Features

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Judge rules the military must cover gender-affirming surgery for members’ dependents

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The Department of Defense’s health insurance plan, Tricare, must cover gender-affirming surgery for transgender dependents of active and retired service members, a federal judge has ruled. The exclusion of coverage for this care violates the equal protection guarantees of the U.S. Constitution, U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen ruled November 1. The suit was brought by two transgender women in their 20s, identified by the pseudonyms Jane Doe and Susan Roe, who are both daughters of retired military members and are covered by Tricare. Doe and her father filed suit in 2022 in U.S. District Court in Maine, and Roe was added to the suit last year. Doe lives in Maine and Roe in Florida. Both of […]

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7 steps for transgender people preparing for federal crackdowns under Trump

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In the wake of Donald Trump’s election as president, transgender people are left wondering what lies ahead. For this vulnerable community, a Trump administration signals potential disaster: the candidate just won his election after$215 million in anti-trans ads targeting this small minority—a staggering amount that eclipsed spending on other issue-based ads. Now, transgender individuals are searching for ways to protect themselves under a federal government that may view them as top “enemies from within,” a term Trump has used to describe those on the left. I spoke with experts in transgender care and dozens of transgender individuals to identify steps the community can take now […]

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Trans Awareness Week Happens November 13-19

Each year between November 13 – 19, people and organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help increase understanding about transgender people and the issues members of the community face. Trans Awareness Week takes place the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence that year. Read more about Transgender Awareness Week (Semana de Concientización Transgénero en espagnol) and Transgender Day of Remembrance below, and find out how […]

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Sudden syphilis retreat in gay men is most likely tied to preventive antibiotic use

The public health workforce tasked with fighting what has been a long-losing battle against sexually transmitted infections now finds itself confronted with a new, unfamiliar outlook: hope. After having surged to record levels practically every year this century, overall diagnoses of the three top bacterial STIs have crested since the Covid pandemic. From 2022 to 2023, total diagnoses decreased by 2%, to 2.46 million new cases, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention STI surveillance report published Tuesday. And importantly, diagnoses of primary and secondary syphilis — the most infectious stages of the infection — dropped 10% last year, […]

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Exploiting Meta’s Weaknesses, Deceptive Political Ads Thrived on Facebook and Instagram in Run-Up to Election

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In December, the verified Facebook page of Adam Klotz, a Fox News meteorologist, started running strange video ads. Some featured the distinctive voice of former President Donald Trump promising “$6,400 with your name on it, no payback required” just for clicking the ad and filling out a form. In other ads with the same offer, President Joe Biden’s well-known cadence assured viewers that “this isn’t a loan with strings attached.” There was no free cash. The audio was generated by AI. People who clicked were taken to a form asking for their personal information, which was sold to telemarketers who […]

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Two new cases of more-infectious mpox strain found in UK

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Two new cases of a more-infectious strain of mpox have been detected in the UK, health officials have said. The new cases come after the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced at the end of last month that a single case of Clade 1b mpox had been detected in the country. Mpox, formerly known as Monkeypox, was first declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2022 after the number of cases suddenly increased in Europe and the Americas, particularly affecting gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men. In August, WHO again declared the disease a world health emergency, after a new strain – […]

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New Study Explores Effectiveness of AI Chatbots in HIV Prevention

A new study conducted by the California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Centers (CHPRC) explores the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to aid in HIV prevention efforts. The research led by Marisa Fujimoto at UC Berkeley and the Northern California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Center is titled “Evaluating AI Chatbots for HIV Prevention: An Assessment of Response Quality and User Tailoring” and examines the ability of AI-driven chatbots to deliver accurate, engaging, and personalized health information to people from groups affected by HIV and community-based organizations. More information is available at www.chprc.org. As healthcare increasingly turns to digital solutions, this study provides critical insights into […]

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Trans candidates demand their seat at the table in the Florida legislature

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UnderFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Sunshine State in recent years saw a rapid slate of anti-trans policies implemented. Now three transgender candidates are pursuing seats in the Florida legislature. Trans womanAshley Brundage and trans manNathan Bruemmer, both Democrats, are taking on Republican incumbents in the Tampa Bay area. Meanwhile, trans womanVance Ahrens, also a Democrat, will challenge one of the greatest sources of anti-transgender rhetoric in the state, running against Florida Rep. Randy Fine for an open seat in the Florida Senate. All face varying challenges on the campaign trail but earned spots on the November 5 general ballot. The hope is that the […]

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Patrons douse TERFS in drinks & ketchup for staging an anti-trans protest at bar

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A well-known British TERF and two accomplices staged a provocative “silent” protest at two London pubs Friday night, stoking resentment among weekenders simply looking to get a drink. It did not end well. “We’re going now,” a police officer told Jean Hatchet, organizer of the anti-trans action, as displeased patrons fled the premises. “You can either make your own way out or I’ll help you out.” Hatchet’s night on the town began at one bar where she and her two friends set up three small signs reading “TRANSWOMEN ARE MEN,” “NO MEN IN SPORTS – IT’S NOT SAFE + NOT FAIR,” and […]

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Anti-trans ads erode support for transgender people in America with no effect on presidential election: study

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Despite significant spending by former President Donald Trump’s campaign and Republicans on anti-transgender ads, new research released Thursday by Ground Media shows that the ads are failing to influence voter preferences. However, these ads are succeeding in a different, more harmful way: They are eroding public support for transgender Americans and their rights. Ground Media CEO David Rochkind told The Advocate in an interview that while the ads did not boost voter enthusiasm or mobilization for Trump, they did decrease public comfort with transgender people. “We found that there is a decrease of 3.1 percent among those folks who say they would be comfortable accepting a close friend or family member who […]

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