White House Makes History; Appoints First Transgender Woman as LGBT Liaison

Today, President Obama appointed openly transgender woman Raffi Freedman-Gurspan as the White House’s LGBT liaison. She is first transgender person to have the job.

Freedman-Gurspan, formerly of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), was appointed as Outreach and Recruitment Director for Presidential Personnel in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel in August 2015.  

“We believe it is a tremendous decision by the White House to recognize Raffi’s leadership as well as the importance of having transgender leadership in an important role for the community,” HRC Senior Vice President, Policy and Political Affairs JoDee Winterhof told Buzzfeed.

President Clinton created the role in 1995 but it was not continued during the Bush Administration. Other leaders who served in the role under the Obama Administration include Aditi Hardikar, Gautam Raghavan and Brian Bond.

This move comes at a significant point for members of the transgender community. While leaders, advocates and celebrities are breaking barriers and creating visibility like never before, members of the transgender community continue to experience high levels of anti-transgender violence and discrimination around the globe.

HRC congratulates Freedman-Gurspan on this immense honor and looks forward to working with her and the Obama Administration.

www.hrc.org/blog/white-house-makes-history-appoints-first-transgender-woman-as-lgbt-liaison?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

First Openly Gay Player to Compete in March Madness

Twenty-four year old athlete Derrick Gordon could soon make history as the first openly gay basketball player to compete in the NCAA March Madness tournament.

Gordon is the senior guard for Seton Hall University, which will play Gonzaga University later this week. He has played in every game this season thus far and is expected to play Thursday.  

Gordon first came out in 2014 while playing for University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

“When kids aren’t able to come out, I know why,” Gordon told ESPN in April 2014. “It’s a scary thing. That’s one of the reasons I’m doing this.”

Over the past few years, more and more notable athletes, including Michael Sam, Jason Collins, Robbie Rogers, Orlando Cruz, Megan Rapinoe, Lori Lindsey and Tom Daley,  have made the brave choice to live openly and authentically.

Whether it’s for the first time ever or the first time today, the experience of coming out and living openly covers the full spectrum of human emotion — from fear to euphoria. Coming out — whether it is as LGBT or allied — is a deeply personal journey for each individual.

For more resources on Coming Out, visit HRC’s Coming Out Center.

www.hrc.org/blog/first-openly-gay-player-to-compete-in-march-madness?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

2016 Legislature Preview: Louisiana State Legislative Session Begins as More States Adjourn

As we mark the eleventh week of the 2016 legislative session, more and more state legislatures will adjourn as Louisiana’s state legislature kicks off a new session today. Nine state legislatures across the nation will adjourn in the next three weeks.

While newly elected Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has committed to issuing an executive order that would protect LGBT state employees and government contractors from firing, discrimination and harassment, it is highly likely that religious refusal legislation will be introduced in Louisiana this year.

While nearly 200 anti-LGBT bills were introduced across 32 states this year, just over 100 bills are still active. These bills are part of an onslaught of anti-LGBT bills being pushed this year by anti-equality activists around the country.

The types of legislation vary from targeting the rights of transgender people, to eliminating local non-discrimination protections, to explicitly authorizing anti-LGBT discrimination by individuals, businesses and even taxpayer-funded agencies.

To learn more about what lies ahead for equality in your backyard, visit HRC’s newest resource, “Preview 2016: Pro-Equality and Anti-LGBT State and Local Legislation.”

www.hrc.org/blog/2016-legislature-preview-louisiana-state-legislative-session-begins-as-more?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed