National Center for Transgender Equality: News

News 2012

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NCTE Welcomes Lisa Mottet as Deputy Executive Director

Washington, DC - National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is hiring Lisa Mottet as its Deputy Executive Director. Mottet is among the most successful leaders in the LGBT movement driving much of the progress on local and state level transgender inclusive anti-discrimination laws and federal policy advocacy.

"In 2001, Lisa became the first attorney working full-time on trans rights at the national level when she started the Transgender Civil Rights Project at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (the Task Force). Since then, she has been a driving force expanding the number of jurisdictions with transgender-inclusive anti-discrimination laws from 5% to 45%. The whole staff is excited to have her on board to invigorate our local and state efforts while also stewarding our advocacy, fundraising, and communications priorities," said Mara Keisling, NCTE Executive Director.

NCTE has worked with Mottet around federal policy and state and local advocacy since NCTE started ten years ago. Mottet was one of the lead co-authors of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey that NCTE co-produced with the Task Force, which has changed the landscape of transgender policy advocacy. She also co-authored "Transitioning Our Shelters: A Guide to Making Homeless Shelters Safe for Transgender People," which is still the definitive guide in the subject area.

Mottet has also been a force in federal legislation and federal administrative policy advocacy, having led the successful strategy to add "gender identity" to the federal hate crimes bill before it passed, and being a lead architect behind a transgender inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

Keisling said, "Lisa is smart, politically savvy, well-connected and well-liked throughout the LGBT and transgender movements in the U.S. She has a rare combination of seeing both the large picture as well as the details of what will make an idea into a success and knows how to work with people and teams in a collaborative way."

Mottet is a graduate of the University of Washington and Georgetown University Law Center. Before law school, Mottet was a board member of Equality Washington. Her writing and advocacy has earned her top recognitions from the National LGBT Bar Association and from numerous state and local transgender advocacy groups, such as Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and Transgender Health Empowerment of Washington, DC.

To learn more or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

Over 30 Transgender Advocacy Groups Join National Call for Immigration Reform

Broad Coalition Release Statement of Principles on Immigration Reform Read the statement here.

Washington, DC - Today, as thousands march in the nation’s capital in support of immigration reform, the National Center for Transgender Equality and over 30 transgender service and advocacy groups released a Statement of Principles on Immigration Reform. The statement outlines fundamental policies critical for reform that affect the estimated 20,000 undocumented transgender adults in the U.S., and thousands of transgender youth who came to the U.S. at an early age and also lack legal status.

NCTE Director of Policy Harper Jean Tobin said, “For thousands of transgender immigrants and their families, the need for reform is especially urgent. They are frequently locked out of asylum protections when they come here fleeing anti-trans violence, denied recognition for their families, subjected to especially harsh and dangerous detention conditions, and often deported back into harm's way. This goes to the core of what NCTE stands for."

Statement signatories include local and national transgender advocacy groups from across the U.S. including the Trans People of Color Coalition, Gender Justice Nevada, and The TransLatin@ Coalition.

"Immigration is an issue that impacts us all and reform is necessary as the racial and ethnic composition of our country has vastly changed over the past few decades. These concerns must be addressed for us to move forward on every issue from the economy to education. Everyone deserves fair and just immigration policies that ensures dignity and respect," said Kylar W. Broadus, founder of the Trans People of Color Coalition (TPOCC)

Jane Heenan, Co-Director of Gender Justice Nevada, said, “Immigration reform is important because trans communities suffer specific and sometimes unspeakable harm from current policies. From the pervasive discrimination that keeps trans people from meeting employment requirements to the unreasonableness of immediately disclosing anti-trans persecution to officials, the current system does not work for trans communities."

Bamby Salcedo, Founder and President of The TransLatin@ Coalition said, “Immigration issues are trans issues and there are many trans brothers and sisters that are in the shadows because they may be undocumented, or they may have a loved one that is undocumented or detained in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center. We need to support immigration reform because it will provide a better way of life for many people who are still in the shadows, including trans people.”

The National Center for Transgender Equality will continue to work with LGBT, human rights, and immigrants’ rights organizations to advocate for common sense immigration reform.

Read the Immigration Reform Statement of Principles here.

NCTE Responds to Withdrawal of Medicare Public Comment Process

Washington, DC - Last night, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) withdrew the public comment process on updating the national coverage determination to include sex reassignment surgery. In response to this development, National Center for Transgender Equality Executive Director Mara Keisling said:

"What HHS did is very positive news from our perspective. They haven't stopped considering coverage of sex reassignment surgery under Medicare. Instead, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which is housed under HHS, decided to use a different administrative process to change whether Medicare covers medically necessary sex reassignment surgery. What matters is that we get a fair and scientific process. We'll win that every time."

To learn more or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

NCTE Celebrates Passage of a Strong LGBT-Inclusive Violence Against Women Act

Washington, DC - Today, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) celebrates the passage of a strong bipartisan Violence Against Women Act, which now heads to President Barack Obama for his signature. As one of NCTE’s top priorities for the year, we commend the U.S. House of Representatives for rejecting attempts to exclude lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, Native Americans and immigrants from the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling commended the passage of VAWA saying, “We are pleased that the House passed a strong Violence Against Women Act ensuring key protections for all survivors of violence. This is so important to the many transgender people who experience violence and abuse almost daily. VAWA will give all of our communities—LGBT, immigrant, and Native American—the access we need to services that protect us from abuse.”

A 2011 survey of 6,500 transgender and gender non-conforming people found that nearly a fifth of respondents (19%) have experienced domestic violence from a family member because of their gender identity. Ten percent of respondents faced denial of equal treatment or harassment and disrespect in domestic violence or shelter programs because of their gender identity. An additional one percent said they were physically assaulted in a domestic violence or shelter program because of their gender identity.

“Transgender victims of violence can be victimized again by a discriminatory system that’s supposed to help them,” said Keisling. VAWA extends crucial nondiscrimination protections to ensure that transgender people can access federally-funded programs for survivors of violence. VAWA also provides key protections for immigrants and Native Americans.

Keisling added, “Importantly, after President Barack Obama’s signature, the Violence Against Women Act will become our nation’s second fully LGBT-inclusive federal law after the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.”

NCTE and our allies at the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, the Human Rights Campaign, and other organizations will continue engaging with advocates to ensure that LGBT people have a role in the implementation of VAWA.

To learn more or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

NCTE Calls on Secretary Napolitano to Strengthen Standards to End Sexual Abuse in Immigration Detention

Washington, DC - The National Center for Transgender Equality urges Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to strengthen the standards to end sexual abuse and violence in immigration detention facilities.

Those standards would have protected people like Juan. Juan, a gay man, was detained by DHS where he was sexually assaulted by two other detainees.

"[The assailants] planned everything and made me agree and because I feared that they would do something to me [I] accepted," Juan said. Staff refused to transfer him to another facility, and instead, placed him in solitary confinement. Instead of protecting him from further abuse, staff told him to "walk like a man, not like a gay man."

In May 2012, the Department of Justice issued standards to address this problem in jails, prisons, and police lock-ups. NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said, "The Department of Justice took an important step in making sure that our government works to end sexual abuse in prison systems. And now, Secretary Napolitano has an opportunity to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security does the same for immigration detention facilities."

Already surviving rape from her home country, Esmeralda Soto was seeking asylum in the U.S. attempting to escape from further persecution. Esmeralda, a transgender woman, was forced to perform oral sex on an immigration official while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said, "We've got to fix this. As President Obama and Congress move closer to addressing our immigration system overall, Secretary Napolitano should remember that she already has the authority to reform and improve the way we treat people in immigration detention right now."

Secretary Napolitano is expected to issue standards to address sexual abuse in immigration detention facilities, however the proposed form of the standards include significant flaws. The standards currently allow some immigration detention facilities to delay adoption of these protections indefinitely and they do not require training all facility staff on critical topics such as working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and people with intersex conditions (LGBTI). The standards also do not adequately outline how to safely search and house transgender detainees.

Each year over 500,000 people are detained by the Department of Homeland Security, many are LGBTI people who face heightened risk of abuse.

When her attacker was arrested and jailed, Esmeralda suffered from retaliation and often feared for her life. Keisling said, "Secretary Napolitano can prevent future cases of violence if the Department of Homeland Security creates standards that protect everyone from sexual abuse regardless of gender identity or immigration status."

To learn more or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

NCTE Applauds Senate Passage of Violence Against Women Act

Calls on House to swiftly Pass bi-partisan bill that protects all survivors of violence.

Washington, DC - Today, by a vote of 78 to 22, the United States Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act, an inclusive landmark bill that would reauthorize funding of programs for survivors of violence and provide needed improvements to the law, including LGBT-inclusive protections.

In response to this development, NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling issued the following statement:

Today's Senate passage of VAWA is the first step to ensuring that every person in need, including LGBT people, immigrants, and Native Americans, have access to programs that serve survivors of violence. Now we need swift action from the House to pass this bi-partisan bill that protects all survivors of violence.

While the reauthorization languished in Congress for longer than a year, critical programs have seen their funding jeopardized, and some LGBT people have faced discrimination in accessing programs. While NCTE applauds the Senate for taking this important step, survivors of violence cannot wait any longer, including the almost 20 percent of transgender people who've reported facing domestic abuse.

We urge the leadership of the House of Representatives to stop their partisanship and make these programs more accessible. NCTE will continue to work with individuals and advocates to support the reauthorization of VAWA, and calls on the House to pass a strong, bi-partisan bill that protects all survivors of violence.

To learn more or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

NCTE Outlines Ambitious Policy Goals for the New Year, 13 Goals for 2013

Download 13 Goals for 2013 here.

Washington, DC - Today, the National Center for Transgender Equality released their policy goals for 2013. While NCTE continues to press assertively for the almost 100 policy goals described in the Blueprint for Equality document, these 13 goals represent policies that are likely to be attained before the year is over.

