QM Weekly Update for Feb 16, 2026
🏳️🌈⚕️⚖️ On Thursday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enacting its recently-announced termination of $600 million in HIV and STI prevention grants for California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota while a lawsuit against the cuts proceeds.
More information:
“Judge halts Trump officials from rescinding health grants to some Democratic-led states”
Judge halts Trump administration's $600M health grant cuts in Democratic-led states | AP News
A federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump’s administration cannot pull back $600 million in public health grants allocated to four Democratic-led states, for now.
“Trump administration cuts $600M in HIV, STD prevention and surveillance grants”
Trump administration cuts $600 million in HIV, STD prevention and surveillance grants - ABC News
The Trump administration is terminating $600 million in CDC grants for programs supporting HIV and STD prevention and HIV surveillance.
🏳️🌈✊🏿🚔 A recent report on the enforcement of HIV criminalization laws in 16 states found that Black Americans are disproportionately likely to face arrest, conviction, and harsher penalties such as sex offender registration under these laws.
More information:
“Black Americans are disproportionately criminalized for living with HIV. Here’s how”
Black Americans disproportionately criminalized for HIV | Advocate.com
Through "heightened surveillance, arrest, and conviction," Black Americans are more likely to be criminalized for their HIV.
“HIV Criminalization and Black Americans”
🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️📊 A report released earlier this month found that over half of Fortune 500 companies that participated in a key LGBTQ+ equality survey last year dropped out in 2026. It also found that 39.1% of U.S. workers reported that their workplace has scaled back DEI efforts, and those working at organizations that reduced DEI efforts were over twice as likely to report experiencing stigma or bias than those working at organizations maintaining DEI initiatives.
More information:
“New HRC Foundation Research Underscores Strength and Strain of Moment on LGBTQ+ Workers & Future Liability to Companies”
HRC | New HRC Foundation Research Underscores Strength and Strain of…
65% drop in Fortune 500 companies communicating commitments on diversity & inclusion; despite shifting climate, 2026 CEI-rated companies employ over 22…
“More than half of Fortune 500 companies dropped out of a critical LGBTQ+ survey this year”
More than half of Fortune 500 companies dropped out of a critical LGBTQ+ survey this year - LGBTQ Nation
But the Human Rights Campaign's annual Corporate Equality Index comes with a contradiction.
“There Has Been A 65% Decrease In Communicating Diversity And Inclusion Efforts Among Fortune 500 Companies”
There Has Been A 65% Decrease In Communicating Diversity And Inclusion Efforts Among Fortune 500 Companies - AfroTech | AfroTech
🏳️⚧️🪪 On Monday, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles announced that as of Thursday, it no longer allows trans residents to update the gender on their driver’s license, even if they have a court order or medical documentation.
More information:
“Indiana quietly bans trans residents from changing gender markers on IDs”
Indiana quietly bans changing gender markers on IDs | Advocate.com
Indiana will no longer accept court orders or medical documentations recognizing transgender residents' gender changes.
“Indiana BMV bans trans people from correcting drivers licenses”
Indiana BMV bans trans people from correcting drivers licenses - LGBTQ Nation
The state has been rolling back trans rights for years.
🏳️⚧️🇪🇺 On Wednesday, the Parliament of the European Union adopted a non-binding resolution emphasizing the importance of full recognition of trans women as women.
More information:
“European Parliament Votes Overwhelmingly For ‘The Full Recognition Of Trans Women As Women’”
“REPORT on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council concerning the EU priorities for the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women”
REPORT on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council concerning the EU priorities for the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women | A10-0010/2026 | European Parliament
🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️📖On Thursday, Lapeer Community Schools, 20 miles east of Flint, removed 83 books from school media centers connected to the organization Take Back the Classroom, which seeks to empower parents to challenge LGBTQ+ books in school classrooms and libraries.
More information:
Lapeer Community Schools to review 83 books removed from school media centers”
🏳️🌈On Monday, the National Park Service removed the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument, stating that with few exceptions, only the U.S. flag will be flown on National Park flagpoles. On Thursday, New York officials defied the removal and re-raised the Pride flag at the monument.
More information:
“NY officials raise rainbow flag at Stonewall in rebuke of Trump administration”
New York politicians raise rainbow flag at Stonewall National Monument | AP News
New York politicians defiantly raised a rainbow flag at the Stonewall National Monument amid a boisterous, cheering crowd.
“Trump admin removes Pride flag from Stonewall monument in ‘deliberate act of erasure’”
Trump admin removes Pride flag from Stonewall monument in "deliberate act of erasure" - LGBTQ Nation
The administration had already banned the Trans Pride flag and the Progress Pride flag from flying at the monument.
“Hundreds fill the streets near Stonewall as NYC community members reraised Pride flag Trump ordered removed”
LGBTQ+ community defies Trump, restores Stonewall Pride flag | Advocate.com
“They’ve come for our books, our existence, and even pulled down our flag two days ago,” Kelley Robinson of the Human Rights Campaign said. “Two days is too long for the flag to be down, so we came out, and we put it back up ourselves.”
“New York politicians will defy Trump admin by re-raising Pride flag at Stonewall Memorial”
New York politicians will defy Trump admin by re-raising Pride flag at Stonewall Memorial - LGBTQ Nation
Even New York City's mayor said he was "outraged" by the flag's removal.
“Trump Administration Removes Pride Flag From Stonewall National Monument”
