In a competitive review process by her peers, the National LGBT Bar Association has named Tobin a top LGBT Lawyer Under 40. The annual award recognizes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender legal professionals under the age of 40 who have distinguished themselves in their field and demonstrated a profound commitment to LGBT equality.NCTE Excutive Director Mara Keisling to be a Featured Guest on the Melissa Harris-Perry Show Discussing Trans Issues
Submit your story of employment discrimination to share on the airFrom the first appearance at a trans event by a sitting Cabinet Secretary to the incredible list of policy victories we've achieved in the past year, trans policy is now firmly part of the political debate. Of equal importance is that now, the conversation around the country is moving in our favor, symbolic of important cultural progress in our movement.
Capitalizing on what seems to be a trans moment, Mara Keisling will join the Melissa-Harris Perry Show on a nationally televised panel discussing the movement for transgender equality. Mara will join other trans advocates to examine recent trans policy victories and current challenges.
Read more here.
Victory for Trans Immigration Documents and Marriage Benefits
NCTE and Immigration Equality Applaud President Obama for Taking Important Action
Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Memorandum revising the treatment of gender designations for transgender people on their immigration documents. The new guidance also makes clear that if a couple has married as a different-sex couple under state law, the federal government will continue to recognize the marriage for immigration purposes regardless of a person's subsequent gender transition.
The revisions update the Adjudicator's Field Manual, a guide binding all USCIS staff overseeing immigration procedures.
NCTE Policy Counsel Harper Jean Tobin said, "Today's announcement is another example of the Obama Administration's long-term commitment to equality. These revisions mean that trans people and their families can obtain accurate identification while maintaining their privacy. It'll also reduce bureaucratic delays, intrusive questions, and wrongful denials of immigration benefits."
Read the full statement here.
NCTE Statement on Federal Contractors Executive Order: Expansion of Policy Urgently Needed
Today, NCTE responded to news that the White House is not yet ready to issue the executive order banning discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation for employees of federal contractors. NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said:
"NCTE joins national LGBT advocates, countless numbers of businesses, and three-quarters of the public in urging President Obama to expand existing workplace protections to include trans employees of federal contractors. It's a problem we've documented in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey showing that 97 percent of transgender people have been harassed at work. Twenty-six percent said they were fired because they are trans or gender nonconforming."
Read the full statement here.
NCTE Recognizes Miss Universe for Commitment to Transgender Inclusion
In response to news that the Miss Universe Organization will announce a final policy allowing transgender women to participate in its beauty pageants, NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said:
"No one likes it when they're left out of something because of who they are. This is especially true for transgender peopleâÂÂpeople like Jenna TalackovaâÂÂwho are denied opportunities because they're told that who they are is 'unnatural.' So I get that Jenna probably still doesn't feel good about the situation. But it's a noteworthy thing for a group like the Miss Universe Organization and Donald Trump to switch positions allowing Jenna to participate, and to commit to developing transgender inclusive rules. This is a good thing, and it's a sign of how more and more people get trans issues."
Read the full statement here.
New Fact Sheet: Sexual and Reproductive Health for Transgender People"
Last week, in honor of National LGBT Health Awareness Week, we released a preview of this resource highlighting nine facts about sexual and reproductive health for transgender people. Too often, transgender people donâÂÂt seek medical care out of fear of discrimination or harassment. Other times, they donâÂÂt receive adequate care because their providers are unsure about what questions should be asked, or what screenings or treatments are needed.
The resource, Transgender Sexual and Reproductive Health: Unmet Needs and Barriers to Care, provides an overview of what providers can do to improve care.
Read more about the fact sheet here.
Download the resource here.
NCTE Releases Trans "Know Your Rights" Health Care Guide, Celebrates LGBT Health Awareness Week
Keisling on the Affordable Care Act Supreme Court Hearings: "It's a difficult position to be in knowing how much is at risk."