Many of these goals reflect a common theme: the Obama Administration has, and should use, broad authority to prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination by entities that receive federal funds, whether in employment, health care, housing, or education. For example, NCTE is calling on President Obama to issue an Executive Order prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation by federal contractors. The list also includes advocating the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to issue enforcement guidelines around the landmark Mia v. Macy decision banning gender identity discrimination in the workplace.

NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said, “A robust agenda requires robust action. 2013 is going to be another really big year with the expertise and connections that we have. We’ve laid the groundwork to get a lot done this year. And while we’ll continue to advocate for dozens of policies over the next four years, we’ll also keep training, keep educating, and keep pushing for these 13 specific advancements.”

To learn more or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights groups release joint statement on immigration reform as U.S. senators release set of principles for comprehensive immigration reform

Washington, D.C. - National lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organizations, including the National Center for Transgender Equality, today released a joint statement reiterating the call for a comprehensive immigration policy that ensures fair treatment of LGBT people and families under immigration law. It comes as a bipartisan group of U.S. senators today released a set of principles for comprehensive immigration reform, and as President Obama prepares to announce his own immigration plans tomorrow.

The full text of the LGBT groups' joint statement is below:

"We are fully committed to and deeply understand the need for this nation to adopt a humane and effective comprehensive immigration policy that ensures fair and just treatment for all those currently impacted by our failed immigration policy.

Any legislation must include the ability of couples in same-sex relationships to sponsor their spouse or permanent-partner in the same way opposite-sex couples have long been able to under current immigration law.

We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those striving for and dreaming of a nation that embraces all who come here seeking a better life. We look forward to working with Congress, the White House and every community harmed by our broken immigration system to finally achieve the comprehensive reforms we all so desperately need."

To learn more or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

Statement of U.S. LGBTQ and Allied Organizations on the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers"

The undersigned lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, Two Spirit and allied organizations mark the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers by calling for support for efforts worldwide to defend the lives and rights of all people involved in the sex trades.

We recognize that systemic homophobia and transphobia, racism, disproportionate poverty and homelessness, widespread discrimination, and an absence of pathways to immigration status, frequently limit the economic and survival options of LGBTQ people, particularly LGBTQ youth and adults of color and transgender people. These conditions not only inform and can contribute to the involvement of LGBTQ people in the sex trades, whether by choice, circumstance, or coercion – they also increase the vulnerability to violence and abuse against LGBTQ people in the sex trades.

We recognize that, of the many LGBTQ people who are victims of hate violence each year, many are -- or are perceived to be -- involved in the sex trades. Many are targeted for violence in part for this reason.

Just one month ago we observed the Transgender Day of Remembrance, when we commemorate the lives of transgender people who have been targeted for violence. Many of the people we remember today -- those lost to violence against sex workers and people in the sex trades -- are the same individuals we remembered on November 20.

We recognize that all too often police and other officials abuse both LGBTQ people and people who are or are perceived to be involved in the sex trades. LGBTQ people involved in the sex trades are among those most at risk of violence, yet often face indifference when reporting violence. We recognize that profiling of LGBTQ youth of color and transgender people for prostitution-related offenses remains pervasive in many communities and harms all LGBTQ people, exposing us to violence at the hands of police, prison officials, and immigration authorities.

We recognize that the voices and visions of LGBTQ people who are or have been sex workers or involved in the sex trades have historically been -- and continue to be -- at the forefront of movements for LGBTQ equality and freedom worldwide, and must play a leadership role in informing our responses to violence against people in the sex trades.

We recognize that policy approaches focused on increasing safety, opportunity, empowerment, and harm reduction, and which focus on meeting basic needs for housing, living wage employment, and health care through voluntary, LGBTQ-affirming and non-judgmental services are essential to ending violence against people involved in the sex trades. We believe that harsh punitive approaches only increase vulnerability to violence among those they seek to protect.

We recognize that violence against sex workers and people in the sex trades is an LGBTQ issue, and we stand committed to ending it.

Signing Organizations

American Civil Liberties Union	National Coalition for LGBT Health
Audre Lorde Project – New York, NY	National Council of Jewish Women
Best Practices Policy Project	National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
BreakOUT, New Orleans, LA	National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers	Native Youth Sexual Health Network
Community United Against Violence (CUAV) – San Francisco, CA	PFLAG National
Cream City Foundation	Persist Health Project - New York, NY
DC Trans Coalition – Washington, DC	Rainbow Response Coalition – Washington, DC
Equality Maryland	Red Umbrella Project
Family Equality Council	Queers for Economic Justice
Fair Wisconsin	Sex Workers Action New York
FIERCE – New York, NY	Sex Workers Outreach Project USA (SWOP-USA)
FORGE	SWOP Chicago
Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) – Washington, DC	SWOP NYC
Gender Justice Nevada	SWOP San Francisco Bay Area
GetEQUAL	Sex Workers Project at the Urban Justice Center – New York, NY
GLAAD	Streetwise and Safe – New York, NY
GMHC	Sylvia Rivera Law Project – New York, NY
Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive (HIPS) – Washington, DC	Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition
Human Rights Campaign	Trans Advocacy Network
Immigration Equality	Transgender Education Network of Texas
Lambda Legal	Transgender Health Empowerment (THE) Washington, DC
Louisiana Trans Advocates	Transgender Law Center
Make the Road New York	Trans Youth Equality Foundation
Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition	The Trevor Project
National Black Justice Coalition	VenusPlusX
National Center for Lesbian Rights	Women with a Vision – New Orleans, LA
National Center for Transgender Equality	YWCA
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs

Tea Party Group Targets Trans Voters

A right-wing, Tea Party organization called “True the Vote” is training their volunteer poll watchers to target transgender voters. True the Vote’s training manual features a transphobic image that claims transgender people are fraudulent voters and should be denied the right to vote.

NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said, “It is disgraceful that True the Vote would try to thug anyone into not voting. True the Vote’s true agenda is a shameful attempt to scare trans people away from participating in our democracy.”

Until this point, the concerted effort by right-wing, tea party groups to restrict voting rights with new Voter ID laws only inadvertently affected transgender voters. Only days away from Election Day, the discovery of True the Vote’s training manual marks a shift by right-wing groups to explicitly target transgender people and deny them a right to vote.

“Trans people are resilient,” said Keisling. “For trans people, voting is not just a right and a responsibility, for us it is also an important part of how we are winning our equality. Scare tactics like this won’t keep us from that.”

NCTE urges all transgender and gender non-conforming voters, regardless of their party affiliation or political beliefs, to ignore True The Vote’s shameful and unamerican attacks, and vote this Election Day.

In case you are challenged, be prepared by bringing NCTE’s “Voting While Trans Checklist” with you when you vote. The Checklist includes a message from NCTE to poll workers clarifying possible questions they may have about your identification. If a poll worker or poll watcher attempts to deny you a ballot, call the National Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) immediately.

To learn more, please visit www.votingwhiletrans.org. To speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

Transgender Americans Speak Out in New "Voting While Trans" PSA Series

New Campaign Highlights Impact of New Discriminatory Voter ID Laws

Watch the PSAs at www.votingwhiletrans.org.

Today, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) released a series of public service announcements outlining how transgender Americans can keep their right to vote this election day.

The PSAs, part of NCTE's "Voting While Trans" public awareness campaign, aim to educate and prepare transgender people for how to vote in their state and feature NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling, writer and advocate Janet Mock, actress Laverne Cox, performance artist Ignacio Rivera, Charles Meins, and poet Kit Yan.

New voter ID laws have created costly barriers to voting for many trans people. And much worse, the debate about voter ID laws have made even the idea of voting harder so many of us may feel discouraged from even trying to vote on election day," said NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling. "Our message is don't let them scare you into giving up your vote."

This year thousands of transgender Americans face being denied the right to to vote or having their vote discounted because of new strict photo ID law. The Williams Institute at UCLA estimates that more than 25,000 transgender people could lose their right to vote as a result of revised photo ID laws.

Keisling added, "Voter ID laws are dangerous. State legislatures have enacted them attempting to solve a fake problem. And as a result, transgender people--like students, veterans, low-income people of color, and older Americans--risk being denied ballots this year."

Getting accurate identification has been an old challenge for transgender people. Many states have overcome this problem by modernizing their laws on updating drivers licenses, making voting more accessible to transgender people. However, the passage of dozens of new voter ID laws and strict photo ID requirements will now make it much harder for many transgender people to vote.

"Every day, countless transgender Americans face challenges trying to secure IDs that reflect their true identity, and as a result, experience hardships in fundamental freedoms including the right to vote," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. "We all deserve to make sure our voice is heard. These new strict-photo ID laws will adversely impact thousands of already disenfranchised Americans, many of whom are transgender people of color, who may also be low income, elderly or have a disability."

NCTE and GLAAD, one of our "Voting While Trans" campaign partners, urge transgender people to verify whether their voter registration information matches the name and address on their identification, and to consult NCTE’s “Voting While Trans” resources to find out how to protect their rights at the polling place. While it is not required in order to vote, transgender people who are able to update their photo ID are encouraged to do so.

To learn more or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

NCTE Launches the TONI Project, a New Site for Trans College Students

www.TransStudents.org is a first-of-its-kind Online Hub for Student to Share Information and Take Action

The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) launched the Transgender On-campus Nondiscrimination Information (TONI) Project, our nation’s first online hub for trans students to share trans-affirmative college policies and practices, and exchange ideas for organizing and action.

NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said, “With the start of another academic year, the TONI Project isurgently needed. Colleges and universities have always been at the forefront of the progress we’ve made in trans inclusion. But there are still too many trans college students who have trouble getting to, paying for, and graduating from college.” Keisling added, “That’s why NCTE and our allies came together to develop this site and hope it’ll go a long way to make the challenges of college life just a little bit easier to overcome.”

