Weekly Update: Supreme Court Weighs In on Trans Women In Sports, Save the Date for Ignite 2026, and Go Fund Me Campaign Launch for Local Queer Runner
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.
Hello friends of Basic Rights Oregon! Thanks for reading our weekly update.
Ultra marathon runner launches Go Fund Me campaign challenge for Basic Rights Oregon. Contribute here.
Whew, what a whirlwind 2026 has already been! We don’t know about you, but that first week back to reality was a doozie. We are happy to report that week two of 2026 has felt a bit more manageable. We are holding onto hope through community and action! 🏳️🌈 Also! We have so many updates for you this week. Thanks for joining us in this space to stay connected, curious, and courageous!
Here are the LGBTQ2SIA+ headlines you need to know this week:
Attacks on transgender athletes continue to escalate. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering landmark cases challenging state laws that bar transgender girls and women from participating in school sports. During arguments, conservative justices appeared more receptive to state authority over sports rules, while liberal justices emphasized potential discrimination and harm to transgender youth. A decision expected by summer 2026 could either uphold similar bans in many states or significantly expand national protections for transgender student-athletes. At their heart, trans sports bans aren’t about protecting fairness in sports. They are about discriminating against transgender people—and they send a deeply harmful message that not all kids are valued or wanted. Basic Rights Oregon will continue to stand up against all discrimination of trans people in Oregon.
Basic Rights Oregon’s Interim Policy and Research Director, Seth Johnstone, has been busy at work in the Oregon State Capitol this week, meeting with elected officials in preparation for Oregon’s short legislative session starting in February 2026. A special shoutout to our incredible lobbying team, Amanda Hess and Laura Curtis of Northwest Public Affairs, who are celebrating ten years of collectively representing Basic Rights Oregon in our state capitol. Our policy team has efficiently helped pass many landmark laws in Oregon and we continue to fight national and local threats against the LGBTQSIA+ community.
And here are some ways to take action:
Join Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield alongside out-of-state visiting AGs for a town hall on January 21st, the one-year anniversary of the first lawsuit challenging the president’s illegal actions. From birthright citizenship to tariffs to keeping the National Guard off our streets, state AGs are on the front lines of holding our federal administration accountable. Here is your chance to tell them what issues we want them to fight for in 2026. The event is January 21st from 6 to 8 p.m. at Revolution Hall. RSVP for the Town Hall here!
Help a Local Queer Runner Meet His Dream! We are honored to be the fundraising recipient for a local Go Fund Me campaign launched this week by a local, queer ultra marathon runner, Ajay Hanspal. Hanspal is attempting to solo-run the entire 200-mile Hood to Coast relay in August of 2026, with a goal of raising $50,000 for Basic Rights Oregon! Ajay has been training for this challenge for many years, and he chose to partner with BRO because he believes that showing up when things are hard is exactly what advocacy work is all about! You can follow his running journey on Instagram and contribute toward the campaign here. Go Ajay, Go!
SAVE THE DATE! We can’t believe it either, but it’s already time to start populating your calendar with events for 2026. In celebration of our 30 years in service as a nonprofit organization, Basic Rights Oregon has set a date for our 2026 Ignite gala and fundraiser. Go ahead and drop Saturday, October 10, 2026 on your calendars, folks! We are having a big, queer birthday bash with 30 candles on it, and we want you there! More information to come, but you won’t want to miss the queerest party of the year.
Thanks as always for reading and taking action! Have a great weekend.
Love,
The BRO team 🌈