Wednesday, November 06, 2019

Court strikes down Trump's anti-LGBTQ healthcare 'conscience' rule


An attack on the LGBTQ health by Trump just got struck down on Wednesday.

From LGBTQNation:

A federal court has struck down a Trump administration rule that allowed health care providers to refuse to treat patients if they cite a sincerely held religious belief. The ACLU and the NYCLU argued on behalf of two public health organizations that a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule violated federal law.

This past May, HHS issued a rule allowing health care workers to refuse to provide service if they cite their religious beliefs and punishing health care organizations that don’t allow their workers adequate “religious freedom.” LGBTQ organizations balked at the rule change since queer and transgender people are likely to be on the receiving end of religion-based discrimination. 
Reproductive freedom and public health organizations also sounded the alarm about the rule. Now Judge Paul Engelmayer of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has ruled against HHS, saying that the department overstepped its authority in issuing the rule, which would’ve gone into effect on November 22. 
 The rule, he wrote, violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act because it would allow workplace discrimination and also violates the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, an anti-patient dumping law. Engelmayer also noted that HHS couldn’t show why the rule was needed to protect religious freedom, calling the rule “a classic solution in search of a problem.”

'Danica Roem cruises to easy re-election in VA' & other Wed midday news briefs


Roem defeats Republican challenger - And the best thing? It wasn't even close. Folks need to pay attention to how Roem ran. And never count anyone in our community out. We can run for office and we can win.

Danica Roem, First Trans State Representative, Dedicates Historic Victory to All the “Misfits” - Wonderful!


And apparently, Roem wasn't the only LGBTQ victor:



In other news:

A drug-resistant bacteria is spreading among gay & bisexual men - This a serious problem on two fronts - it endangers our community and gives the anti-LGBTQ an opening to label us again as "health hazards." Don't think they won't try.

Artist Honors Murdered Transgender Woman With Stunning Butterfly Wings - Wow! this is beautiful. 

The boos of October - Trump gets just a little of what he deserves.