Key features of the site include a searchable database of campus profiles that document a range of campus policies such as housing, records and documentation, healthcare, safety, and curricula. TONI is accessible tocurrent and prospective students in search of trans-affirmative colleges and universities. TONI Project usersalso have access to a community forum where they can share ideas for taking action.

Keisling added, “Study after study from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey to the Campus Climate Index tells us that trans and gender non-conforming college students face real problems on campus. Fifteen percent leave school because they faced severe harassment. We can’t continue to allow trans students to make choices as important as this without having all the information in front of them. And we have to hold colleges accountable for how they treat young people in our community.”

TONI serves as a tool to counteract these challenges, empowering transgender students to advocate for their rights and complete their education. As a platform for transgender students to connect and share valuable information, the TONI Project will spread valuable knowledge and encourage activism on campuses across the nation.

To learn more or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

NCTE Condemns Sensationalist Trans Segment on "Anderson Live"

Exclusive Anderson Cooper Interview Airing Tomorrow, Sept. 13th, Features Dangerous and Sensational Claims About Trans People

Washington, D.C. – Tomorrow, Anderson Live will feature an exclusive interview with a person who claims an anti-baldness drug made them transgender. In response to the show’s decision to air the segment, National Center for Transgender Equality Executive Director Mara Keisling said:

All of us here at the National Center for Transgender Equality are surprised, saddened and disappointed that a respected show like Anderson Live would give credence to this type of sensationalism and misinformation. This segment is just another case of sensationalizing an already marginalized population plain and simple.

The segment, as described on the Anderson Live website, says “Mandi, who was born male, speaks out for the first time, claiming that a hair loss treatment caused him to become transgender. Mandi is joined by her ex-wife, Michelle, who opens up about how Mandi’s identity transformation has affected their son.”

Keisling added, “In the past, Anderson Cooper and his team have earned a great deal of respect from trans people for their coverage of our issues. Tomorrow, they’ll throw all of that away. Worst of all, they seem set on misinforming the public about the causality of trans identity.”

Anderson Cooper’s other show, AC360 on CNN, airs a segment called “Keeping Them Honest,” in which he addresses hypocrisy among public figures and elected officials on, among other things, critical lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. NCTE urges transgender advocates and allies to keep Anderson Cooper honest about how this segment does real harm to real trans people.

“Anderson Cooper knows better than this. Anderson’s team is better than this,” said Keisling.

To learn more or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112, (c) 202-631-9640.

NCTE Releases "Voting While Trans" Resources to Mitigate Impact of Voter ID Laws

Over 25,000 Trans Voters Could Expect Problems in the Fall

Download the resources

Washington, DC - The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) released two new resources to help address the impact of new voter ID laws. Conservative estimates from the Williams Institute at UCLA indicate that more than 25,000 transgender people could lose their right to vote.

NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said, "Transgender people are already imagined to be committing gender fraud. Now these new voter ID laws could set us up to be accused of voter fraud." Keisling added, "Most transgender people have never had problems voting before but this year is different. When a transgender person shows up to a polling place with a name or appearance that isn't perceived to match their voter registration records or their photo ID, they could be turned away."

Voting While Trans: Preparing for the New Voter ID Laws will explain what identification transgender people need to vote in their state. And the Voting While Trans Checklist is a one-page guide to educate poll workers and election officials on the voting rights of transgender people.

Actress and transgender advocate Laverne Cox said "NCTE's new Voting While Trans resources are essential tools for trans folks to make sure we don't lose our right to vote in a critical election season."

The National Transgender Discrimination Surveya found that a third (33%) of the respondents who have transitioned have not been able to update any of their legal documents due to outdated medical requirements and cost. Keisling said, "Gender discrepancies on ID, suspicion based on appearance and the lack of the required form of ID may lead to, at best, confusion at the polls, and at worst, being denied a vote."

Transgender writer and advocate Janet Mock said "These restrictive voting measures don't only make it difficult for trans people to meet ID requirements, but these patchwork of laws attempts to suppress our voices and strip us of our right to stand behind the issues that matter most to us."

NCTE urges transgender people to use these resources to inform how they prepare to vote in their state. While many of these laws are currently being contested in courts and by the Department of Justice, transgender people are strongly encouraged to update their records assuming that the voter ID laws in their state go into effect on Election Day.

To speak with Laverne Cox, Mara Keisling or Janet Mock, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112 (c) 202-631-9640.

NCTE Joins 40 National LGBT Organizations in Condemning the Shooting at the Family Research Council

Joint statement regarding shooting at Family Research Council (FRC) from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizations

We were saddened to hear news of the shooting this morning at the offices of the Family Research Council. Our hearts go out to the shooting victim, his family, and his co-workers.

The motivations and circumstances behind today's tragedy are still unknown, but regardless of what emerges as the reason for this shooting, we utterly reject and condemn such violence. We wish for a swift and complete recovery for the victim of this terrible incident.

Michael Adams Executive Director, Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)

Tico Almeida President, Freedom to Work

Katie Belanger Executive Director, Fair Wisconsin

Wayne Besen Founding Executive Director, Truth Wins Out

A.J. Bockelman Executive Director, PROMO

Sharon Brackett Board Chair, Gender Rights Maryland

Carly Burton Deputy Director, MassEquality

Dr. Eliza Byard Executive Director, Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

Jennifer Chrisler Executive Director, Family Equality Council

Brad Clark Executive Director, One Colorado

R. Clarke Cooper Executive Director, Log Cabin Republicans

Dwayne Crenshaw Executive Director, San Diego LGBT Pride

Heather Cronk Managing Director, GetEQUAL

Jerame Davis Executive Director, National Stonewall Democrats

Ben de Guzman, Co-Director of Programs, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)

Emily Dievendorf Director of Policy, Equality Michigan

James Esseks Director, ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Project

Lynn A. Faria Interim Executive Director, Empire State Pride Agenda

Jenna Frazzini Executive Director, Basic Rights Oregon

Joshua A. Friedes Spokesperson, Equal Rights Washington

Herndon Graddick President, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)

Chad Griffin President, Human Rights Campaign (HRC)

Jody M. Huckaby Executive Director, PFLAG National (Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians and Gays)

Mara Keisling Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality

Kate Kendell Executive Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)

Abbe Land Executive Director & CEO, The Trevor Project

Gregory Lewis Executive Director, True Colors Fund

Eileen Ma Executive Director, API Equality-LA

David Mariner Executive Director, The DC Center for the LGBT Community

Ineke Mushovic Executive Director, Movement Advancement Project

National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs

Darlene Nipper Deputy Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

Donna Red Wing Executive Director, One Iowa

Marisa Richmond, Ph.D. President, Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC)

Aubrey Sarvis Executive Director, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network

Josh Seefried Co-Director, OutServe

Peggy Shorey Executive Director, Pride at Work

Brian Silva Executive Director, Marriage Equality USA

Lee Swislow Executive Director, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders

Rachel B. Tiven, Esq. Executive Director, Immigration Equality

Shane Windmeyer Executive Director, Campus Pride

Chuck Wolfe President & CEO, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Institute

Evan Wolfson President, Freedom to Marry

HHS Affirms that Healthcare Discrimination Law Protects Against Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed that it views a 2010 law prohibiting sex discrimination in health care services as protecting from discrimination based on gender identity and gender stereotyping.

NCTE and ally organizations asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for clarification on Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. In response, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has affirmed our view that the law banning sex discrimination in federally-funded health services includes discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

The HHS confirmation came in response to a letter to several LGBT organizations, including NCTE, seeking clarification of the law. In recent years, there has been a strong legal trend toward recognizing discrimination on these bases is covered under existing sex discrimination laws. The response noted that the Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights will investigate such complaints and treat them as forms of discrimination based on sex, which is prohibited by law if an entity receives federal funds.

NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said, “This anti-discrimination law, enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act, creates an important new tool to combat anti-LGBT and especially anti-transgender discrimination in health care.” The National Transgender Discrimination Survey found that one in five transgender people have been denied care by a medical provider. That survey and anecdotal evidence show that transgender people are too often turned away by doctors, mistreated by ambulance crews, and even thrown out of hospital emergency rooms.

“HHS affirms our position that these abuses are now clearly illegal,” said Keisling. “But a law explicitly banning health care discrimination based on gender identity is the next step. Our community needs medical providers to know what their obligations are and passing a law is the strongest and clearest way to do that.”

Because of this development, LGBT patients facing discrimination at hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, or other medical providers that accept Medicare or Medicaid (or other forms of federal funding) can file complaints of discrimination with HHS and expect to have those complaints taken seriously. NCTE strongly urges transgender people who are facing harassment or discrimination to use our health care “know your rights” resource to advocate for respectful care.

To speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

NCTE Policy Counsel Harper Jean Tobin Honored as a Top LGBT Lawyer Under 40

The National LGBT Bar Association has named National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) Policy Counsel Harper Jean Tobin as one of the "Best LGBT Lawyers 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.

In a competitive review process Tobin was recognized by her peers for her work in advancing the rights of transgender people. Her research, writing, legal expertise and leadership have led to significant policy victories including:

Release of PREA standards including respectful treatment of transgender prisoners Trained DMV employees from all 50 states and the District of Columbia on our model driver's license policy
HUD rule prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity for federally-funded and federally-insured housing programs
Removal of gender marker from the Social Security Administration's largest matching service, ending the involuntary outing of trans employees to their employers
Several federal agencies include gender identity in their EEO policies
Passage of a federal hate crimes law that includes gender identity with sexual orientation

"Harper Jean has quickly become one of the country's leading authorities on transgender law and federal policy," said Mara Keisling, NCTE Executive Director. "Without her, NCTE could not have achieved the tremendous federal policy gains for transgender equality that we have over the last few years. She has led our policy team with determination and commitment to the cause."