Today, as the National LGBT Health Awareness Week comes to a close, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) released Health Care Rights and Transgender People. The guide lays out the rights and protections transgender people have in health care, and the process for reporting instances of discrimination.
Read more about the resource here.
99 Steps Toward Transgender Equality
Download our new resource, "A Blueprint for Equality: A Federal Agenda for Transgender People"
The movement for transgender equality has grown in size and complexity since NCTE began its advocacy efforts. And throughout our success and challenges, we have honed our strategy, and developed a deeper understanding of the work still needed to be done. This agenda, outlined as 99 policy steps in 17 broad policy issues, will help us guide our advocacy efforts.
Read more about the resource here.
Download individual chapters in the "Federal Issues" tab in our resources page.
New LGBT Housing Discrimination Rule Now In Effect
NCTE releases "Know Your Rights" resource
Yesterday, new Obama Administration housing regulations went into effect strengthening protections for transgender and LGBT people. The regulations, announced by U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan, make discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation in federal housing programs illegal.
NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said, âÂÂWe are pleased that Secretary Donovan heard our concerns, and moved quickly to protect our community.âÂÂ
Read the full statement here.NCTE Welcomes Transgender Protections in Immigration Detention
PREA Rules and Other Reforms Still Needed
Washington, D.C. - The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) welcomes the release of revised standards for immigration detention from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. These new standards are an important step forward in the treatment of transgender people in detention facilities. However questions remain about how and when the standards will be implemented, and about ICE's commitment to implementing a law to prevent sexual abuse, and moving away from a prison-like detention model.
Read the full statement here.
NCTE Statement on the 9th Circuit Court Ruling
Mara Keisling: âÂÂThis is an important victory for transgender people.âÂÂ
Washington, D.C. â Today, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Proposition 8, a 2008 California ballot measure banning marriage equality in the state, is unconstitutional. In response, NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said:âÂÂTransgender people, their partners and their families are too often caught in the middle of these kinds of laws. And today, the Ninth Circuit Court joined our community in recognizing Proposition 8 for what it isâÂÂa discriminatory attack on decency and common sense, motivated by prejudice and discrimination."Read the full statement here.
In Response to Crackdown on Occupy Encampments, NCTE and Allies Issues a Trans Direct Action Resource
Trans People May Face Increased Risk of Mistreatment, Violence, and Arrest
Download the Resource
English | Spanish
Today, two blocks from our office, the National Park Service planned to evict Occupy D.C. protestors in McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza in accordance to a D.C. "no camping" rule. While many protestors have complied with the eviction notices, other demonstrators have ignored the National Park Service and have hunkered down in continued protest.
As reported by Gay City News, transgender people have been central figures from the beginning of the Occupy Movement, adding to a long history transgender people participating in direct actions.
Read the full statement here.
NCTE Commends LGBT Military Magazine for Addressing Open Transgender Service
NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling Interviewed Extensively Alongside Groundbreaking Profiles of Transgender Service Members and Veterans
To view the article in its entirety, please visit www.outservemag.com
In their groundbreaking January edition,ÃÂ OutServe Magazine profiles six current transgender service members and veterans, some sharing their stories in public for the first time. The article, entitled "The New DADT: Transgender Service," highlights the daily challenges transgender people face serving in silence, and the urgently needed policy changes necessary for ending this ban.
Despite the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," open transgender military service remains banned due to outdated military medical regulations. Mara Keisling spoke with the author of the article, Katherine Miller, about how to change these regulations. Keisling noted the significant progress federal agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs have made that could be foundational for the Armed Forces to begin making these changes.
Read the full statement here.
NCTE Praises New Federal Regulations Ensuring Fair Access to Housing
New Rule Makes LGBT Housing Discrimination Illegal
Today, the Obama Administration announced historic new federal rules that will strengthen housing discrimination protections for transgender and other LGBT people. The new regulations were announced by Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan at the 24th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, and will be officially published this coming week.
