委員會
全國酷兒亞太島民聯盟
平等工作場所倡議者
全國親友會
特雷弗計劃
跨性別倡議網絡
跨性別法律中心
有色人種跨性別聯盟

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家 » 國家/聯邦 » Page 54

公開信：特雷沃恩應受正義審判

每個人，無論種族、宗教、性取向或性別認同，都必須能夠無憂無慮地走在街上。

遲來的正義等於否定正義，正如馬丁路德金恩博士所說：「權利的遲延等於否定權利。」我們透過為所有人尋求正義來紀念特雷沃恩。

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Following last Wednesday’s Supreme Court decision striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, Section 3, the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced on Friday, June 28, 2013, that it would now be “able to extend benefits to Federal employees and annuitants who are legally married to a spouse of the same sex.”

Although promising additional information on “a broader range of issues” in the future, OPM offered immediate Guidance on health insurance (FEHB); life insurance (FEGLI); dental and vision insurance (FEDVIP), long term care insurance (FLTCIP); flexible savings accounts (FSA); and the ability of retirees to elect a survivor annuity if they have married following retirement.

Where applicable, OPM has created a special, new 60-day open enrollment period running from June 26, 2013 until August 26, 2013.

The OPM guidance to agencies can be read 這裡.

In another development that is already affecting many lives, the Department of Homeland Security has clarified that U.S. citizens in same-sex bi-national marriages are now eligible to apply for green cards for their spouse in the same manner as those filed on behalf of an opposite-sex spouse.

Federal employees with questions or who encounter problems can contact GLAD’s InfoLine at (800) 455-GLAD, or gladlaw@glad.org.

吉爾訴人事管理辦公室

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2013 年 6 月 26 日，美國最高法院裁定《捍衛婚姻法案》第 3 條違憲 溫莎訴美國。

有關此案、原告和所有法律文件的完整詳細信息，請訪問 https://www.gladlaw.org/doma

2012 年 8 月 2 日－GLAD 提交了一份簡報，回應了 移審令 由兩黨法律顧問小組（BLAG）和司法部（DOJ）制定。

2012 年 8 月 2 日－鷹論壇教育與法律辯護基金和 15 個州的司法部長提交朋友支持請願令狀的簡報 調卷命令 由兩黨法律顧問小組（BLAG）提供。

2012 年 7 月 3 日－司法部提交了一份請願書 移審令 在美國最高法院。

2012 年 6 月 29 日－眾議院領導層透過兩黨法律顧問小組 (BLAG) 提交了一份請願書，要求 移審令 在美國最高法院。

2012 年 5 月 31 日－美國第一巡迴上訴法院一致裁定維持地方法院的裁決，認定《保護婚姻法》第 3 條違憲

GLAD 提交了一份請願書全庭 2011 年 6 月 21 日，第一巡迴法院開始審查。 7 月 7 日，司法部加入了我們的請求全庭審查。

2011 年 2 月 25 日—最新消息：司法部於週三撤回了第二巡迴法院的兩起《婚姻保護法》案件，其中包括 GLAD 的 佩德森訴 OPM 通知第一巡迴法院書記官，他們也將「停止辯護」這兩起合併的《婚姻保護法》案件， 吉爾訴人事管理辦公室 和 麻薩諸塞州訴美國衛生與公眾服務部.

2010 年 10 月 12 日－更新：聯邦政府已提交通知，將就 2010 年 7 月 8 日美國地方法院的裁決向美國第一巡迴上訴法院提起上訴。

2010 年 7 月 8 日－更新：美國地方法院判決認為《捍衛婚姻法案》違反了第五修正案正當程序條款所體現的平等保護原則，2010 年 7 月 8 日。

2010 年 2 月 16 日－更新：GLAD 於 2010 年 2 月 16 日提交了原告回覆備忘錄，以支持我們的簡易判決動議。

2010 年 1 月 29 日－更新：政府於 2010 年 1 月 29 日對我們的簡易判決動議提出反對。

2009 年 11 月 17 日 — 更新：2009 年 11 月 17 日，GLAD 提交了反對政府駁回動議的動議，並針對該案提交了簡易判決動議。

2009 年 7 月 31 日－更新：GLAD 提交了一份修改後的投訴鰓 2009 年 7 月 31 日提起訴訟。

2009 年 7 月 8 日－2009 年 7 月 8 日，麻薩諸塞州提起訴訟，挑戰《捍衛婚姻法案》第 3 條。

2009 年 6 月 31 日 — 2009 年 5 月 27 日，因 GLAD 代表鰓原告基斯·東尼和艾爾·東尼夫婦表示，美國國務院宣布改變向與同性結婚後更改姓名的人簽發護照的政策，以便他們現在可以以新名字領取護照。基斯於6月22日申請了新護照。

2009 年 3 月 3 日，GLAD 首次對聯邦婚姻保護法 (DOMA) 第 3 條發起多原告聯合法律挑戰。

Gill 等人訴人事管理辦公室等人 針對馬薩諸塞州已婚同性伴侶被剝奪某些聯邦權利和保護的情況。同性戀者反歧視聯盟 (GLAD) 的訴訟已將婚姻平權帶到麻薩諸塞州（2004年）和康乃狄克州（2008年），這兩個州目前只有同性伴侶可以合法結婚。這起訴訟於今日在波士頓聯邦地區法院提起，旨在解決利用《婚姻保護法》第三條剝奪配偶在社會安全、聯邦所得稅、聯邦僱員和退休人員福利以及護照簽發方面的保護的問題。