Tobin's writing on law, policy and transgender equality has been published in the Harvard Kennedy School's LGBTQ Policy Journal, Notre Dame's Journal of Legislation, the Yale Law Journal Pocket Part, the Columbia Journal of Gender & the Law, the Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law, Clearinghouse Review, the National Law Journal, The Nation, and Roll Call.

Harper Jean also regularly provides commentary to national news publications like the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Advocate Magazine, and the Huffington Post. She received degrees in law and social work from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and is an alumna of Oberlin College.

To speak to Harper Jean Tobin, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / 202-903-0112.

New analysis shows startling levels of discrimination against Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander transgender people

Download National Transgender Discrimination Survey: A Look at Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander (API) Respondents

Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander (API) transgender and gender non-conforming people face high levels of discrimination according to an analysis released today, National Transgender Discrimination Survey: A Look at Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Respondents.

This analysis by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)is a supplement to the comprehensive national study released last year, the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, which revealed widespread discrimination experienced by transgender and gender non-conforming people across the board.

A key finding of the full report was that, even given the high levels of discrimination against all transgender people in the U.S., people of color experienced heightened levels of discrimination and had worse outcomes than the sample overall. API transgender people faced the combination of anti-transgender bias with structural and interpersonal racism.

"From employment discrimination to education to health care disparities, Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander transgender people are suffering at high rates due to bigotry, racism and transphobia," says Anjali Chaudhry, who serves on the board of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance. "This is unacceptable. NQAPIA is committed to bringing visibility to these inequities and to creating a world where transgender and gender non-conforming people can go about their daily lives without fear of discrimination, harassment or violence."

The new supplemental analysis was released at the 2012 NQAPIA Conference, which kicked off today in Washington, D.C. Among the findings:

API transgender people had a high unemployment rate at 12 percent, nearly twice the rate of the general population at the time the survey was fielded (7 percent).
API transgender people often live in extreme poverty, with 18 percent reporting a household income of less than $10,000/year. This is higher than the rate for transgender people of all races (15 percent), six times the general API population rate (3 percent) and over four times the general U.S. population rate (4 percent).
API respondents who attended school as transgender people reported alarming rates of harassment (65 percent), physical assault (39 percent) and sexual assault (19 percent) in K-12; harassment was so severe that it led 11 percent to leave school. Six percent were also expelled due to bias.
Nearly 5 percent of API transgender people reported being HIV-positive and an additional 10 percent reported that they did not know their status.
Forty-four percent (44%) of API transgender and gender non-conforming people have experienced significant family acceptance. Those respondents who were accepted by their families were much less likely to face discrimination.

"The numbers make clear the way that racism, anti-immigrant and anti-transgender bias all work together, often with devastating results in the lives of API transgender people," says Darlene Nipper, deputy executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "This report is a critical call to action. We must ensure that we continue to work toward an LGBT movement that prioritizes immigration, racial and economic justice."

"These findings underscore the importance of recognizing that API transgender people are a significant and too often marginalized part of both API and LGBT communities, and a community that faces substantial and sometimes unique challenges," said Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "And the broader racial justice analysis has too often excluded APIs. This research contributes to our long-held belief that policy makers must understand and act on the deep disparities that exist within people of color communities."

The National Transgender Discrimination Survey: A Look at Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Respondents is available in English, Chinese (traditional), Hindi, Korean, Tagalog, Tamil and Vietnamese.

To speak with Mara Keisling please contact Vincent Paolo Villano atvvillano@transequality.org / (o) 202-903-0112 (c) 202-631-9640.

Trans Americans Celebrate Health Care Victory at the Court

Decision Affirms Ban on Cancelling Care for Trans People and People Who Are HIV+

The nation's advocating on behalf of transgender people celebrate the ruling and express strong support for implementation of the law's key protections over the next two years.

Today the United States Supreme Court delivered a huge victory to nationwide efforts to establish a health care system that works for everyone, including transgender communities and the 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. By upholding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), today's decision delivers on the promise of health care for more than 30 million uninsured Americans.

In response to the U.S. Supreme Court's health care decision, NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said, "the Supreme Court's decision is a historic ruling affirming a historic law."

Today's ruling upholds critical protections for transgender people and their families. We celebrate this ruling and the benefits it will have in improving access to quality, affordable health care for transgender people without discrimination. There is no doubt that this law will hugely benefit transgender people and all people in the coming years.

This is an important victory for transgender people and their families. The law addresses many of the most pressing problems impacting the health of transgender people and their access to quality care, including financial barriers to insurance coverage and to preventive health care, and discrimination in the insurance market and by health care providers.

Keisling said, "All the time, people tell me that their health care coverage has been denied or cancelled because they are trans or are living with HIV. Others tell me about doctors who refused to see them because they are trans. Fortunately, the Court looked at the health of our country with fairness and upheld the law ending the practice of denying or dropping coverage for pre-existing conditions and allowing other key provisions to take effect."

The preservation of the ACA is the best possible outcome for LGBT communities. According to Secretary Sebelius, LGBT people "face numerous barriers to health--from providers who don't understand their unique health needs to difficulty getting health insurance because they can't get coverage through a partner or spouse. And unfortunately, throughout our country many LGBT individuals still face discrimination and bigotry in the health care system." Fortunately, she notes, "the Affordable Care Act may represent the strongest foundation we have ever created to begin closing LGBT health disparities."

The law for the first time prohibits gender-based discrimination by most health care providers--a ban that extends to discrimination based on gender identity and gender stereotypes, and thus provides critical protection for LGBT people. The law will also prohibit insurers from denying or canceling insurance because a person is transgender or has HIV or another medical condition. It will provide premium credits and expanded Medicaid eligibility to enable many individuals and families to obtain insurance for the first time. The law requires plans to cover a range of key services, and prohibits co-pays for many routine tests and other preventive care. The law includes several provisions that can improve the health and well-being of LGBT older adults, such as strengthening Medicare, expanding Medicaid, improving community long-term services and supports, and providing additional elder abuse and nursing home transparency protections. And the law has tremendous potential to impact the fight against HIV/AIDS, which is still a major transgender health crisis, by expanding access to testing and treatment and supporting community prevention efforts.

The law is a milestone achievement in the long pursuit of LGBT health equity. We applaud the Court's ruling and we will continue working with HHS as the law is fully implemented.

In March of this year, NCTE issued a health care "know your rights" guide outlining laws and policies that offer protection for transgender people in health care. Download the resource here.

To speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / 202-631-9640.

NCTE and SAGE Release Comprehensive New Resource on Transgender Older Adults

Download Improving the Lives of Transgender Older Adults: Recommendations for Policy and Practice | Executive Summary

Today, NCTE and Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) released Improving the Lives of Transgender Older Adults: Recommendations for Policy and Practice, a new resource on the current state of transgender aging. Transgender older adults face unique challenges including overwhelming disparities in health and health care access, employment, housing, and more. The report recognizes the importance of examining these factors as they directly affect the financial security, health, and overall well-being of older transgender individuals.

Transgender individuals face many challenges associated with aging, including declining health, diminished income, and the loss of friends and family. Yet they also face additional challenges such as discrimination and hostility when accessing the services meant to support older adults," said Michael Adams, Executive Director of SAGE. "Now, with this report, policymakers and aging service providers will gain a clear picture of the current state of transgender aging, and a roadmap of what they can do to improve policies and practices to ensure that transgender older adults age successfully."

The report includes a detailed literature review, profiles of personal experiences of transgender elders around the country, and more than 60 concrete recommendations for policymakers and practitioners. The Advisory Committee of the Transgender Aging Advisory Initiative identified four priority areas for policy advocacy to improve the lives of transgender older adults based on their expected impact if accomplished, as well as the expected feasibility of accomplishing them within the next 1-2 years:

Achieve inclusion and nondiscrimination in aging services by classifying LGBT older adults as a group with "greatest social need" and reauthorizing protections of older Americans to include LGBT people.

Promote best practices in long-term care by developing LGBT competency trainings and providing tools for long-term care facilities while including respect for the gender identity and expression of residents in specific guidelines.

Protect privacy in Social Security programs by updating the Social Security Administration (SSA) policies to permit individuals to change their gender designation without intrusive medical information while eliminating gender as a data field in SSA's automated verification programs.

Build a foundation of knowledge by including questions about gender identity and sexual orientation in federally-funded population-based surveys.

Harper Jean Tobin, NCTE Policy Counsel said, "Transgender older adults want to live healthy and independent lives and maintain dignity as they age. But this population faces unique challenges that the aging field as well as the LGBT community need to pay attention to."

NCTE and SAGE will continue to advocate for these policy changes to ensure that older transgender adults have access to the necessary services and are treated with respect.

To speak to Harper Jean Tobin or Michael Adams, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / 202-631-9640.

VICTORY: Landmark Standards Released Today Aim to End Prison Rape and Abuse

The U.S. Department of Justice today released landmark National Standards to Prevent, Detect and Respond to Prison Rape. Building on the recommendations provided by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and many allied advocates, the Standards include critical provisions for the operation of prisons and the treatment of transgender and gender nonconforming inmates, all aimed at ending sexual abuse.

These standards represent nearly a decade of study and effort to comprehensively address rampant sexual abuse in confinement. The standards address several problems transgender people, as well as those with intersex conditions, face, including:

Requiring a case-by-case consideration for housing in a male or female facility that is not based on genital status, meaning more trans women will be housed with other women.
Limiting the use of isolating “protective custody” that can amount to torture.
Limiting the use of segregated LGBTI units that are often treated as a quick fix and can stigmatize individuals.
Requiring staff training for professional communication with and treatment of transgender and gender nonconforming inmates and those with intersex conditions to aid in assessing inmate vulnerabilities to sexual abuse.
Banning the search or physical examination of transgender inmates and those with intersex conditions solely for determining their genital status.
Minimizing stigma and the threat of abuse from staff by disallowing dedicated LGBTQI units and facilities.
Requiring facilities to have multiple channels for reporting abuse without placing a time limit on when inmates can file grievances.

NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said, “We have an obligation as civilized people to protect the people we incarcerate. That has always been an American promise, but one we have barely tried to keep. These new standards, if fully implemented, have the potential to help us keep that promise at least in terms of sexual assault.”

More than 216,000 youth and adults are sexually abused in prisons, jails and juvenile detention facilities each year. A new report released today by the Department of Justice confirmed that LGBT people face shocking rates of sexual abuse, and our analysis shows that more than one in three transgender former inmates was sexually abused. Studies have shown that trans women are thirteen times more likely than others to be sexually assaulted while incarcerated. Seven percent of respondents in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey reported being locked up at some point in their lives due to their gender identity. These rates skyrocketed for Black (41%) and Latino/a (21%) people.

“These statistics point to a grave failure to protect individuals from abuse,” said NCTE Policy Counsel Harper Jean Tobin. “If the DOJ statistics are true, the problem can only be more pervasive for transgender inmates. And combining the trauma of sexual abuse with inadequate medical and health care may lead to other poor health outcomes like depression, substance abuse, and increased HIV infections that all take a heavy toll on survivors and their families”

Keisling added, “The safety of trans people behind bars is of particular concern because too often trans people are incarcerated only because they are transgender or because of how they’ve been forced to live because of being trans.”

One critical gap in the new standards is their failure to fully and immediately cover facilities dedicated to housing individuals detained for immigration purposes. Without these standards, transgender and other immigrant detainees remain at risk for abuse. Under a memorandum issued by President Obama today, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services are required to develop their own standards to implement PREA over the next eight months. NCTE calls upon DHS and HHS to act swiftly within the 120-day deadline to promulgate rules that are fully equivalent to the new standards.

Congress unanimously passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) in 2003. Since that time, a Congressionally-appointed commission and the Department of Justice have held countless hearings and three separate public comment periods to develop these standards. LGBT survivors and advocates weighed in at every step of the process, and NCTE worked with other LGBT advocates including the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the Transgender Law Center, Immigration Equality, the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and others to jointly file more than 100 pages of comments regarding the standards over the past two years.

The final standards apply to all prisons, jails, police lock-ups, juvenile detention centers, and community confinement facilities nationwide that accept federal funds. Federal prisons must comply immediately, while all other facilities have one year to comply. Violators could face federal funding penalties.

NCTE and other advocates will continue to work with the Department of Justice and the Administration to ensure swift implementation of these standards, and work to ensure that immigrant detainees are protected from sexual abuse.

To speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / 202-631-9640.

NCTE Welcomes Obama Administration's Endorsement of Safe Schools Bills

Executive Director Mara Keisling: "Congress must act quickly to protect our transgender young people."

In response to President Obama's endorsement of the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) and the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA), NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said:

"These two safe schools bills are just tremendously important to trans youth and President Obama's endorsement is another example of his broad commitment to trans people and trans issues. We are thankful to Senators Al Franken and Bob Casey and Representatives Jared Polis and Linda Sanchez for their leadership on these issues. According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, trans and gender nonconforming young people face startling amounts of harassment, assault and sexual violence at school, with more extreme rates of harassment and violence among trans youth of color. Trans kids are hurting and we have a way to stop that. Congress must act quickly to protect our transgender young people."

To speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / 202-631-9640.

Updated Advisory: NCTE's Mara Keisling to be a Featured Guest on MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry Show

Keisling joins a panel of advocates talking about the trans movement, employment nondiscrimination

When Sunday, April 15, 2012, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
What

For the first time in recent memory, a major television network will dedicate an hour-long panel to discussing transgender social and political issues. NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling will be a featured guest on the show joining other recognized experts on trans issues. The panel will focus broadly on advancing transgender equality and other political issues.

Mara Keisling is the founding Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. Mara is a transgender woman and a parent. As one of the nation’s leading voices for transgender equality, Mara has appeared on news outlets such as CNN and CSPAN, and is regularly quoted in the New York Times, the Washington Post and hundreds of other national and local print and electronic media.

Keisling will be joined by:

Kate Bornstein, a writer and performance artist
Joy-Ann Reid, MSNBC Contributor and Managing Editor of TheGrio.com
Allison Kilkenny, reporter for The Nation
Mel Wymore, openly trans candidate to the New York City Council, and
Kai Wright, Editorial Director of Colorlines.com

Follow NCTE on Twitter at @TransEquality for updates and reactions. Use the #nerdland and #trans hashtags. Click here for more information.

To speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at vvillano@transequality.org / 202-631-9640.

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 make clear that if a couple has married as a different-sex couple under state law, the federal government will not deny that recognition regardless of a person’s prior or subsequent gender transition.

The revisions will be updated in 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 reduces bureaucratic delays, intrusive questions, and wrongful denials of immigration benefits.”

Significantly, the gender designation change is modeled after the U.S. State Department’s updated passport policy, which does not require sex reassignment surgery. “This Guidance is an important step forward for transgender immigrants and their families,” said Victoria Neilson, legal director for Immigration Equality. “It brings USCIS in line with DOS in its guidance for updating gender markers on identity documents – no longer requiring any specific surgery, but instead allowing a doctor to certify the individual’s gender."

NCTE has been working with Immigration Equality to advance these urgently needed policies, part of our comprehensive agenda for the fair treatment of transgender immigrants. Neilson added, “The memo affirms existing law and precedents, and recognizes that if a marriage is considered valid and opposite sex under state law, it is valid for immigration purposes.”

“And while these two revisions aid trans immigrants, U.S. Citizens who marry immigrants, they only highlight the need to eliminate the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act,” said Tobin.

For specific questions about taking advantage of this guidance, please contact Immigration Equality here.

For more information or to speak with Harper Jean Tobin or Victoria Neilson, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-631-9640 / vvillano@transequality.org or Steve Ralls at 202-347-7007 / sralls@immigrationequality.org

NCTE Statement on Federal Contractors Executive Order: Expansion of Policy Urgently Needed

Washington, D.C. - 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.”

Over the last several years, NCTE has joined national advocates from the Center for American Progress, the Williams Institute, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Freedom to Work, and the Human Rights Campaign in pressing President Obama to expand Executive Order 11246 to include gender identity and sexual orientation. In response to reports that movement on this executive order would be delayed, Mara Keisling said:

“President Obama right now has the power to stop trans employees of federal contractors from getting fired on the job. Of course, we also need the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, but we can solve a small but important part of the problem now. What we know is that the White House is going to take a more active role in addressing anti-LGBT discrimination in the workplace. But trans people and their loved ones can’t wait. We need to get this done as quickly as we can, and NCTE will continue to work with the White House to make sure that we do.”

For more information or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-631-9640 / vvillano@transequality.org.

NCTE Recognizes Miss Universe Organization 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 people—people like Jenna Talackova—who 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."

The National Center for Transgender Equality, a social justice policy and advocacy organization, recognizes the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and other groups for quickly engaging senior levels of the organization including its owner, Donald Trump, to update the policy. NCTE has spoken out about Jenna's experience and has provided GLAAD with resources to assist the Miss Universe Organization in developing their final policy.

In a statement issued today, GLAAD clarified their work with the Miss Universe Organization. GLAAD spokesperson Herndon Graddick said, “Jenna and all of the LGBT advocates who have called for this change and spoken out in support of transgender women are to be commended. At a time when transgender people are still routinely denied equal opportunities in housing, employment and medical care, today’s decision is in line with the growing levels of public support for transgender people across the country.”

Keisling added, "We thank Jenna for standing up for herself and for all of us. Her case is just one in hundreds of examples where a person has something taken away—a job, a house, or a loved one—because they're trans. And not every trans person gets access to legal representation to help them. There are too many other stories of trans people who experience unbearable circumstances. The support Jenna has received must also support other trans people. And I believe that progress here can influence change in other places that impact our lives."

NCTE understands the legitimate position that beauty pageants reinforce narrow standards of women's beauty. However, we will always support any trans person who is facing discrimination.

For more information or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

New LGBT Housing Discrimination Rule Now In Effect

NCTE Releases “Know Your Rights” Resource for Transgender People

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, “We are pleased that Secretary Donovan heard our concerns, and moved quickly to protect our community.”

The new rule, having completed a mandatory 30-day waiting period, updates current federal housing and housing-related programs prohibiting owners and operators of federally-funded or federally-insured housing, as well as lenders offering federally-insured mortgages from discriminating based on gender identity or sexual orientation; and clarifying the definition of "family" to ensure that LGBT families are not excluded from HUD programs.

With the rule now in effect, NCTE released a new resource to assist transgender people in understanding their rights. NCTE Policy Counsel Harper Jean Tobin said, “These regulations are a significant advancement in fair housing access for transgender people. The next step is ensuring that transgender people know their rights and can educate housing administrators about them.”

The guide, called “Know Your Rights: Fair Housing and Transgender People,” identifies transgender protections in current law, and outlines the process for reporting discrimination claims. Research from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey show that 19% of transgender and gender non-conforming people had been refused a home or apartment and 11% had been evicted because of their gender identity or expression. The study also showed that 19% of transgender people have been homeless at some point in their lives, and 29% of those had been turned away from homeless shelters and a majority were harassed when they could get in to a shelter.

“It is our hope,” Tobin said, “that this guide helps empower transgender people to assert their rights, and add to the strength of the regulations and the recent guidance on the Fair Housing Act to ensure that no one is denied housing because of who they are.”

For more information or to speak with Mara Keisling or Harper Jean Tobin, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

NCTE Welcomes Transgender Protections in Immigration Detention

PREA rules and other reforms still needed

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.