Secretary Shaun Donovan said, "Today, I am proud to announce a new Equal Access to Housing Rule that says clearly and unequivocally that LGBT individuals and couples have the right to live where they choose."
Read the full statement here.
Open Conference Call: Transgender Federal Policy in 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 8:00 PM EST.
Speakers: NCTE Executive Director, Mara Keisling and Policy Counsel, Harper Jean Tobin
After a very successful 2011, NCTE is ready for the new year. In fact several more victories are lined up for the coming months. Join us to learn about what is ahead and build on the successes of last year.
There are a limited number of lines available for this call. You must register here to participate.
Obama Administration Ups its Support of Human Rights for LGBT People Worldwide
NCTE Applauds Secretary Clinton Speech and White House Commitment
In response to Secretary Clinton's speech at the United Nations calling for global support of basic LGBT human rights, and President Obama's Memorandum to federal agencies abroad, NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling issued the following statement:
Secretary Clinton spoke about LGBT rights at the UN in Geneva and expressed a strong U.S. position in support of respect and fair treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people worldwide, making a case that ensuring our human rights is a basic responsibility of the United States and the world.
Read the full statement here.
Trans Federal Employees: A Guide for Your Workplace Rights
If you are a transgender federal employee, you’ve no doubt heard about the recent victories that make your job more secure and more fair. Today, we released a guide called "Transgender Federal Employees: Your Workplace Rights" for understanding your rights.
With about 2 million civilian employees, the US government is the nation’s largest employer. And since Barack Obama began his presidency, trans federal workers now enjoy strong workplace protections, and benefit from government-wide guidance on workplace transition issues. NCTE has worked very hard and successfully to move this along.
Read more about the guide here.
Download the guide here.
Startling Levels of Discrimination Against Latino/a Transgender People
New Analysis from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey
Latino and Latina transgender and gender non-conforming people face some of the highest levels of discrimination of all transgender people according to a new analysis released today, Injustice at Every Turn: A Look at Latino/a Respondents in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey.
Read the new analysis here.
Download the report in English and in Spanish.
NCTE's World AIDS Day Statement; Trans People Face Dire Risk
As we remember loved ones - living and dead - who have been touched by HIV and AIDS, NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling issued the following statement:
"For transgender people, World AIDS Day is a time for both quiet reflection and focused action. The truth is sobering--trans people have contracted HIV at rates four times the national average, with rates especially high among trans women and trans people of color. This epidemic, made worse by harassment, violence and unemployment, spells the tragic loss of trans people around the world.
Read the full statement here
NCTE's Statement on Congressman Barney Frank's Retirement Announcement
In response to news of Congressman Barney Frank's retirement announcement, NCTE's Executive Director Mara Keisling issued the following statement:
"While the relationship between Congressman Frank and transgender people has not always been smooth, the truth is that he has pushed very hard for trans rights in Congress and the administration over the last few years.
Read the full statement here.
NCTE Brief Obama Administration Officials on Anti-Transgender Violence
On Wednesday, transgender and LGBT anti-violence advocates met with Obama Administration officials to offer strategies for addressing the epidemic of violence against transgender people. Recognizing that violence is an especially horrific reality in so many transgender people’s lives, the Administration heard a broad range of policy ideas from the National Center for Transgender Equality and eight other organizations.
Read more here.
NCTE and GLSEN Jointly Release Model School Policy on Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Youth
The first-ever national policy resource co-authored by GLSEN and NCTE offers solutions for school districts to incorporate into existing policies and procedures that create safer and respectful school environments for all students regardless of their gender identity or gender expression.
Read about the resource here.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan to keynote 8th Anniversary Awards Ceremony
Secretary Shaun Donovan is leading the agency's work on advancing policies that protect transgender people in housing programs. NCTE is excited to welcome him as an event keynote speaker.
