Many of us were stunned by Sunday's bleak headline: "Trump Administration Eyes Defining Transgender Out Of Existence." Our immediate thought was: "What can we do?"
At Transformation Journeys Worldwide, our goal is to support you in these volatile times with practical, impactful suggestions for how to respond to fast-breaking developments like these. Below is a list of actions for your organization to take RIGHT NOW to stand with your transgender people and their families.
According to the NY Times (and reinforced by others), “The Trump administration is considering narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth, the most drastic move yet in a government wide effort to roll back recognition and protections of transgender people under federal civil rights law.”
Such action could be taken by the end of this year!
Needless to say, news like this can leave transgender and non-binary people, and their parents, siblings, children and friends shaken and scared.
The good news is there are impactful steps your organization can take - beyond each person exercising their individual voting right - to counter this frightening cultural narrative.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Have a high level leader/executive issue an internal statement of solidarity with trans and non-binary people, perhaps highlighting some of your organization’s supportive policies.
If your organization does not already have supportive policies and facilities in place, contact Transformation Journeys Worldwide to discuss the various policies being established by organizations engaging in best practices for trans inclusion.
Alert leaders who have employees, students, congregants, volunteers, patients or clients who are gender diverse, or who may have trans loved ones, to this breaking news. This will make leaders aware of what may be weighing someone down this week.
Make sure your organization has plans to celebrate Trans Awareness Week this coming November 12-19, and International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31st.
Speak out against anti-LGBTQ legislation being introduced in your area, as 400 companies and 300 clergy members did, when a religious freedom bill was introduced in their state of Georgia.
We encourage companies to join the Human Rights Campaign’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act, a group of 117 leading U.S. corporations that support the Equality Act, federal legislation that would provide the same basic protections to LGBTQ people as are provided to other protected groups under federal law.
Since these are decisions that will be made by the four federal Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Justice and Education, and not congress, it will be organizations who are experienced at lobbying in Washington that can have the greatest impact on this decision making process. Therefore, organizations and individuals can make financial contributions to such experienced lobbying agencies as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the National Center for Transgender Equality, GLAAD, Lambda Legal and the Transgender Law Center.
Whatever actions you choose, the most important thing is to do what Jack Kinley advised in a recent article:“Show up when we need you. True inclusion shows up in real time. It lives beyond (an organization’s) non-discrimination policy and diversity trainings.… When (organizations) stand with us publicly on matters that impact our lives outside of the office it creates a degree of engagement and trust that no internal policy or well-meaning internal newsletter ever could.”
Thank you for your commitment to transgender inclusion.