ICE's new detention standards incorporate for the first time key principles for protecting the health and safety of transgender detainees. These principles include making housing decisions on an individual basis that looks to protect the individuals rather than focusing on their sexual anatomy - a change that should permit transgender women to be more frequently housed in women's facilities. The new standards also require that all transgender people have access to hormone therapy and other necessary medical care.

"These new standards, if fully implemented have the potential to create meaningful improvements in detention conditions," said Harper Jean Tobin, NCTE Policy Counsel. "That can only happen if they are fully implemented and facilities that contract with ICE face real consequences for noncompliance. And, reform cannot stop there. The new standards are still based on a prison model where individuals lack privacy, dignity, and freedom of movement."

NCTE has worked with a broad and diverse coalition of human rights groups to advocate for improvement in the often harsh conditions for detained immigrants, including many who came to the U.S. fleeing persecution because of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

These improvements, consistent with the Administration's call to overhaul the immigration detention system, marks significant progress but does not fully address the concerns facing transgender immigrant detainees. The standards are also not an adequate substitute for applying the forthcoming rules to implement the Prison Rape Elimination Act, which comprehensively address the prevention of sexual abuse, to all immigration detention facilities.

NCTE calls on ICE to undertake the following, lifesaving changes:

Work swiftly to fully apply the new standards to all facilities and impose strong sanctions for noncompliance;
Fully adopt and abide by forthcoming national rules to implement the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003; and,
Develop and implement new, binding standards for civil confinement that are not based on a correctional model.

NCTE will continue to advocate with ICE and other relevant government agencies to enforce these new standards, make them even stronger, and making sure the forthcoming Prison Rape Elimination Standards are applied to immigration detention centers.

For more information or to speak to Harper Jean Tobin, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

NCTE Statement on the 9th Circuit Court Ruling

Mara Keisling: “This is an important victory for transgender people.”

Washington, D.C. – 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:

“Transgender 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 is–a discriminatory attack on decency and common sense, motivated by prejudice and discrimination. Today’s ruling is about ensuring that our laws are clean of prejudice, and truly protects us all. Regardless of the make-up of our relationships, the ruling once again shows that justice and equality are advancing.”

We congratulate the plaintiffs, their counsel, and all Californians on this important victory.

For more information or to speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

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

Washington, D.C. - 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.

According to Mara Keisling, "Because of this historical participation by transgender people in direct actions, NCTE wants to make sure trans people are well informed as they exercise their free speech and political power."

The removal of Occupy D.C. encampments comes on the heels of Occupations facing increasing tensions from police authorities across the country, with one DC protestor being Tazed by a Park Police officer yesterday and over four hundred arrests in demonstrations in Oakland, CA and New York, NY last week.

The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) welcomes the conversations sparked by the Occupy Movement. Transgender people who face twice the rate of unemployment in the United States are among the 99% who will be well served by efforts to correct the imbalance of economic opportunity and political power in this country.

Keisling said, "From here in the nation's capital, even when we've seen solutions to the problems and inequalities, we've seen them ignored. Our economic and political conditions worsen as our country goes in circles about the details of various policies and which powerful interests are in the way. And smart non-violent direct actions can be an equally powerful way to bring attention to policies that can help everyone."

However, NCTE also urges transgender people and their allies participating to consider the consequences. Participating in direct actions may put transgender people at increased risk of mistreatment, violence, and arrest. This resource, which was co-created with our allies at the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, is a basic guide to understanding a range of factors including detainment procedures, identity documents, and the associated risks participating in a demonstration as an undocumented trans person, or as a trans person with a disability.

Keisling added, "From the Compton Cafeteria riots to Stonewall, transgender people have been at the forefront of our struggle for transgender equality, and the equality of opportunity for others in our country. That isn't going to change and trans people should be aware of their rights and the risk they take when continuing to advance these rights through direct action."

For more information or to speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

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

Washington, D.C. - In their groundbreaking January edition, OutServe Magazineprofiles 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.

Keisling told Miller that there is no reason why the military cannot be objective about using rational criteria to determine if a trans person is fit to serve. Keisling said, "the range of trans people is huge. Some people may have already transitioned entirely by the time they want to serve. Some people may identify as trans but have no desire to physically transition. But they're still not allowed to serve because the disqualification is condition-based, not dependent upon the individual."

Commenting on the article, Keisling added, "Stories of transgender service members are crucial to getting the military to end this ban. NCTE commends Outserve for telling these important stories, and I am hopeful that this will start the conversations that will lead to social and cultural changes making it safe for anyone who wants to serve our country do so proudly."

To view the article in its entirety, please visit www.outservemag.com.

While the ban on open transgender service exists, NCTE urges current transgender service members to read our guidance issued with the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network to understand the consequences of coming out.

For more information or to speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

NCTE Praises New Federal Regulations Ensuring Fair Access to Housing

New Rule Makes LGBT Housing Discrimination Illegal

Baltimore, MD - 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."

The new rule makes several urgently needed changes to current federal housing and housing-related programs including: prohibiting owners and operators of federally-funded or federally-insured housing, as well as lenders offering federally-insured mortgages from discriminating based on gender identity or sexual orientation; and clarifying the definition of "family" to ensure that LGBT families are not excluded from HUD programs.

Secretary Donovan said, "If you are denying HUD housing to people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, actual or perceived, you're discriminating, you're breaking the law, and you will be held accountable. That's what equal access means, and that's what this rule is going to do."

The Obama Administration has previously clarified that people who face any housing discrimination based on gender identity or gender stereotypes can file complaints under the federal Fair Housing Act.

According to Harper Jean Tobin, NCTE Policy Counsel, "this is a major and urgently needed advancement in basic protections for transgender people. NCTE is calling on other federal departments to follow HUD's common-sense approach and use existing legal authority to prohibit discrimination against LGBT people in the programs they fund and administer. We applaud Secretary Donovan and the Obama Administration for this much needed relief for transgender people."

Mara Keisling added, "We are very pleased that, just as he said at NCTE's Awards Ceremony in November, HUD has clearly listened to our concerns with earlier drafts of the regulations and made them even stronger."

In announcing the draft rules early last year, HUD cited The National Transgender Discrimination Survey conducted by NCTE and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, showing that 19% of transgender and gender non-conforming people had been refused a home or apartment and 11% had been evicted because of their gender identity or expression. The study also showed that 19% of transgender people have been homeless at some point in their lives, and 29% of those had been turned away from homeless shelters and a majority were harassed when they could get in to a shelter.

The new rule will be officially published this coming week and will take effect 30 days later. NCTE will release an analysis of the new rule and what it means for transgender people once the final rules are published.

For more information or to speak to Harper Jean Tobin, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

Obama Administration Ups its Support of Human Rights for LGBT People Worldwide

NCTE Applauds Secretary Clinton Speech and White House Commitment

Washington, D.C. - 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. Concurrently, President Obama released a Presidential Memorandum directing all federal agencies abroad to promote and protect the human rights of LGBT people in U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance work.The National Center for Transgender Equality applauds their continued leadership in this area.

For more information or to speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 /vvillano@transequality.org.

New analysis shows startling levels of discrimination against Latino/a transgender people

Download the report in English and in Spanish

Spanish language release below.

Washington, D.C. - 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.

This report by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) 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.

A key finding of the original report was that even given the unconscionable levels of discrimination against all transgender people in the U.S., people of color including Latinos/as experienced heightened levels of discrimination and had worse outcomes than the sample overall. Additionally, the findings reveal that immigration status also plays a role in these outcomes with non-citizen Latino/a respondents often reporting even worse experiences.

"This study shows how devastating multiple discrimination is for Latino and Latina transgender people," says LULAC Executive Director Brent Wilkes. "We are committed to ensuring that all people, regardless of race, sexual orientation and gender identity are respected and treated fairly. We call upon other Latino groups to join us as we fight for the right of transgender people to live without fear of discrimination, harassment or violence. We will not stand idly by in a society where equality is not within everyone's reach."

Among the key findings from the report:

Latino/a transgender people had a very high unemployment rate at 20 percent, higher than the overall transgender sample (14 percent) and nearly three times the rate of the general population at the time the survey was fielded (7 percent).
Latino/a transgender people often live in extreme poverty with 28 percent reporting a household income of less than $10,000/year. This is nearly double the rate for transgender people of all races (15 percent), over five times the general Latino/a population rate (5 percent), and seven times the general U.S. population rate (4 percent). The rate for Latino/a non-citizen respondents was 43 percent.
Latino/a transgender people were affected by HIV in devastating numbers. One in twelve Latino/a respondents were HIV-positive and an additional 10 percent reported that they did not know their status.
Forty-seven percent of Latino/a respondents reported having attempted suicide.

"This report is a critical call to action," says Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "The numbers make clear the way that racism, anti-immigrant and anti-transgender bias all work together, often with devastating results in the lives of Latino and Latina transgender people. We must ensure that we continue to work toward an LGBT movement that prioritizes immigration, racial and economic justice."

Also among the findings:

Latino/a respondents who attended school as transgender people reported alarming rates of harassment (77 percent), physical assault (36 percent), and sexual assault (13 percent) in K-12; harassment was so severe that it led 21 percent to leave school. Nine percent were also expelled due to bias.
Twenty-seven percent of Latino/a respondents said they had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives, nearly four times the rate of the general U.S. population (7.4 percent).
Twenty-three percent of Latino/a transgender people reported being refused medical care due to bias.

"This report paints a devastating picture of the treatment of our Latino and Latina transgender brothers and sisters who, on a daily basis, endure extreme poverty, unemployment and discrimination just to live out their full lives," says Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "We have long known that race and citizenship status have a very real impact on transgender people. And for the first time, we can identify in specific terms, what these painful realities are. Documented or not, these numbers tell us that the LGBT movement must have an immigrant-inclusive agenda."

For more information or to speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

Nuevo estudio presenta dramáticos niveles de discriminación en contra de las personas transgéneros latinas

Baje el reporte en Inglés aquí y en Español aquí.

