Helpful Reminders and Tips for LGBT Community Moving Forward

Written by Michael V. Lauro, Jr. Michael V. Lauro, Jr.

Last Updated: November 16, 2016 November 16, 2016

Views: 35306 35306

November 11, 2016

Ours is a STRONG community.  We will STAND by each other! Together, we will fight for our VALUES, DIGNITY and EQUALITY moving forward.

Here are some things to keep in mind as we navigate the road ahead:

TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES & EACH OTHER

• Reach out to others to find community and share how you are feeling. It's important to take care of yourself.
• Reach out to those who may be feeling overwhelmed with events from this week. Ask how they are doing. Give them a space to talk.
• Participate in the Safety Pin Initiative
• Keep talking to others and sharing our stories!
• Resource for Talking to Kids about the Election

DON'T FORGET THE POSITIVE

• 80+ openly LGBTQ people were elected including the first openly LGBTQ Governor
• It looks like Pro-HB2 NC Governor McCrory will lose his reelection fight
• Multiple minimum wage and gun safety ballot measures passed
• Despite the election result, the pluality of the popular vote supported a pro-LGBTQ platform.

MARRIAGE & FAMILY

• Because of the contents of the Obergefell ruling, it is highly unlikely that marriage equality would be overturned. The process would involve replacing multiple SCOTUS judges, finding a case, and working it through the courts - something that would take many years (if at all).
• http://www.nclrights.org/now-that-trump-has-been-elected-can-our-marriage-be-undone/
• http://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/post-election-faq
• Because of precedent, anyone who gets married should not be in any danger of having those marriages overturned.
• People are encouraged to consult with lawyers and organizations in their state about all options to secure all parents' rights via a parental judgement or second parent / stepparent / confirmatory (if in CA) adoption.
• Remember a birth certificate alone is NOT always determinative of parentage!
• Check to see where your insurance is from and if any LGBT provisions may be affected

TRANS ISSUES

• Overall, the federal rights of transgender students and employees should remain secure as those are based on federal statutes and the U.S. Constitution.
• Any youth or parents who are concerned can contact NCLR's Transgender Youth Project Attorney
• For more info, see the multi-organization Open Letter to Transgender Youth and Families: www.nclrights.org/alettertotransyouth
• Get your ID documents updated - passport, state ID, social security, etc. now while choosing your gender marker is an option
• Changing gender marker on passport: http://www.transequality.org/know-your-rights/passports

OTHER ISSUES TO WATCH

• Overall there are a lot of policies that will be difficult or impossible to overturn, for example the U.S. Constitution and SCOTUS interpretations of it, e.g. Obergefell).
• While Trump has said he wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, he has recently suggested he may only amend it, and any changes will take time. In the meantime, people should be sure they know whether their insurance plan is covered by the Affordable Care Act or other law and they should have a plan in case protections under the ACA are rolled back.
• While not new, and we continue to fight them, additional Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) laws will likely be introduced at the state and federal level. These laws were a concern before the election.  The election results bring increased concern.
• Issues that also disproportionately affect the LGBTQ community including immigration, religious freedom, women's health and reproductive justice will also be under attack. It is important that we stand together and support LGBTQ people with multiple identities and our allies.
• Continued anti-discrimination work at the state and federal levels