Anya Crittenton

Democrats on Wednesday (13 March), with some bipartisan support, are re-introducing the Equality Act to Congress for the third time. This bill seeks to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected traits. If passed, it would prohibit discrimination in various areas, including employement, housing, public accommodation, and more on a national level. When nearly half of all LGBTI people in the US live in states without workplace protections, such legislation becomes especially pressing. Representatives David Cicilline (D-RI) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), as well as Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) […]

President Donald Trump unveiled his annual budget proposal on Monday (11 March). It includes $291 million for the national fight against HIV and AIDS — while cutting over $1 billion in similar funding on a global scale. In the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2020, Trump allocated $291 million to the Department of Health and Human Services. This money is specifically allocated to end the transmission of HIV. In his 2019 State of the Union address, Trump pledged to end new HIV transmissions in the US by 2030 — an announcement met with skepticism from many LGBTI groups. ‘My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to […]

Activists are concerned with Donald Trump’s nomination to lead the Office on Violence Against Women. His nominee is Shannon Lee Goessling, a Republican with an anti-LGBTI and pro-gun record. This office is an organization that works with victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and more. They administer grants to help support these victims in a variety of ways. When first announcing her nomination to the position, Trump and the White House praised her legal and business records. They specifically noted her time as director of the Crimes Against Women and Children Prosecution Unit in Atlanta, which she earned after serving almost a decade as a state […]

Transgender activist Barbra ‘Babs’ Casbar Siperstein died on Sunday (3 February) at the age of 76. Throughout her life, Siperstein accomplished much and made a legacy for herself. In 2009, the Democratic National Committee appointed her as a member. She became the first openly transender person serving on the committee. She remained in that position until 2011, when they promoted her to the executive committee, where she served until 2017. Two days before her death, a law went into effect in New Jersey named after her. The Babs Siperstein Law allows transgender, non-binary, and other gender nonconforming people to request a change […]

On Tuesday (8 January), a federal grand jury in Texas returned an indictment against two men accused of using Grindr to assault and rob gay male victims. They charged the men with conspiracy to commit hate crimes. The jury delivered a 15-count indictment against Daniel Jenkins, 19, and Michael Atkinson, 24. According to the Texas state attorney’s office, Jenkins and Atkinson used the popular dating app to ‘lure’ men to an apartment complex. They allegedly targeted at least nine men between the ages of 19 and 57. U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas also revealed that […]

Jared Polis on Tuesday (8 January) was sworn in as governor of Colorado. With his inauguration, he became the state’s first Jewish governor and the country’s first openly gay governor. Polis made history on 7 November when he won his race in the midterm elections. He ran opposing Republican candidate Walker Stapleton, who took 44.9% of the votes, compared to Polis’ 52%. Prior to becoming governor, Polis served as the representative from Colorado’s 2nd congressional district since 2009. He fought for numerous progressive causes, such as LGBTI rights, education access, and healthcare. Civil Rights icon and House of Representatives member John […]