Weekly Update: Take Action for Trans Youth Care, the Oregon Political Tax Credit Explained, and Announcing Our 2026 Statewide Action Summit!
Welcome to Basic Rights Oregon’s weekly newsletter, where we update you on the LGBTQ2SIA+ news you should know, things you can do, and ways you can help. If you have questions, reach out here. To receive this newsletter as a weekly email, signup for email updates at the bottom of our Contact Us page. BRO’s work—including this newsletter—is funded entirely by our supporters. Donate here.
Happy Friday, BRO friends—and welcome to our last newsletter of 2025!
Our Statewide Action Summit is back in April 2026!
We launched this Friday newsletter format back in February, when it became clear that our community needed this resource amid anti-LGBTQ2SIA+ backlash and a never-ending news cycle. It’s been an honor to hit your social feeds and inboxes every Friday, and the responses we’ve received from so many of you are invaluable. Thank you for joining us to stay informed, take action, and remain centered on connection.
It may be the last update of the year, but there’s still plenty to talk about. Let’s get into it!
Here are the LGBTQ2SIA+ headlines you need to know this week:
The vicious federal attacks against medically necessary healthcare for trans young people were at a whole new level this week. In Congress, the US House narrowly passed a bill that would make it a felony to provide gender-affirming care for trans youth. The silver lining here is that this bill is expected to fail in the Senate. Meanwhile, RFK Jr. and his CDC cronies have announced two proposed Medicare and Medicaid regulations that would severely limit access to care for trans youth across the country, including in blue states. The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes these rules, because they aren’t based in science—they’re based in cruelty. (Scroll down to the action items section to learn what you can do to help us fight these proposed rules!)
A sore-loser lawsuit brought against the Oregon School Activities Association’s trans-inclusive policies was dropped last week. But the far-right organization supporting that lawsuit is still pursuing a separate anti-trans federal case.
The Oregon Capitol now has a fancy collection of 16 single-user, gender-neutral restrooms—more than any statehouse in the country! This change will make things easier for trans folks visiting the Capitol, but they also make things better for women, disabled people and, well, everyone. Yay for smart and inclusive design!
And here are some ways to take action:
TIME-SENSITIVE: Have you heard of the Oregon Political Tax Credit? If you are an Oregon resident and earn $75,000 or less as a single taxpayer, or $150,000 or less as a married couple filing jointly, then you have a FREE $50 to donate to the Basic Rights PAC! But you have to use it by the end of 2025, or lose it. Donate to our PAC now to fuel our election work in 2026!
As we mentioned above, the Trump Administration has recently published two proposed regulations through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services targeting access to medical care for transgender youth. Basic Rights Oregon is collecting comments during the proposed rules’ 60-day comment period—have your voice heard here, and please share with your communities!
It's time to travel somewhere over the rainbow in 2026. Announcing Basic Rights Oregon’s Statewide Action Summit (SAS) 2026, with the theme Beyond the Rainbow: Rise Up, Fight Back! Come to see familiar queer conspirators and meet new ones; attend workshops to strengthen your organizing and advocacy skills; and learn about the goals on our horizon. It’s all happening April 10-11 in Corvallis. Learn more and sign up NOW for discounted early bird registration!
The next couple weeks have some big opportunities to win prizes when you donate to us through Give!Guide! Give $50, and you’ll automatically get a free gourmet sandwich from Addy’s Sandwich Bar. And check out the slate of Big Give Days from 12/27-12/30 to see what you could win by donating at least ten bucks.
Thanks as always for reading and taking action! Have a fun and safe holiday season, and we’ll see you back here on January 9.
Love,
The BRO team 🌈