Let me tell y’all about Camp Ground - a multi-faith retreat for people doing justice work. This work is exhausting - we need time to rest and recharge. I attended last year and found that and more.

If you serve community and are flagging - please apply! Apps close Sunday.

campgroundretreat.org

Parents’ Rights and Parents’ Wrongs Forced Outing from the School Hallway to the Supreme Court to the State of the Union

On Monday night, SCOTUS issued an order indicating they may be inclined to side with policies that force teachers to out LGBTQI+ students to their legal guardians. Forced outing is something kind of hard to talk about. So it felt like maybe we should talk about it. sames.substack.com/parents-righ...

Transgender Medical Care: What You Should Know and How To Preserve Access to Care Transgender medical care is safe, effective, lifesaving—but access to it is under attack.

Parents are a vital part of trans medical care decisions - and always have been. Learn the facts about transgender medical care:

www.americanprogress.org/article/tran...

The SAVE Act Could Keep Millions of Transgender Americans From Voting Should this legislation pass, it would further discrimination against transgender people and could keep millions of voters out of the voting booth.

Voter ID policies requiring proof of citizenship (like the SAVE Act) are voter suppression. If enacted, millions of trans people could struggle to vote. Read our analysis here:

www.americanprogress.org/article/the-...

President “Keep Politics Out of Sports” Trump brings in the USA Men’s Hockey Team to parade around in the #StateoftheUnion

Conversion therapy is discredited junk science that endangers kids. SCOTUS might greenlight it anyway. @hvnorrisphd.bsky.social breaks down the case for @USAToday.com: t.co/C5rJw77uef

Citizens United opened the floodgates of slimy dark money into our politics. It’s time we slam them shut.

Glad to have CAP in the fight :-)

Trans people, like everyone else, deserve safety and dignity. Popularity - or unpopularity - of that statement has no bearing on its truth.

That's kind of the whole point of civil rights.

2025 Out Leaders List graphic with Caleb Smith's headshot. "Caleb Smith, (Any Pronouns), LGBTQI+ Policy Director, Center for American Progress"

Congratulations to CAP's @calebllsmith.bsky.social for being listed as one of @outinnationalsecurity.org and @newamerica.org's Out Leaders 2025 honoree. #OutLeadership2025 www.outinnationalsecurity.org/honor-roll/2...

Event graphic with the event title, "In Conversation: The 2024 LGBTQI+ Community Survey," with the description, "LGBTQI+ surveys and studies are essential for understanding the needs of our communities. Join the Center for American Progress and our authors to discuss data insights on topics such as the communities' wage gaps, caregiving, experiences of disabled LGBTQI+ people, barriers in health care, and more." Below are headshots for Colin Seeberger, Casey Doherty, Haley Norris, Sara Estep, and Molly Weston Williamson.

As the Trump administration continues to censor LGBTQI+ data and slash critical research funding, it's more important than ever to understand the needs of LGBTQI+ communities. Don't miss this important conversation with CAP thought leaders on Monday, July 28: www.americanprogress.org/events/in-co...

Join me tomorrow for our conversation about the 2024 CAP LGBTQI+ Community Survey! RSVP here: www.americanprogress.org/events/in-co...

Over a million queer women rely on Medicaid. What happens if they lose it? Lesbian and bisexual women are more likely to be low-income, more likely to be parents and more likely to rely on Medicaid. They could fall through the cracks of Trump’s new tax law.

Sara Habein, a mother of two in Montana, recently learned that she has cysts in her brain. Every six months, her doctors check that the cysts aren’t growing.

If she didn’t have Medicaid, she's not sure what she would do. Now, Trump’s “one big, beautiful” law threatens her coverage.

In Conversation: The 2024 LGBTQI+ Community Survey Join CAP for a panel and discussion about new insights into LGBTQI+ experiences.

Virtual LGBTQ event alert!

11am on Monday, I'll be joined by several CAP colleagues to discuss new findings from our 2024 LGBTQI+ Survey. Topics include the disabled LGBTQI+ community, the LGBTQI+ wage gap, caregiving, and more.

RSVP and find out more here! www.americanprogress.org/events/in-co...

Presidential Appeasement and the Supreme Court: The State of the Court in 2025 Please join the Center for American Progress for a virtual event on presidential appeasement and the Supreme Court in 2025.