Please celebrate with us on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Announcing Our 8th Anniversary Award Honorees: Brian Bond and Donna Cartwright
NCTE is honoring Brian Bond, former Deputy Director of the White House Office of the Public Liaison, and Donna Cartwright, a founding NCTE board member, for their work in advancing transgender equality.
Please join us in honoring them on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Purchase tickets here.Tickets will also be sold at the door on a sliding scale.
Injustice at Every Turn: A Look at Black Respondents in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey
New analysis shows startling levels of discrimination against Black transgender people
Black transgender and gender non-conforming people face some of the highest levels of discrimination of all transgender people according to a new analysis released today, Injustice at Every Turn: A Look at Black Respondents in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey.
This report by the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is a supplement to the groundbreaking national study, Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, which was published in February and revealed widespread discrimination experienced by transgender and gender non-conforming people across the board.
Read the full statement here.
Social Security Administration No Longer Notifying Employers About Gender
Obama administration ends practice that led to job loss and outing of transgender workers
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has confirmed that it has ended the practice of allowing gender to be matched in its Social Security Number Verification System (SSNVS). This will result in the immediate cessation of SSA sending notifications that alert employers when the gender marker on an employee's W-2 does not match Social Security records.
The extent of the problem was made crystal clear when NCTE's Freedom of Information Act request was answered showing 711,488 gender no-match letters were sent in 2010 alone. Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality says, "Ending this practice, which has endangered transgender people and our jobs, has been a priority for NCTE and we are pleased that the SSA has updated its policy."
Read the full statement here.
NCTE and SLDN Advise Transgender Service Members: Coming Out May Lead to Discharge
September 14, 2011
As the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" makes open service possible for gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members, transgender people are still unable to serve openly. Existing military medical regulations, unrelated to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," classify transgender people as unfit to serve. Service members who publicly or privately identify as transgender, access transition-related care or have a related medical diagnosis remain at risk for being discharged. Transgender people interested in serving in the armed forces are barred from entry.
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) urge transgender service members to examine the implications if they choose to come out to fellow service members.
Read the full statement here.
NCTE Celebrates HHS Enforcement of Hospital Visitation Rights for Patients
September 7, 2011
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced new guidance that steps up enforcement of rules that allow patients to designate their own hospital visitors, and empowers patients to identify a person to make medical decisions should they become incapacitated. In response to these developments, NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling says:
"This continued commitment by the Obama Administration isn't only important for transgender people in same-sex relationships, or even transgender people who are perceived to be in a same-sex relationships. This is a victory for anyone who believes that, in times of need, we should all get to choose who to surround ourselves with."
Read the full statement here.
Guide for Shelters and Transgender Evacuees
August 26, 2011
From North Carolina to New York City, thousands of people have already evacuated their homes to escape Hurricane IreneâÂÂs path. Among them are transgender people who, like others, donâÂÂt have anywhere else to turn to except for evacuation shelters.
Considering the unique difficulties transgender evacuees encounter, NCTE, Lambda Legal, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force have issued these simple guidelines to assist shelters in making their spaces safe for transgender people.
Download the document here.
New Airport Security Technique Worries NCTE
August 17, 2011There are more changes coming from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). This week they launched a pilot program that involves conducting mandatory short interviews, dubbed âÂÂchat-downs,â with every traveler coming through BostonâÂÂs Logan Airport. Agents look for signs of nervousness or concealment, and any other suspicious behavior. âÂÂWe are looking for behaviors that are out of the norm,â the TSAâÂÂs local security director told National Public Radio.
But NCTE is concerned that mandatory âÂÂchat-downsâ will disparately affect transgender people, resulting in harassment and unwarranted selection for invasive screening.
Read the full article here.
Medicare Has You Covered
Friday, August 15, 2011
NCTE regularly receives inquiries from transgender beneficiaries and doctors on what Medicare benefits do and don't cover. As part of our federal aging policy agenda, NCTE has developed a new resource to address these questions. The document also explains how to navigate the appeal process for denials of coverage.
