political Attack on LGBTQIA+ and Trans folx Continues; and So does our fight - 2/2025
With the new administration in office, we have seen an alarming amount of Executive Orders (EOs) targeting the LBGTQIA+ community, especially transgender, non-binary, and intersex individuals. These EOs have been a way to strip away long-fought battles regarding the safety, well-being, and livelihood of LGBTQIA+ communities. While these orders have brought much uncertainty and fear, we must be reminded of a few things:
1). Executive Orders cannot override the United States Constitution and federal laws that have been set in place. EOs serve as a mechanism to shape policy and direct federal agencies to enact these orders, but they must pass through congress. This limits the scope of presidential power and what he can implement.
2). There are a number of legal organizations, advocacy groups, and legal teams that are fighting back. Some major organizations such as the and are steadfast in blocking these executive orders by filing lawsuits to prevent them from passing.
3). You are not alone. It's easy to forget this, but there are millions of people who are standing by your side in solidarity. It is through our collective efforts of advocacy, fighting for equality, and creating networks of support that we will prevail, just as we always have. "Together, our LGBTQ+ community has always defied the odds to make history that once seemed unimaginable" - Kelly Robinson
Here is a look at some of the major Executive Orders and their impacts:
- Placing restrictions on federal gender markers, such as passports, that require a person to use their sex assigned at birth. While the White House has said that it intends to continue honoring previously issued unexpired passports that reflect a person鈥檚 gender identity, including an X, they will not renew or issue new passports that reflect anything other than assigned sex at birth.
- Reinstating and expanding the military ban on transgender servicemembers, which will exclude qualified individuals from serving in critical roles and impact thousands who are currently serving.
- Reinstating the Global Gag Rule, which would block funding for reproductive health care organizations worldwide, disproportionately affecting LGBTQ+ people, women, and girls.
- Directing agencies to take action to prevent gender-affirming care from being provided to people under the age of 19. The Order directs many avenues of action, including removing coverage for gender-affirming care from federal health insurance policies, modifying requirements under the Affordable Care Act, and - very importantly - preventing hospitals or other medical providers who accept Medicare or Medicaid, or who receive federal funding for research or education, from providing gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers or other medication.
- Attempting to dictate to students, their parents, and educators what they can read, learn, say, and who they can be. The order encourages criminal prosecutions of teachers for affirming LGBTQ+ students and suggests that supporting LGBTQ+ young people is unpatriotic and anti-American.
- Prohibiting transgender girls from participating in school sports teams that align with their gender identity and expose students to harassment, discrimination, and division.
The SPHERE program and the Department of Student Equity will continue to create and hold space with and for LGBTQIA+ individuals. We are committed to connecting you to the resources that can support you as you navigate your academic journey. We hope to create the conditions that foster a sense of belonging and genuine care that affirms and celebrates your identities. Please visit us in Building 14 to connect with us and learn more about our resources. We also encourage you to check out the QT Time mental health support space with Van Ethan Levy: vlevy@miracosta.edu as well as , provided by our amazing Health Services Team.
LGBTQIA+ Equity Condemns Anti-LGBTQIA+ Legislation - 4/2022
As of April 2022, the annual number of anti-LGBTQIA+ bills proposed has skyrocketed from 41 in 2018 to 238 in less than four months into 2022. These bills range Alabama鈥檚 recent signing criminalizing gender-affirming health care for minors to Florida's "Parental Rights in Education" bill, also known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. Nearly half of these bills explicitly target trans, non binary, and many more non cis people. Although most of the legislation is aimed at K-12 students, these sorts of bills can normalize antagonism toward LGBTQIA+ students and create additional pain, stress, and fear for the LGBTQIA+ population. In addition, anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation affects students beyond the campus where they live, study, and work, as students live within the communities outside of the institutions.
With the disturbance and possibility of these atrocious laws that may come to pass, we openly reiterate our support to our friends, loved ones, and the many more people for whom this decision adversely and directly affects. Furthermore, we acknowledge and bring to the forefront the shared fear, anxiety, anger, and frustrations within the LGBTQIA+ community around this legislation that truly affects all of us. The Department of Student Equity is in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community and continues its commitment to equity and inclusion, which is supported through the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement (Board Policy 3400).