Washington, D.C. - Las personas transgéneros y que no conforman el género latinas sufren de los más altos niveles de discriminación en comparación con toda la población transgénero de acuerdo a un nuevo estudio publicado hoy, Injusticia a cada paso: Un vistazo a Latinas/os encuestadas/os en la encuesta nacional sobre discriminación de personas transgéneros.

Este reporte por el National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), el National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, y la Liga de Ciudadanos Latinoamericanos Unidos (LULAC) es un suplemento al estudio nacional sin precedentes, Injusticia a cada paso: un reporte de la encuesta nacional sobre discriminación de personastransgéneros, que fue publicado en febrero y que reveló grandes niveles de discriminación en todas las áreas en contra de las personas transgéneros y que no conforman el género.

Un hallazgo importante del estudio original fue que aún con los niveles desmedidos de discriminación en contra de toda la población transgénero, las personas transgéneros Latinas experimentaron mayor y peor discriminación que la muestra en su totalidad. Además, los hallazgos encontraron que el status inmigratorio también tiene un rol que empeora la situación para los/as encuestados/as que no son ciudadanos/as.

"Este estudio demuestra cuán devastador es la discriminación múltiple en contra de las personas transgéneros latinas", dijo Brent Wilkes, director ejecutivo de LULAC. "Estamos comprometidos con asegurar que todas las personas, independientemente de su raza, orientación sexual e identidad de género, sean respetadas y tratadas justamente. Hacemos un llamado a otros grupos latinos para que se unan en esta lucha por el derecho de las personas transgéneros a vivir libre de discriminación, hostigamiento o violencia. No nos mantendremos de brazos cruzados en una sociedad en la cual la igualdad no esté al alcance de todos y todas".

Algunos de los hallazgos más importantes del estudio incluyen:

La gente transgénero latina/o demostró un índice de desempleo muy alto en el 20 porciento, más alto que la muestra total de transgéneros (el 14 porciento) y casi tres veces más que el índice de la población en general en el momento que esta encuesta fue tomada (el 7 porciento).
La gente transgénero latina/o a menudo vive en pobreza extrema con el 28% reportando una tasa de ingresos de menos $10,000 anuales. Esto es casi el doble para la gente transgénero de todas las razas (el 15 porciento), cinco veces mayor a la tasa general de la población latina (el 5 porciento), y siete veces la tasa general de la población latina de los EE.UU. (el 4 porciento). La tasa para encuestadas/os inmigrantes latinas/os fue el 43 porciento.
La gente transgénero latina/o tiene tasas devastadoras de ser positiva/o al VIH. Casi uno/a de cada diez de las personas latinas/os que respondieron dijeron ser VIH-positiva/o y adicionalmente el 10 porciento divulgó que no sabíansu estatus.
El cuarenta y siete porciento de encuestadas/os latinas/os divulgó haber atentado el suicidio.

"Este reporte es un crítico llamado a la acción", dijo Rea Carey, directora ejecutiva del National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "Los números demuestran claramente la manera en que el racismo y el prejuicio en contra de los inmigrantes y las personas transgéneros se unen con resultados devastadores en las vidas de las personas transgéneros latinas. Tenemos que asegurarnos de continuar trabajando por un movimiento que le dé prioridad a la justicia inmigratoria, racial y económica".

Otros hallazgos incluyen:

Las personas encuestadas/os latinas/os que fueron a la escuela como transgénero divulgaron índices alarmantes de hostigamiento (el 77 porciento), de asalto físico (el 36 porciento), y de asalto sexual (el 13 porciento) en K-12; el hostigamiento fue tan severo que resultó en que un 21 porciento dejó de ir a la escuela. También el nueve porciento fue expulsada/o debido al prejuicio.
El veintisiete porciento de encuestadas/os latinas/os dijeron que habían experimentado falta de vivienda en un cierto punto en sus vidas, casi cuatro veces más que el índice de la población general de los EE.UU. (7.4 porciento).
El veintitrés porciento de las personas transgéneros latinas/os divulgaron el ser negadas/os la asistencia médica debido al prejuicio.

"Este reporte pinta un cuadro devastador en el trato que reciben nuestros hermanos y hermanas transgéneros latinos, quienes a diario enfrentan la pobreza, el desempleo y la discriminación al tartar de vivir sus vidas plenas", dijo Mara Keisling, directora ejecutiva del National Center for Transgender Equality. "Hemos sabido por mucho tiempo que la raza y el status de ciudadanía tienen un impacto real en las vidas de las personas trasnsgéneros. Y por primera vez, podemos identificar en términos específicos, cuáles son estas dolorosas realidades. Documentados o no, estos números nos dicen que el movimiento LGBT tiene que tener una agenda inclusiva de la lucha por la reforma inmigratoria".

NCTE's World AIDS Day Statement; Trans People Face Dire Risk

Washington, D.C. - 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.

We must put an end to this crisis. Part of that is directing health research and resources to trans people. But the other part--the important part--is fixing the conditions that force trans people into unhealthy outcomes."

Keisling continued, "The National HIV/AIDS strategy (NAHS), for the first time, ushered in coordinated efforts to address this problem. Trans health experts were part of the team that developed this strategy, and because of that, trans people are among the communities that the NAHS has targeted for research and support."

FAST FACTS: HIV RATES AMONG TRANSGENDER AMERICANS

In NCTE's groundbreaking National Transgender Discrimination Survey,conducted with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, our sample of nearly 6,500 trans people reported a 2.6 percent HIV infection rate, over four times the rate of the general adult population (.6 percent). An additional 8 percent did not know their status. HIV infection rates increased substantially for transgender people of color:

Race	Trans Respondents	General Population
African Americans	25%	2.4%
Latino/as	11%	.O8%
American Indians	7%	<1%
Asian Americans	3.7%	.01%

Rates of HIV infection were greatly exacerbated by other social and economic factors including education, violence, income, employment, citizenship status, and gender:

13.5% among those without a high-school diploma
10% among those who had been sexually assaulted due to bias for being trans
6.4% among those with household incomes below $10,000
4.6% among those who lost a job due to bias for being trans
4.7% among those who are unemployed
8% among trans documented non-citizens, and 7% among trans undocumented people, compared to 2.4% infection rate among U.S. Citizens
4.3% among MTF trans respondents, compared to 0.51% among FTM respondents

For more information about the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, or to speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

NCTE's Statement on Congressman Barney Frank's Retirement Announcement

Washington, D.C. - 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.

Social justice work is largely about winning people to our side. As they become stronger allies, we have a moral and common sense obligation to embrace them and acknowledge their good work.

The effort and influence he has exerted for trans people has mattered and has moved us down the field. It will be somewhat harder to advance our cause in Congress with the Congressman gone, but justice will be won for trans, gay and bi people and Congressman Frank will have been a very important part of that."

For more information or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

Transgender and LGBT Anti-Violence Advocates Brief Administration on Epidemic of Violence

Washington, D.C. - 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.

The meeting at the White House was facilitated by NCTE's Executive Director and the team included, among others, Gwendolyn Smith, the founder of the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Smith shared with the Administration real life stories of transgender people who have faced violence.

According to Mara Keisling, "Meeting with the White House at all, especially the week prior to Transgender Day of Remembrance, says a lot about the President's commitment to making America safer and better for transgender people."

Topics covered included crime data collection, cultural competency for law enforcement and funding issues, as well as insuring that federal and federally-funded anti-violence programs and processes are transgender-inclusive. Special focus was given to violence against youth, homeless trans people and trans women.

Keisling continued, "So many kinds of violence are epidemic for transgender people: hate violence, domestic violence, sexual violence, school bullying, and violence by police. And though certain categories of trans people are more likely to face violence, especially people of color, working class people, young people, women and immigrants, all demographic categories of trans people are more likely to be victims than non-trans people."

NCTE and our allies will continue to push the Administration to address the violence that is such a part of transgender lives.

For more information or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

GLSEN and NCTE Jointly Release Model School Policy on Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Youth

Washington, D.C. - The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) today jointly announced the launch of their groundbreaking Model District Policy for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students.

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.

Data from GLSEN's Harsh Realities: The Experiences of Transgender Youth in Our Nation's Schools revealed that two-thirds of transgender students felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation (69%) and how they expressed

their gender (65%). The study also found that transgender students who experienced high levels of harassment had significantly lower GPAs than those who experienced lower levels of harassment (verbal harassment based on sexual orientation: 2.2. vs. 3.0, gender expression: 2.3 vs. 2.8, gender: 2.2 vs. 2.7).

"Educators work every day to offer all of their students a safe and respectful school atmosphere that ensures their healthy development and growth, but transgender and gender nonconforming students frequently remain unsupported and ultimately left behind in the school system," said GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard. "This model policy was developed out of a growing need for addressing issues related to gender identity and gender expression within a school setting. Research has shown that a comprehensive district policy is a tangible solution for improving the school experience for transgender and gender nonconforming students."

"We're so proud to work with GLSEN on this policy," said NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling. "Transgender youth are everywhere, and schools are beginning to understand that providing for their safe and fair treatment is not a burden, but a core part of the educational mission. Schools are increasingly attuned to providing a safe and supportive environment for a diverse school community, and gender diversity has to be part of that picture. This groundbreaking model policy is here to help schools find the right solutions to support and educate all students."

The guide contains model language that can be used in drafting district policy and is designed to be flexible for school districts to comply with their own specific needs and respective state laws and policies. Examples and policy recommendations are included in the resource that address issues commonly faced in school by transgender and gender nonconforming students.

Key issues covered in the model policy include:

Polices that address bullying, harassment and discrimination
Privacy and confidentiality
Documentation (e.g., school records)
Names and pronouns
Dress codes
Training and professional development

"There is a real interest and hunger among school administrators and teachers to create a welcoming climate for transgender youth," said Keisling. Schools across the country have already taken leadership on protecting transgender students, and this resource builds on their experiences to assist other schools that are looking for answers for how to change school policies that affect transgender people."

