S. Baum

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Washington State University credentials anti-trans hate group to teach medical providers

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The Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM), a Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group, received the green light to teach medical professionals through Washington State University’s continuing medical education (CME) program — meaning medical providers may now use SEGM courses to fulfill requirements to maintain their licensure. Critics argue the move by WSU gives the appearance of legitimacy to a group with opaque funding and a disturbing proximity to far-right, Christian fundamentalist forces. It also means well-meaning providers who want to enhance their practice with trans-competent care may be misdirected to SEGM propaganda instead of evidence-based best practices. Most damning, critics say, is that listing SEGM as […]

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Court sides with ACLU and queer performers over federal trans funding restrictions

The Trump Administration has lost yet another battle with one of its most formidable foes: the arts. The right has long self-identified as the protector of free speech, except when that speech has to do with race, gender, sexuality, queerness, science, (non-Christian) religion, and anything else the Trump regime deems seditious, such as being critical of the government. Four plaintiffs — Rhode Island Latino Arts, National Queer Theater, The Theater Offensive and Theatre Communications Group — sued federal officials following the signing of an executive order which directed the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to disfavor grant applications that “promote gender […]

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Alaska’s medical board moves to ban gender-affirming care for trans minors

An Alaskan podiatrist is leading the State Medical Board’s efforts to take away life-saving health care from transgender youth. The Board unanimously approved a proposal last week spearheaded by Dr. Matt Heilala, of Anchorage, to move towards eradicating gender-affirming health care for trans minors by reclassifying such treatments—such as puberty blockers, hormone treatments and surgeries—as “unprofessional conduct.” If finalized, this would also give the board broad discretion over the enforcement and “sanctions” doled out, such as fines or loss of licensure. No such restrictions are proposed for the care of cisgender people. The rule must still undergo a legal review followed by a 30-day […]

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Largest trans survey ever finds the top reason transgender people stop transitioning is transphobia

A report on the largest survey ever of trans Americans’ health was released on Wednesday, June 11, and its findings reaffirmed what many academics, health care providers and trans people already know: gender-affirming care saves and improves lives, but transphobia often dissuades people from pursuing or continuing it when they need it most. Over 84,000 trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people aged 18 and up responded to the 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey, spearheaded by Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE). Of respondents who had transitioned, 9 percent had gone back to living as their sex assigned at birth at some point in their lives, at least for […]