Today at 11 am ET: Don't miss our virtual event on presidential appeasement and the Supreme Court in 2025. www.americanprogress.org/events/presi...

We'll be joined by @audrelawdamercy.bsky.social, @leahlitman.bsky.social, @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social, and @anthonymkreis.bsky.social.

My colleague Sara at @americanprogress.bsky.social examined our CAP LGBTQI+ Community Survey, revealing that LGBTQI+ households earn just 85 cents for every $1 of non-LGBTQI+ households. LGBTQI+ women households earn even less, at just 52 cents per $1.

www.americanprogress.org/article/the-...

We’re not working or networking or skill building at this retreat - we’re resting and recharging so we can come back to the work.

Camp Ground is Labor Day Weekend in CA - message me if you have questions!

Hint: if your first thought is “how can I volunteer/help”, this camp is probably for you!

Some of the very best people I know have created a camp - it’s a retreat for those of us who do social justice work. Camp Ground is about rest: no work allowed.

If you organize, advocate, etc in ANY capacity (professionally, as a volunteer, in your spare time) this camp is probably for you.

The camp is in California, over Labor Day weekend.

We’re not networking, we’re not skill building, we’re taking time to recharge and heal, together and in the outdoors.

Hint: if your first thought is, “how can I volunteer/help”, this camp is also probably for you! 🩵

The Dangers of Obeying: 4 Risks for Organizations Bowing to the Trump Administration The Trump administration is demanding unprecedented power and punishing those who refuse to comply, but civil society acting peacefully with collective courage can build a stronger democracy.

MUST-READ: My CAP colleague Alice Lillydahl has a terrific new column out today on why appeasement of Trump's illegal demands may be far more dangerous to organizations than compliance is.

LGBTQI+ People Are Underinsured and Experience Health Insurance Discrimination in Key Areas New Center for American Progress survey findings demonstrate how LGBTQI+ people are at greater risk of losing access to health care under the proposed One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Right-wing senators are trying to defund coverage of trans medical care. A new report out today from my colleague @hvnorrisphd.bsky.social reveals: 28% of insured trans folks are covered through Medicaid and 6% through ACA plans.

Coverage MUST be protected.
www.americanprogress.org/article/lgbt...

Something Censored is an effort to fight back against suppression of needed info. Weekdays until June 28, I'll post a webpage or resource censored by the Trump admin, why it is important, and a link to an archived version (thank you Wayback Machine). Follow along for daily updates.

An archived copy of the handbook can be found here: web.archive.org/web/20241206...

Today's Something Censored - The Department of Defense had a detailed handbook on supporting transgender service members, providing policies that ensured equity and covered topics from dress code to commander responsibilities. It has since been censored, but we have a copy.

Something Censored is an effort to fight back against suppression of needed info. On weekdays until June 28, I'll post a webpage or resource censored by the Trump admin, why it is important, and a link to an archived version (thank you Wayback Machine). Follow along for daily updates.

The Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons are Integral to U.S. Foreign Policy - United States Department of State On June 27, 2024, Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted the Convening on U.S. Foreign Policy: National Security, Inclusive Development, and the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons. Special Envoy to Adv...

An archived copy of the article can be found here: web.archive.org/web/20240815...

Key state department officials shared at a national convening how LGBTQI+ rights are an integral part of international policy. Secretary Blinken and other leaders affirmed the importance of diversity in international policy. The article is no longer available on government sites.

Something Censored is an effort to fight back against suppression of needed info. On weekdays until June 28 I'll post a webpage or resource censored by the Trump admin, why it is important, and a link to an archived version (thank you Wayback Machine). Follow along for daily updates.

An archived copy of the policies and guidance can be found here: web.archive.org/web/20250117...

Today’s Something Censored - Wiped from the TSA website; policies and guidance on traveling through TSA for transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse people. Much of this advice is still helpful; highly recommend a read for those traveling.

Also, on Skrmetti. Folks are going to analyze, write about the harms of the ruling. While we do, it is SO important to remember:

The people who sued for care, went before SCOTUS and argued for equal rights were right to do so. Their strategy was solid, their aim was correct.

Hope is never wrong.