Download the document here.
NCTE Applauds Federal Appeals Court Ruling Upholding Transgender Inmates' Right to Medical Care
Friday, August 5, 2011
Today, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Wisconsin Department of Corrections' ban on medically necessary transition-related care for transgender inmates is unconstitutional. Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) said:
"This court ruling signifies the fast growing acceptance of transgender people, including those who are incarcerated. The court upholds access to medically necessary care for transgender people. And they've done this to address both the distressing safety conditions of transgender inmates, and the need to honor the private health decisions between doctors and patients. We needed this court ruling, and more importantly, we need other public services to follow suit."
Read the full statement here.
Amid DADT Repeal Certification, Transgender People Cannot Openly Serve
July 22, 2011
In response to reports that the U.S. Armed Forces is ready to repeal the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling says:
“NCTE rejoices whenever discriminatory laws end and ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was a discriminatory law and it needed to go. However, as repeal is certified, transgender servicemembers continue serving in silence. NCTE looks forward to the day when the U.S. Armed Forces ends discrimination in all its forms.”
Read the full statement here.
TSA Body Imaging Changes Still Put Transgender People at Risk
July 21, 2011
Yesterday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced software updates to their body scanners that are intended to show only foreign materials or objects that may pose security risks, without revealing the contours of the traveler's body.
While these updates have the potential to alleviate some privacy concerns, important questions remain about how this new technology will impact transgender people. Whatever the benefits of the new systems, it is clear that they may still reveal private personal items making transgender people targets for unfair scrutiny and invasive pat-downs. The changes also do nothing to curb the mistreatment and discrimination that transgender travelers already face in airport security.
Read the full statement here.
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Unveils Plan for Transgender Inclusive Research
June 29, 2011Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced plans for transgender inclusion in a critical national health survey. Building on commitments from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, this is an important advancement for transgender people and can help correct the gap in resources for transgender health.
“This is a big deal,” says Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “Transgender people haven’t been included in federal studies before because the research on how to study our community has not been available. We now have the Obama Administration's commitment to support the ground work needed to do the real research right.”
Read the full statement here.
Policy Brief: Birth Certificate Gender Markers
June 22, 2011
A birth certificate is an important document used to prove one’s identity and citizenship. For those who can afford one, a passport can serve the same purposes. However, the ability to change one’s sex designation on birth certificates remains an important issue for many transgender people. As lawyers at Lambda Legal point out, states have varying procedures for updating these documents, and a few actually prohibit changing the gender marker on birth certificates.
Many states model their policies for amending birth certificates on the Model Vital Statistics Act and Regulations (or Model Law). Currently being revised, the Model Law is developed by consultation between the state and federal governments and was last updated in 1992. The Model Law is intended to be a guide for states, so that states can model their own vital statistics laws and regulations after its suggestions.
Read the full brief here.
Policy Brief: Three Social Security Policies Worth Changing
June 21, 2011
NCTE advocates with many federal agencies on many issues. Often the policies we work for are obscure, small-seeming tweaks that most transgender people haven’t thought much about. They are important, but generally thought of or understood less. In other cases, the policies we want are very familiar and desperately important to many transgender people. One example is our advocacy with the Social Security Administration (SSA). Most transgender people know that SSA has a troublesome and outdated policy for changing gender markers on Social Security Accounts. And many folks are aware of the so-called “no-match letters” that many of us have received at work, effectively outing us as transgender when we have an inaccurate gender marker on our Social Security (SS) account. But transgender SSA policy work actually has a third component: SSA’s Program Operations Manual System (POMS) guidance that treats all marriages involving transgender people as “questionable” or suspect, without providing clear guidance, resulting in inaccurate and wasteful scrutiny of beneficiaries’ medical status. Clearly, we want to fix all three areas.
Read the full brief here.
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Read the Full Report (25 MB)
