"October is LGBTQ+ History Month, and as a leader of an LGBTQ+ organization, it's one of the busiest stretches of the year. Over the past few weeks, I have attended the Castro Street Fair, the Horizons Foundation Night of Pride, the Out & Equal Workplace Summit in Seattle, and the GLBT Historical Society's 40th Annual Reunion fundraiser. And the festivities for the queer high holy day of Halloween are just getting started!"
"It has been a busy month, but all of these events reaffirmed two truths for me: the attacks against our community from the current administration are real, imminent, and the worst I have seen in my lifetime; and, at the same time, our Bay Area LGBTQ+ organizations-and especially our LGBTQ-owned and allied businesses-are determined to resist, rebuild, and lead together."
"The Supreme Court ruled in June to allow bans on gender-affirming care for trans youth and now seems likely to outlaw bans on the barbaric practice of conversion therapy. The White House has threatened and acted to revoke or withhold funding from organizations that serve LGBTQ+ people, Additionally, major corporations have been forced to reduce or eliminate their support of our organizations to avoid the financial and regulatory consequences of going against the administration."
Events included the Castro Street Fair, Horizons Foundation Night of Pride, the Out & Equal Workplace Summit in Seattle, and the GLBT Historical Society's 40th Annual Reunion fundraiser. These gatherings reinforced that federal and legal attacks on the LGBTQ+ community are immediate, severe, and unprecedented in recent memory. Bay Area LGBTQ+ organizations, including LGBTQ-owned and allied businesses, are mobilizing to resist, rebuild, and lead collectively. Recent legal shifts include a Supreme Court decision allowing bans on gender-affirming care for trans youth and signals that bans on conversion therapy may be disallowed. The White House has threatened and withheld funding, corporations have reduced support, and universities face pressure to alter curricula. The Bostock v. Clayton County (2020) ruling still protects employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Read at San Francisco Bay Times
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