QM Weekly Update for May 18, 2025
🏳️⚧️⚕️🪖 On Monday, the Department of Defense halted gender-affirming care to transgender troops, following the May 6th decision to ban trans folks from the military.
More information:
“Pentagon orders immediate stop to gender-affirming care for transgender troops”
Trump stops all medical care for transgender troops | Advocate.com
<p>The Department of Defense will no longer provide medical care for trans service members.</p>
"Exclusive: Pentagon halting gender-affirming healthcare for transgender troops, memo says"
🏳️🌈💻 On Tuesday, GLAAD released its annual Social Media Safety Index for LGBTQ+ safety, privacy, and expression - all six of the major platforms rated received a lower score than last year, and only TikTok received a score over 50.
More information:
“LGBTQ+ people’s safety has plummeted across social media platforms: report”
"New GLAAD Report Says LGBTQ+ Safety on Social Media Apps May Be “Worse Than Ever”"
"2025 Social Media Safety Index"
🏳️🌈🏢⚖️ On Thursday, a federal judge issued a ruling that Title VII does not protect LGBTQ+ people from any workplace discrimination other than being fired.
More information:
"Federal judge strikes down workplace protections for transgender workers"
"Far Right Federal Judge Rules Gay And Trans People Can Be Discriminated Against In Workplaces"
🏳️⚧️⚕️🪖 On Thursday, the Department of Defense issued a directive requiring all troops to be screened for gender dysphoria at annual medical checkups, and instructing commanders to initiate medical reviews of any service member suspected of being transgender.
More information:
"Military commanders will be told to send transgender troops to medical checks to oust them"
"BREAKING: Pentagon begins mass removal of transgender troops"
Memo: "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness: Implementation Guidance"
🏳️⚧️⚕️🇬🇧 On May 10th, a landmark report identified major flaws in the Cass Review, a politically motivated anti-trans report that has provided the basis for a puberty blocker ban in the UK.
More information:
“Landmark Report Finds Major Flaws in Cass Review”
"Researchers Say a Pivotal Anti-Trans Study Is Riddled With Flaws"
"Critically appraising the cass report: methodological flaws and unsupported claims"
🏳️🌈☎️ Employees and volunteers for RAINN, the nation’s largest sexual violence hotline, sent a letter this month denouncing the organization’s decision to bar employees from referring callers to LGBTQ+-specific resources, following the Trump administration’s anti-DEI executive order.
More information:
“Nation’s largest anti-sexual violence org purges LGBTQ+ resources to protect its federal funding”