Weekly Update: Two Quick Actions to Protect Gender-Affirming Care, School Board Results, and More
Welcome to Basic Rights Oregon’s weekly newsletter, where we update you on the LGBTQ+ 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!
This is a hard week for many of us, as looming Medicaid cuts threaten to severely limit access to affordable gender-affirming care throughout the country. Here are two quick actions you can take right now to fight this monstrous action from Congress and Trump:
This bill isn’t passed until it’s passed, and the Senate still needs to vote on it. Use this form to contact your senators and urge them to do everything they can to stop it. We know Oregon’s senators support trans rights and oppose this bill, but we need to send a message of just how unpopular it is.
If this bill does pass, we need to be prepared here in Oregon. Use this form to tell your state reps how important it is that trans Oregonians aren’t left behind.
Here’s the other LGBTQ+ news you should know this week:
School board elections happened Tuesday, and our endorsed candidates had mixed results. Our biggest win was in Redmond, where two candidates won close races, making the Redmond School Board more inclusive and affirming! We also saw some wins in Corvallis and Bend, and one out of three of our candidates won in Beaverton. The closeness of all these races shows that every little bit counts in school board races, so thank you to everyone who voted.
BRO staffers Kyndall and Gaby hit the campaign trail with Amanda Page (center), one of our winning Redmond School Board candidates.
A new survey from the UCLA Williams Institute reports that 48% of trans respondents have either already moved or want to move to a more trans-affirming place. This is a reminder of the crucial role states like Oregon can play right now; as the federal government and other states strip away rights, we have to continue fighting for trans equality here!
Maryland became the fifth state to decriminalize HIV this week. Many states still have old discriminatory laws on the books criminalizing HIV+ people who “transfer or attempt to transfer” the virus to others, regardless of their intent. (Fortunately, Oregon isn’t one of them.) The movement to decriminalize HIV is an important part of decriminalizing queerness in general.
Three BRO-backed state bills are working their way through the Oregon Legislature with momentum this week! They include a bill that will make it easier to file employment discrimination cases with the state; one that protects against anti-immigrant discrimination in housing; and Freedom to Read, which will make it harder to ban LGBTQ- and BIPOC-affirming books in schools and libraries.
Here’s what you can do:
It’s almost Pride season! We need volunteers to help us table and collect signatures for our ballot measure campaign at Pride events throughout the state—sign up for a Pride near you now!
Calling all small business owners! We’re looking for more restaurants, bars, cafes, dessert shops, dispensaries, etc. to take part in our Bites for Rights day on June 26. So far we’ve got these amazing spots onboard: Sweet Life Patisserie, ¿Por Qué No?, Meat for Cats and Dogs, Tin Shed, The Whole Bowl, Strictly Organic Coffee Co., Le Pigeon and Canard, Grind House Coffee, Sonder Listening Bar, Addy’s Sandwich Bar, Taco Pedaler, and McMenamin’s Ringlers Pub. Join the party here!
There’s been a lot happening in the Oregon Legislature this session, and it’s hard to stay on top of it all! The progressive Fair Shot Coalition—of which BRO is proudly a member—is hosting this event next week in Salem to help you get caught up.
And in case you need them again, here are those links for contacting your senators and your state reps about the looming ban on trans healthcare coverage.
Thanks for reading! It’s going to be a beautiful three-day weekend for many of us. Remember to connect with other queer and trans folks if you can; we’re always stronger together.