Karen Tocarchick, SHRM-CP’s Post

350. According to the Trans Murder Monitoring project, that is the number of transgender people reported to be killed across the globe in 2024. Many of them Black and Brown people. Some of them youth ALL of them human beings. Many more lives may not be reflected in this number as underreporting can occur for a variety of reasons. One thing's for certain; one life lost is too many. On this Transgender Day of Remembrance, we honor the individuals we've lost in the fight for trans equality, rights, and access to freedom. Past and present, trans people and allies continue to advocate for their right to exist. The lives of our fallen trans and gender diverse peers have not been lost in vain. We persist. We continue. Check out S1, E7 "In Honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance" to hear my conversation with Anna Jayne Metcalf, founder of tdor.translivesmatter.info, where we discuss the significance of TDoR, the increasing deaths of trans people as a public health concern, and how data visibility and reporting of these figures empowers us to start advocating against these senseless losses of life. Sources: https://lnkd.in/g2yazF53, tdor.translivesmatter.info #lgbt #trans #transgender #tdor #transgenderdayofremembrance #advocacy #publichealth #socialjustice #protecttransyouth #endtransmurders #stoptranssuicides #findtaylorcasey

WE ARE EVERYWHERE 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ This button is from the 1970s Lesbian Herstory Archive. @lesbian_herstory And I am posting for LGBTQ History Month. The phrase was meant to remind polite, heterosexual society that lesbians were humans, too. And that lesbians were among everyone else. Working. Voting. Paying taxes. Falling in love. Suffering the pangs of heartbreak. Just like you. Now we use this phrase WE ARE EVERYWHERE to remind cisgender people that trans people are among you and members of society. Such a simple slogan. Used over and over again. And yet how soon do we forget that at one point, probably all of us or our ancestors uttered similar words? And they did so at a time when they were scared. Or threatened. Or like now for trans people with current legislation, making it difficult or impossible for trans and gender non-conforming people to receive healthcare, education, legal recognition, and the right to publicly exist. Please remember trans issues aren't just about trans people. They're about all of us. The loss of rights and inhumanity has a ripple effect that touches everyone involved. #translivesmatter #weareeverywhere #lgbtqhistorymonth

Slovenian court rules against legislation barring single and LGBTQ+ women from assisted reproduction On 26 November 2024, the Slovenian Constitutional Court ruled the legislation which currently bars single women and LGBTQ+ women from accessing assisted reproductions methods as unconstitutional. The National Assembly needs to amend the law within a year. _____ Our View: This petition to review this legislation was originally submitted in October 2020 and has now finally been deemed unconstitutional after four years of deliberation in relation to non-discriminatory treatment against women outlined in Article 14 and Article 55 of the Slovenian Constitution. This long-awaited ruling marks a significant victory for women's rights and LGBTQ+ equality in Slovenia. By removing barriers to assisted reproduction, the Court has paved the way for greater autonomy and reproductive freedom for all women, regardless of their relationship status or sexual orientation. #LGBTGreat #LGBTQNews #NewsDigest

It’s Pride Month, and if you’re a resident of a major city it might be easy to roll your eyes at the idea of Pride Parades or Festivals and the need for Pride at all in 2024. Before you do, keep in mind: - Many kids are still disowned from their families for expressing their identity. - There is still the ability to terminate employees who openly identify as LGBTQ+ in certain circumstances that would never be tolerated if the discrimination was race or faith based. - Suicide rates are still elevated for LGBTQ+ Youth - Trans people face violent victimization at a multiple of 3-4x cisgendered people and there is considerable under reporting because the criminal justice system routinely violates the rights of that same population. - It still takes an act of personal and professional bravery to live and work as an openly LGBTQ+ person for many even if all other aspects of their personal and professional life seem accepting. - LGBTQ+ rights in the US are intrinsically tied to the same constitutional foundation that abortion rights were before the Supreme Court revoked those rights and questioned the right to privacy. This is why Pride is important. Even when it may feel like LGBTQ+ rights are firmly cemented into the fabric of society, it only means that you aren’t exposed to the bad parts of society that are still attacking trans kids or disowning gay teens or denying people the ability to talk about their families at work. We march and celebrate freedom not just to remember the Stonewall Riots or AIDS epidemic or the horrors of the holocaust, but also to sustain the movement for human rights for the future. Happy Pride 🏳️🌈

The more we read this bill...the more flabbergasted we got. A proposed bill in Missouri would label teachers as sex offenders for offering support to transgender students. This not only undermines the crucial role of educators but also poses a serious threat to the well-being of students. As educators, our primary duty is to provide a safe and supportive environment for all students - regardless of their gender identity. Yet at the same time, this bill seeks to punish teachers for fulfilling their responsibilities to support and advocate for transgender students. How does that help anyone? Tune in to the latest episode for a deeper dive into this important conversation. #inclusivity #transgender #school #teachers #breakingthefourthwall #support

If Donald Trump’s first administration is anything to go by, LGBTQ+ rights are likely to be under threat in his second administration. It isn’t a given that Trump will adopt policy recommendations such as those in think tank The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 manifesto. But his past policy positions on LGBTQ+ issues, and the anti-LGBTQ+ policy recommendations in Project 2025 provide insight into what might happen under a second Trump presidency. #LGBTQ #project2025

It’s Not Political: A Personal Thought Hi all—this is me after a really tough conversation that left me feeling heartbroken and frustrated. I didn’t know if I should post this because I was nervous about both upsetting people and being vulnerable on here, but the part of me that was hesitant is the part I recognize as a coward. It’s important to show vulnerability, and if being upset about basic human rights makes people uncomfortable, I know that silence is worse. Women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and basic human dignity are not political opinions. I’ve been feeling overwhelmed with frustration lately because these aren’t just abstract concepts—they affect my life and the people I love in very real ways. Too often, when we bring up these topics, we’re told not to "talk politics." But here’s the truth: silence is not neutrality. Dismissing these conversations as “too political” is a way to cut off the dialogue, and that’s a form of oppression in itself. It’s saying that people’s rights, and even their lives, aren’t worth discussing. The tragic case of Amber Nicole Thurman, who died after being denied life-saving care due to restrictive abortion laws, shows that this issue goes beyond politics—it’s literally life or death. I’m sharing this video because it’s important to be open about how deeply these issues affect us. If you haven’t registered to vote yet, please do so. These elections matter for all of us. 👉 Register to vote at Vote.org Please note, I’m not trying to be divisive, and I ask that any comments be thoughtful and respectful. We need to reflect on how our actions—especially when we vote—impact others. Please approach this conversation with empathy and responsibility. To read more about my full thoughts on this topic, you can check out my article here on Medium: https://lnkd.in/eCcxaCFQ #ItsNotPolitical #WomensRightsAreHumanRights #BodilyAutonomy #HumanRights #SpeakUpForJustice

Always. It’s time to stop the dog-whistle politics around ‘women-only’ spaces and the like. Most of the concerns can be countered by factual data and/or engineering solutions rather than sidelining human beings. Here’s an idea for toilets - why don’t we make disabled toilets ‘disabled priority’ like bus seats, meaning that anyone can use them but disabled people take priority. That way anyone who feels uncomfortable about using the gendered loos for whatever reason, real or perceived, could use them. Surely that is better than excluding people? Would also reduce queuing too, and counter the misguided hate that people with non-visible disabilities face when using the facilities

Protections for LGBTQ+ students are crucial. Last week, the Biden administration implemented new federal rules under Title IX (the 1972 law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding) extending protections for LGBTQ+ students against discrimination and harassment in schools, effective August 1st, 2024. These rules broaden the scope of Title IX, explicitly prohibiting discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This signifies progress towards creating safer and more inclusive environments for all students. Unlike the previous administration's policies, which narrowed protections, these changes expand Title IX's scope to explicitly protect LGBTQ+ individuals. While this is a positive step forward, there's still more work to be done to ensure full equality and protection. As a law firm committed to equality and justice, we welcome these changes and remain dedicated to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights in education and beyond. Let's continue working together to build a future where everyone is treated with dignity, respect, and equality under the law. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eCj_WnBK #LGBTQrights #LGBTQIA #EqualityForAll #LGBTQEquality #InclusivePolicies #GenderEquality #LegalProtection #HumanRights #TitleIX #GenderIdentityProtection #EqualityUnderLaw #EqualRightsForAll #LegalEquality #CivilRights #LegalUpdate