In addition to the Model District Policy on Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students, GLSEN has developed a suite of policy tools that support anti-bullying measures for local school districts and the passage of safe schools laws and policies on the state and federal level. GLSEN also partners with local, state and national coalitions to ensure that the best and most inclusive safe schools policies are considered, passed and implemented.

"The model district policy and other resources that we regularly produce are designed with the mindset that a quality K-12 education is a fundamental right for all students," said Byard. "GLSEN will continue to lend its expertise, perspective and support for ensuring this right is extended to every student in school regardless of their gender identity/expression or sexual orientation."

About GLSEN
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community. For information on GLSEN's research, educational resources, public policy advocacy, student organizing programs and educator training initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.

About NCTE
The National Center for Transgender Equality is a national social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people. By empowering transgender people and our allies to educate and influence policymakers and others, NCTE facilitates a strong and clear voice for transgender equality in our nation's capital and around the country. For more information about NCTE and its work, please visit www.transequality.org.

For more information, or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

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.

Discrimination was pervasive for the entire sample, but anti-transgender bias coupled with structural racism meant that transgender people of color experienced particularly devastating levels of discrimination, with Black respondents often faring worse than all others. Among the key findings of the analysis released today:

Black transgender people had an extremely high unemployment rate at 26 percent, two times the rate of the overall transgender sample and four times the rate of the general population.

A startling 41 percent of Black respondents said they had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives, more than five times the rate of the general U.S. population.

Black transgender people lived in extreme poverty with 34 percent reporting a household income of less than $10,000 per year. This is more than twice the rate for transgender people of all races (15 percent), four times the general Black population rate (9 percent), and eight times the general U.S. population rate (4 percent).

Black transgender people were affected by HIV in devastating numbers. More than one-fifth of respondents were living with HIV (20.23 percent), compared to a rate of 2.64 percent for transgender respondents of all races, 2.4 percent for the general Black population, and 0.60 percent of the general U.S. population.

"From education to employment and housing discrimination, from police brutality to health care disparities, Black transgender people are suffering at extremely high rates due to bigotry and transphobia," said National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks. "Nearly half of all Black transgender respondents report being harassed at work and at school. Twenty-six percent are unemployed and 34 percent report annual incomes of less than $10,000 per year. These numbers are appalling and these living conditions are unacceptable for any human being - gender conforming or not. NBJC is committed to bringing visibility to the gross inequities faced by our transgender brothers and sisters, and to creating a world where gender non-conforming individuals can work, love and seek medical attention without fear of discrimination, harassment or violence."

Also among the findings:

Half of Black respondents who attended school expressing a transgender identity or gender non-conformity reported facing harassment.

Nearly half (49 percent) of Black respondents reported having attempted suicide.

On a positive note, many Black transgender people who were out to their families reported that their families were as strong as before they came out. Black respondents reported this experience at a higher rate than the overall sample of transgender respondents.

"This report is a critical call to action for our policymakers to confront these horrifying realities by enacting protections without hesitation," said Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "The stark truth is that the multi-layered effects of poverty, race and class discrimination are devastating for Blacks. These findings show just how profoundly harmful it is when discrimination based on gender identity is also in the mix. These data make it clear that racial and economic justice are among the most critical issues facing LGBT people."

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said, "This report confirms what we've long known to be true: being transgender and Black in the United States presents unique challenges on the path to full equality. This problem is deeply important to me and to NCTE where every day we hear from transgender people of color who survive in the face of racism and transphobia. This report should be a lesson to all of us that a world with transgender equality is a world with racial equality."

Findings from Injustice at Every Turn: A Look at Black Respondents in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey spotlight the vital need for social justice advocates to address a racial and an LGBT dimension within their social justice work. The analysis is a resource for those advocating for policy changes at every level of government.

For more information, or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

Social Security Administration No Longer Notifying Employers About Gender

Obama administration ends practice that led to job loss and outing of transgender workers

Washington, D.C. - 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."

Keisling continued, "Alerting employers about differences in someone's gender threatened people's jobs and did not accomplish what this verification system was designed for. There was absolutely no reason for it and it was extremely dangerous for transgender people, who still face significant disrespect, discrimination and violence in the workplace."

For years, transgender employees have been contacting NCTE seeking advice about how to manage the difficult position that the Social Security Administration had placed them in with their employers. "Many people have been able to retain their jobs, but not all of them," Keisling noted, "and not one of them should have been fired just because the Social Security Administration outed them at a workplace where someone was prejudiced against transgender people."

The Social Security Number Verification Service (SSNVS) allows employers to match their record of employee names and Social Security numbers (SSNs) with Social Security records for payroll reports. The notification letters alerted individuals and employers when information in a person's employment records is inconsistent with SSA's records for that employee. It was designed to ensure that people receive the benefits to which they are entitled and that they are using a valid Social Security number for employment purposes. Unfortunately, this unfairly impacted transgender people whose name and/or gender marker had not been changed with the SSA and who were employed using a different name or gender.

NCTE has asked the SSA to stop sending employers these notices, and today, the SSA has made great progress in fixing the complex systems that generate such notices. In the event that you or someone you know does receive a gender no-match letter in the future, please contact us.

While we celebrate the end of gender no-match letters, the SSA still has an outdated policy for changing gender markers in SSA records. To change gender markers, SSA requires an unfair, unobtainable and unnecessary standard for transgender people that include proof of specific sex reassignment surgery. Mara Keisling says, "These requirements, particularly surgery, are far too expensive for many transgender people and present a major financial hurdle for a group of people who already face significantly high levels of under-employment and unemployment." NCTE will continue to work with the SSA to make changes to this policy so that transgender people are able to update their information with Social Security and ensure that they have equal access to the benefits Social Security provides.

For more information or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

NCTE and SLDN Advise Transgender Service Members: Coming Out May Lead to Discharge

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Washington, D.C. - 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.

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality says, "While we are happy to see the end of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' we are troubled that the military still expels some members of our community simply because of who they are. Transgender people continue to serve our country honorably, and our country needs to do the same for transgender service members by reexamining this outdated ban."

"Transgender Americans defend our nation every day, serving with pride and distinction at home and abroad. As we celebrate the end of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' on September 20, we also recognize that ending this terrible law is not enough to secure full LGBT equality in the military, and at SLDN, we are committed to ensuring that every qualified American who wishes to serve our nation is able to do so," said Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis.

Guidance for Transgender Service Members
Read SLDN's full guidance here.

The military can discharge transgender service members in two ways:
1. You may be considered medically unfit because of Gender Identity Disorder;
2. You may be considered medically unfit if you have had genital surgery.

Transgender people are also impacted by other rules and regulations:
It can be considered prejudicial to good order and discipline to act or dress in ways that don't meet stereotypes of men and women. For example, service members can be court-martialed for cross-dressing.

There is also a duty to report any change in your medical status. If, for example, you take hormones, or if you have top surgery, there is a duty to report that "change in medical status" to the military. That information could lead to your discharge for being transgender.

Warning about talking to medical professionals and chaplains:
There are currently no protections for coming out as transgender to military mental health, medical and religious professionals. It is not safe to reveal that you are transgender or that you have questions about whether you may be transgender. Some transgender service members have accessed counseling and transition-related care with civilian medical providers without reporting these developments to the military; however current regulation bans this practice. You can speak confidentially to a civilian religious professional, provided that you are specifically seeking spiritual services, such as confession or pastoral care.

Transgender Service Members and VA Health Care
The Department of Veterans Affairs is independent of the military and not subject to the transgender ban. A June 2011 directive from the Department of Veterans Affairs confirms that transgender veterans have access to medically necessary healthcare including sex-specific care, and transition-related procedures. The only exception is for sex-reassignment surgery. Discharged service members should note that the classification of a discharge, whether administrative or medical, should not affect access to VA health facilities. Read NCTE's guide for further explanation of transgender healthcare in VA facilities.

For more information, or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

"NCTE Celebrates HHS Enforcement of Hospital Visitation Rights for Patients

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Washington, D.C. - 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. Transgender people who face alarming rates of abandonment from their families can now be sure they can have their loved one by their side."

While this is an important enhancement of rules, local and state advocates must be vigilant about the implementation and enforcement of these rules at their local hospitals.

For more information, or to speak with Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

"NCTE Applauds Federal Appeals Court Ruling Upholding Transgender Inmates' Right to Medical Care

Friday, August 5, 2011

Washington, D.C. - 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."

In the national survey called Injustice at Every Turn, released with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, we found that 12% of transgender people incarcerated were denied routine health care. Another 17% were denied medically necessary hormones. Denying transgender inmates the care recommended by medical professionals is a psychological and physical danger, which, as the court says, "amounts to torture."

NCTE thanks the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal for their hard work and expertise on this case.

For more information about the Injustice at Every Turn report, or to speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-901-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

Amid DADT Repeal, Transgender People Still Cannot Serve Openly

July 22, 2011

Washington, D.C. – 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.”

NCTE calls on repeal advocates, the Pentagon and the Obama Administration to address the gap in “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal.

For more information, or to speak to Mara Keisling, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

News 2012

Updated Advisory: NCTE's Mara Keisling to be a Featured Guest on MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry Show

PREA rules and other reforms still needed

Mara Keisling: “This is an important victory for transgender people.”

Trans People May Face Increased Risk of Mistreatment, Violence, and Arrest

NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling Interviewed Extensively Alongside Groundbreaking Profiles of Transgender Service Members and Veterans

New Rule Makes LGBT Housing Discrimination Illegal

NCTE Applauds Secretary Clinton Speech and White House Commitment

Transgender and LGBT Anti-Violence Advocates Brief Administration on Epidemic of Violence

GLSEN and NCTE Jointly Release Model School Policy on Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Youth

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