We invite the 美姬社区 community to remain committed to educating ourselves about LGBTQIA+ issues. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to sign up for the self-paced Pride Inclusion Training, which provides access to information to aid in supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual, and many more [LGBTQIA+] community members.
Students, we invite you to utilize the QT Group, an affirming space for all LGBTQPIA+ students to share experiences, express their identities, and build community. To learn more about this student group, please visit . For the Zoom link, email Van Ethan Levy at vlevy@miracosta.edu ; specifying in the email that you are requesting a link for the QT Group.
For our LGBTQIA+ community, especially our trans and non binary members, we send out a reminder that you are worthy, valued, matter and belong. Please know that if you need someone to connect with, 美姬社区 staff and faculty are ready and willing to talk with you.
- SPHERE - lgbtqia@miracosta.edu
Cindy Arce (she, her, hers) - Program Manager Student Success & Equity
carce@miracosta.edu - Health Services- for mental health counseling or 30-minute psychoeducational/information
sessions
Make an appointment with Mental Health Counselors by contacting mccshs@miracosta.edu
California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Otiz Oakley On The Needs Of LGBTQ+ Community - 01/2020
2/2019
Friends,
On January 22, the Supreme Court weighed in on a ban that bars most transgender people from serving in the military. While the details of the proceedings surrounding this ban are leaving many people with more questions than it does answers, what is clear to us is that for the past two and a half years transgender people have been able to serve bravely and openly in our military. Despite these uncertain times, the Student Equity Department and Veteran Services Department wants to reiterate our support for our active duty and veteran service members, as well as those with friends and loved ones for whom this decision adversely affects.
We鈥檝e stated before, that in times like this, there are three interconnected, vital themes must come to the fore: support, solidarity, and visibility. The fear, anxiety, anger, and frustration that those affected by this decision are experiencing is valid. 美姬社区 has an expressed commitment to equity and inclusion, which is supported through the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement (Board Policy 3400):
美姬社区 is committed to providing a strong, supportive, and authentic environment where difference is valued, respected, encouraged, and honored; where all faculty, staff, and students experience a sense of belonging and the freedom to express themselves; and where their experiences are recognized and valued. 美姬社区 strives to be a model for equity and inclusion. The college is committed to providing opportunities for engagement both across the campus and within the communities the college serves. The college seeks to remove barriers to learning, participation, and success, with a focus on changing procedures and practices that disproportionately affect certain groups. Anchored in a culture of evidence, 美姬社区 promotes increased awareness and appreciation of individual, collective, and intersecting identities within our diverse society and acknowledges that different students learn in different and unique ways.
Please know that if you need someone to speak with, there are 美姬社区 staff and faculty ready and willing to speak with you.
- Veteran Services
Liz Draper, Coordinator, Veterans Services
ldraper@miracosta.edu - Student Equity
JP Bareng Schumacher, Director of Student Equity & Campus Liaison for LGBTQIA+ Needs
jschumacher@miracosta.edu - India Pierce, LGBTQIA+ Equity, Student Services Specialist
ipierce@miracosta.edu
10/2018
Friends,
On October 21st the New York Times on a leaked memo from President Trump鈥檚 administration. The memo describes a plan to redefine gender as a biologically immutable state determined by a person鈥檚 genitalia at birth. This proposed definition threatens to roll back numerous rights and protections - healthcare, housing, and other means of social support - for transgender, non-binary, gender nonconforming, and intersex individuals.
The content proposed in this memo has shaken members of the entire LGBTQIA+ community. The resultant fear, anxiety, anger, and frustration that the community is experiencing is valid. For those that identify as cisgender allies, it is vital that we work to hold ourselves and each other accountable, listen first instead of talk, and support a world where people have rights and liberty regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. During times like these, the Student Equity Department believes that three interconnected, vital themes must come to the fore: support, solidarity, and visibility.
Here is a video that shows four ways that we can manifest these themes at 美姬社区 College to support transgender, non-binary, gender nonconforming, and intersex students, faculty, and staff.
To our transgender, non-binary, gender nonconforming, and intersex students, staff, and faculty - you are valued and you belong here at 美姬社区.
