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Our Voices

NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter Awarded American Psychiatric Association Fryer Award

NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter was awarded the John Fryer Award from the American Psychiatric Association, following a keynote lecture at the organization’s  Annual Meeting in San Francisco. “It is no exaggeration to say that the modern LGBTQ rights movement owes its remarkable success to the unique partnership between legal advocates and mental health experts, who have shined the bright light of knowledge—of medical science, of evidence-based research, of fact—into the dark corners...

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Congratulations Kate Kendell Commitment to Justice Awardee, Lupita!

NCLR is honored to present the inaugural Kate Kendell Commitment to Justice Award to María “Lupita” López Segoviano. Lupita entered law school committed to do public service, with a particular interest in police brutality civil cases, immigration work, and worker’s rights. Throughout her time in school, she has worked with migrants applying for asylum, and even traveled to Tijuana, Mexico to work with members of the asylum caravan. Lupita is driven to work with and for folks affected by...

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We Belong At the Table

When I went to law school, there was that initial reaction of: ‘Oh! There are already too many lawyers in Washington!’ But guess what, there weren’t (and still aren’t) many lawyers who are gay and Black, grew up poor, and were raised by a Black lesbian mom. I think the policy-making world needs more people with my lived experiences because that’s what has been missing. We need to be at the table.” “there weren’t (and still aren’t) many lawyers who are gay and Black, grew up poor, and...

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I survived eight years of conversion therapy. But I fought back.

My name is Kate McCobb and I survived eight years of conversion therapy.  This is my story.In 2006, when I was 25, I began seeing a therapist who fixated on the fact I was a lesbian – even though I didn’t seek counseling about that. He insisted that my attraction to women was pathological, a result of childhood sexual abuse even though I had no memories of that at all.He claimed that with his help, my brain could be “rewired” to reveal my “true self” – a...

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Massachusetts Could Roll Back Trans Rights This Year — And We Need to Fight Back

* This piece originally appeared in them.us on September 10, 2018. A vote this November on trans rights in Massachusetts could have wide-ranging national consequences. by Shannon Minter & Jennifer Levi This November, Massachusetts voters will be the first anywhere to be asked whether they will retain a statewide law protecting transgender people’s equal access to public places. The law, Bill S.2047, was passed in 2016 with bipartisan support and signed by a Republican governor. For over...

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Your Voice Matters: Write to Help Transgender Veterans

Providing healthcare to all of our nation’s veterans is the right thing to do.  Federal law requires the Veterans Administration (“VA”) to “furnish hospital care and medical services” to veterans. For most veterans, this means that after serving in the military they receive comprehensive medical care from the VA. Right now, transgender veterans’ healthcare coverage is at risk. On July 9, the Trump Administration announced it will be deciding whether to provide transgender veterans with...

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LGBTQ people must oppose Trump SCOTUS nominee

* This piece originally appeared in the Los Angeles Blade and the Washington Blade on July 12, 2018. On July 9, President Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. Kennedy, who authored the Supreme Court’s marriage equality decision and a number of other landmark LGBTQ rights cases, was an occasional swing vote on the Supreme Court. Though he almost always sided with the conservative justices, sometimes he voted with liberal Justices...

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The Job of a Lifetime

Leading the National Center for LGBTQ Rights (NCLR) has been the job of a lifetime. I feel extremely honored to have held this position and privileged to have experienced the countless moments of joy and awe that have forever changed our lives as LGBTQ individuals. After 22 years, with a full and grateful heart, I will step-down as the Executive Director of NCLR at the end of this year. I never imagined I would live in San Francisco or lead an organization at the forefront of the fight for...

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A Note for Those in Our Community Planning to Enlist in the Military

On January 1, for the first time in history, transgender Americans will be able to openly enlist in our nation’s military. This is an incredible moment, and one we can all celebrate. We know that many transgender Americans have been planning and preparing for over a year for this day.  And many others will now begin considering this as a real option for the very first time. The military has put considerable time into preparing for this day, and has developed guidelines for those charged with...

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World AIDS Day Message from Executive Director Kate Kendell

This year, NCLR celebrated four decades of work to advance LGBTQ equality. We know that we are stronger and better able to fight today’s battles because of our deep history in the movement—growing with, standing with, and supporting our community. And today, on World AIDS Day 2017, we renew our commitment to the fight against HIV, supporting our family members living with HIV, and honoring those who have died. Former executive director Roberta Achtenberg recently reflected on our early work in...

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