FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Lauren Gray, Communications Director, NCLR
lgray@nclrights.org / (215) 983-3099
Amanda Johnston, Director of Public Affairs & Education, GLAD
ajohnston@glad.org / (617) 417-7769
NCLR, GLAD Attorneys Leading Fight Against Transgender Military Ban Celebrate Historic Vote for Danica Roem
WASHINGTON (November 7, 2017) – Tonight, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), the legal advocates leading the fight against President Trump’s transgender military ban, celebrated the historic victory of Danica Roem, the first openly transgender person to be elected to public office in Virginia. Roem was elected as a Delegate in the Virginia House of Delegates.
NCLR and GLAD represent the plaintiffs in Doe v. Trump and Stockman v. Trump. Last week, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ruled against President Trump, finding the ban on transgender service members to be unconstitutional and issuing a nationwide injunction against the ban.
“This is a huge win for our nation. Transgender Americans have demonstrated that they can serve our nation at every level, whether it is in our communities, in our military or in our legislatures,” said GLAD Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi. “Americans across this country know this, and so do our military leaders. That’s why we continue to fight in court for the rights of thousands of transgender Americans who are currently serving in the Armed Forces, and for those who dream of answering the call to service.”
“The election of our nation’s first openly transgender state legislator is powerful proof that President Trump’s transgender military ban is bigoted, dangerous, and wrong,” said NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter. “Being transgender has nothing to do with a person’s ability to serve either in public office or in the military. Transgender people have much to contribute, and we will not permit this administration to exclude them from schools, workplaces, or military service.”
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Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation. www.GLAD.org
The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. www.NCLRights.org