《婚姻保護法》第3條於1996年通過，現已編入美國法典第1卷第7條，該條將聯邦政府尊重的婚姻範圍限定為男女之間的婚姻。《婚姻保護法》第2條（本案未涉及該條）允許各州制定公共政策，規定哪些婚姻可以尊重，哪些不可以尊重。

同性戀者反歧視聯盟 (GLAD) 認為，《捍衛婚姻法案》第三條違反了聯邦憲法保障的平等保護，該保障適用於聯邦所得稅、社會安全、聯邦僱員和退休人員以及護照簽發等事宜。 GLAD 也認為，《捍衛婚姻法案》第三條是聯邦政府對婚姻法前所未有的干預，而婚姻法一直被認為是各州的職權範圍。

原告包括八對已婚夫婦和三名喪偶者，他們目前均符合一項聯邦計劃的資格。他們都已根據該計劃申請福利，但因《婚姻保護法》第三條被拒絕。

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Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), the legal organization that first brought marriage equality to the United States nine years ago, today hailed the Supreme Court’s historic decisions in 溫莎訴美國案 和 霍林斯沃斯訴佩里案. In Windsor, Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act was struck down, and in 佩里, the court ruled that the proponents of Proposition 8 did not have standing to appeal lower court rulings.

This means that all legally married same-sex couples will have access to all the federal protections afforded to legally married opposite-sex couples, and that California couples will likely have the right to marry, in accordance with the federal district court ruling.

“The Court has removed the stain and the insult that is DOMA,” said Lee Swislow, GLAD’s Executive Director. “This is an enormous victory and a joyous day for loving, married couples and their families – and for thousands of couples in California who will now be able to express their commitment through marriage.”

“Today, the Supreme Court affirmed that there should be no gay exception in how the federal government regards marriage. If you are married, you are married,” said

Mary Bonauto, Civil Rights Project Director for GLAD, and lead counsel in the 2003 Massachusetts case 古德里奇訴公共衛生部, of the Court’s ruling against DOMA. “Married couples now come before the federal government as equals.”

Married couples from any state with questions about the immediate impact of the Court striking down DOMA can contact GLAD’s Legal InfoLine: 1-800-455-4523; or gladlaw@glad.org; or by live chat at www.gladlaw.org/rights/infoline-contact.

DOMA, which was enacted in 1996, barred all legally married same-sex couples from being recognized as married under federal law. Its impact and damage has been far-reaching, touching on every area of federal law, from Social Security and family medical leave to immigration policy and tax-filing.

GLAD brought two multi-plaintiff challenges to DOMA, 吉爾訴人事管理辦公室 in 2009 and 佩德森訴人事管理辦公室 in 2010, winning two district level decisions and one appellate victory, laying legal groundwork for today’s SCOTUS ruling. GLAD also coordinated the massive 法庭之友 effort in support of 溫莎, a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the firm of Paul Weiss Rifkind, on behalf of Edith Windsor.

“Congratulations to our colleagues and friends at the ACLU, to Edie Windsor, to the American Foundation for Equal Rights, to the plaintiffs in Perry, and the people of California,” said Swislow. “Like our 鰓和 佩德森 plaintiffs, Edie was stung by discrimination. She and her advocates have won an historic victory that will enable couples to better protect one another and their children.”

GLAD will be working in coming months on implementation, and will keep the community informed as legal issues are clarified.

Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.

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家 » 國家/聯邦 » Page 54

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), the legal organization that first brought marriage equality to the United States nine years ago, today hailed the Supreme Court’s historic decisions in 溫莎訴美國案 和 霍林斯沃斯訴佩里案. In Windsor, Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act was struck down, and in 佩里, the court ruled that the proponents of Proposition 8 did not have standing to appeal lower court rulings.

“Today, the Supreme Court affirmed that there should be no gay exception in how the federal government regards marriage. If you are married, you are married,” said

GLAD will be working in coming months on implementation, and will keep the community informed as legal issues are clarified.

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家 » 國家/聯邦 » Page 54

Washington, DC – Today, the Supreme Court struck down a central part of the Voting Rights Act, invalidating crucial protections passed by Congress in 1965 and renewed four times in the decades since. The sharply divided decision will significantly reduce the federal government’s role in overseeing voting laws in areas with a history of discrimination against African-Americans.

We, America’s leading LGBT advocacy organizations, join civil rights organizations – and indeed, all Americans whom this law has served to protect – in expressing acute dismay at today’s ruling. Not only had Congress repeatedly reaffirmed the need for this bedrock civil rights protection, but authoritative voices from across America had filed amicus briefs urging the court not to undermine the law: the NAACP; the American Bar Association; the Navajo Nation; the states of New York, California, Mississippi and North Carolina; numerous former Justice Department officials charged with protecting voting rights; dozens of U.S. senators and representatives; and many others.

These varied and powerful voices attest to the self-evident reality that racial protections are still needed in voting in this country. As recently as last year’s elections, political partisans resorted to voter suppression laws and tactics aimed at reducing the votes of people of color.

Voting rights protections, which have long served our nation’s commitment to equality and justice, should not be cast aside now. The court has done America a grave disservice, and we will work with our coalition partners to undo the damage inflicted by this retrogressive ruling.

黑人平等中心
CenterLink：LGBT中心社區
The Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals
平等聯盟
家庭平等委員會
結婚自由
男女同性戀倡議者和捍衛者
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC)
人權運動
Immigration Equality Action Fund
Lambda 法律
全國黑人正義聯盟
全國女同性戀權利中心
國家跨性別平等中心
全國男女同性戀特別工作小組
The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance
平等工作場所倡議者
PFLAG – Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Pride at Work, AFL-CIO
Unid@s