QM’s weekly update on LGBTQ+ health issues impacting those living in the Lansing area 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️⚕️

• 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️☎️ On Sunday, a false social media post circulated claiming that Canada has set up a new toll-free LGBTQ+ crisis hotline for Americans. The number provided is the number for Trans Lifeline, an already-existing nonprofit support line which serves both people from the U.S. Canada.

• 🏳️‍⚧️🏊🏻‍♀️ On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights ruled that the University of Pennsylvania violated Title IX by allowing trans athletes to compete and gave the university ten days to wipe records set by trans people, issue a formal apology, and ban trans athletes.

• 🏳️‍⚧️⚕️🇬🇧 On Monday, the National Health Service in the United Kingdom announced that trans youth referred to a gender clinic will be tested for autism. This policy follows the guidelines of the Cass Review, a widely discredited anti-trans report from the UK government.

• 🏳️‍⚧️⚕️⚖️ On Tuesday, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the state’s ban on gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth can go into effect during the ongoing suit before the same court.

• 🏳️‍⚧️⚕️🏛️ On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a 409 page misinformation- and mistake-filled anti-trans political report from unnamed authors that ignores current research and science, contradicts established best practices, attempts to discredit gender-affirming care, and advocates for conversion therapy (a form of torture).

• 🏳️‍⚧️⚕️🏛️ On Thursday, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement condemning the anti-trans report released by the U.S. government.

• 🏳️‍⚧️⚕️🏛️ On Friday, President Trump’s administration agreed to halt the attempted funding freeze of Maine’s child nutrition program, which was put in place to retaliate against the state’s governor for refusing to ban trans athletes from sports.

This Week's Contributors

• Grey L. Pierce (they/them); M.A., Cognitive Psychology

• Ross Rogers (he/him); studying Social Relations and Policy at Michigan State University

• Chandler Storrs (they/them); M.Ed. Urban Education