Weekly Update: Quick Action for Trans Healthcare, Understanding the Marriage Equality News, and More
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.
Welcome to the weekend, BRO friends!
If you’ve been paying attention to the news this week, then you might be feeling some anxiety about a new attempt to overturn marriage equality at the US Supreme Court. It’s perfectly natural to feel uneasy about this—but it’s important to keep in mind that this is far from a done deal. A “cert petition” is only a request for the Supreme Court to hear the case, and there is no guarantee that it will do so. There are many reasons why the Court might take this extremely narrow case as a means of relitigating something that currently has a 68% nationwide popularity rate.
That said, it is important to note that the Oregon State Constitution still states that marriage is only between a man and a woman, which would make things complicated if SCOTUS ever were to overturn marriage equality. Fortunately, we are actively working on a solution! The Equal Rights for All Campaign’s 2026 Oregon ballot measure will change that outdated language in our Constitution, making it clear that marriage equality is the law of the land in Oregon, no matter what SCOTUS does. We need all hands on deck—check out our campaign website to learn about volunteering, signing our petition, and donating.
Here’s more LGBTQ+ news from this week:
Here’s a heartwarming story for you: St. Agatha’s Catholic School in Portland recently refused to admit new students because their parents are an LGBTQ+ couple. Wanting to do something positive to support the family that was turned away, some other families in the community hosted a Pride-themed lemonade stand near the school—and raised $1,600 for Basic Rights Oregon! We’re impressed by these kids’ ability to turn lemons into lemonades, and we’re so grateful for this significant donation, which will help us continue to fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Oregon.
A new report from US Senate Democrats shows that LGBTQIA2S+ youth living in institutional settings (such as foster group homes or "therapeutic" boarding schools) face bullying, harassment, and isolation because of their identities. Oregon’s own Senator Ron Wyden led the charge on commissioning the report, which also points to measures from the Trump administration that will only make things worse for these kids. (This is why BRO regularly cohosts recruitment events for new LGBTQ-affirming foster parents—keep your eyes peeled for our next Fostering Pride event!)
You’re likely aware that the Trump administration has taken over the Washington, DC police force with federal troops. In this article, local LGBTQ+ leaders discuss how this move will impact the queer and trans community, as well as BIPOC folks.
And here’s what you can do:
Let’s head this call from Advocates for Trans Equality: “The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched an alarming “public inquiry” to attack the field of transition-related healthcare (gender-affirming care)—a safe, effective, and medically necessary practice grounded in decades of research and clinical expertise—as an “unfair and deceptive practice”.
We are calling on our community, trans people and our allies, to take action in support of the health care that is vital for our lives. The FTC is accepting public comments via Request for Information (RFI) until September 26.”
Here’s another resource for trans and nonbinary folks dealing with passport issues: The Clear Clinic, a nonprofit collective of Oregon legal workers, is offering low-cost or free name and gender marker assistance.
Tickets for IGNITE are live! Join us for good times at our annual fundraising gala, happening October 11.
This is your regular reminder that BRO’s website has an expansive LGBTQ2SIA+ Resources section! We recently added a few new support group options for trans Oregonians and their loved ones. Please help us spread the word to folks who may benefit!
That’s all for today; we’ll see you again next week! Remember: it may be drizzly this weekend, but it’s still summer, so go do something that brings you joy.
Love,
The BRO team 🌈