Next HANDS OFF! Fairfield, every Thursday afternoon from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at the corner of Pennsylvania Street & Travis Blvd., Saturday, May 17th at noon at the Same Corner in Fairfield & June 14th (flag day) at a site to be announced.
We will raise our voices in protest against the attacks on our civil rights and the programs that we voted for and paid for with our taxes. Hands Off!
This is a nationally organized event and your participation matters. Bring your signs, your friends and your voices.
(Sponsored by MobilizeUS, hosted by Azonia Haney, public citizen of Fairfield). Contact Azonia Haney to help make it happen at (503) 419-8469 or handsoff.fairfieldca@gmail.com
Indivisible Vacaville is hosting a protest Saturday, Saturday, May 17th.
Thank you for joining the Indivisible Vacaville group. Saturday, May 17th, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm we will be protesting in front of Vacaville City Hall, 650 Merchant St.
There is public parking in back of City Hall and a breezeway next to the rose garden that you can easily walk through to the front of City Hall.
Indivisible Hands-off of our Civil Rights is the theme. We are reclaiming our flag. Bring your signs, flags, water, chairs.
Remember this is a peaceful protest.
Do not engage with negative gestures or speech. Our chant is “this is what democracy looks like”. Hope to see you there
Linda C. James (70lcjames@gmail.com)
Equality California
Summer is just around the corner — and the news isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. We’ve got a full slate of highlights for you below. To see everything we’ve previously shared, visit our website.
Week of May 11-May 17, 2025:
- LGBTQ+ Tech Group Launches Online Database to House Guidance, Resources: LGBT Tech announced the creation of a resource bank to collect and preserve LGBTQ+ specific guidance that has disappeared from federal websites since the inauguration. This includes health advisories, community support tools, civil rights policy, and more.
- GLAAD’s 2025 Social Media Safety Index Shows LGBTQ+ People Under Attack: GLAAD released its annual social media survey on Tuesday, which shows that LGBTQ+ people’s safety has plummeted across various platforms. TikTok scored highest, while X finished in last place. Read the full report here.
- Republicans Propose Harmful Cuts to Medicaid and Trans Healthcare: House Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill is being denounced by many members of Congress for its proposed deep cuts to Medicaid, tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and ban on Medicaid coverage for healthcare for transgender youth. The bill could be voted on by the full House as soon as next week.
- Court Asked to Block Enforcement of Discriminatory Passport Policy: Lambda Legal has asked a federal court in Maryland to block an anti-LGBTQ+ passport policy from taking effect pending legal action. The policy, drafted by the State Department under Secretary Marco Rubio, denies transgender and gender nonconforming people accurate passports that reflect their gender identity.
- Appeals Court Keeps Ban Intact on Florida Drag Ban: The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 on Tuesdayto uphold a preliminary injunction preventing a 2023 Florida law — which would ban children from attending drag shows — from taking effect. The decision criticized the law as “substantially overbroad” and cited First Amendment concerns.
We’re committed to keeping you informed and providing you with the latest news and resources. Our hub also provides guidance and resources from our national and state partners, our official statements, and opportunities to take action and fight back. Learn more on our website.
Thanks so much,
— Shane
Shane M. Stahl
Communications Manager
Pronouns: he/him/his
Solano County Represents at the EQCA Lobby Day in Sacramento, March 26th!
Yesterday, we brought nearly 300 community members, partners, and local advocates together in Sacramento for LGBTQ+ Advocacy Day—a chance for people to meet with lawmakers and advocate for legislation that will positively impact the lives of LGBTQ+ Californians.
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ+ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating, and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
Equality California Responds to Dangerous and Discredited HHS Report on Transgender Healthcare WASHINGTON, D.C. — Equality California released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang in response to the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy’s report on healthcare for transgender youth— a politically motivated report that attacks evidence-based medical standards and promotes dangerous, discredited practices:“With this sham report, the Trump administration is escalating its war on transgender youth and their families. These families deserve the right to make sure their child can get medical care without politicians interfering and ignoring science.
For decades, every major medical organization — including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics— has endorsed transgender health care as safe, effective, and medically necessary. This report ignores that consensus, misrepresents science, and promotes outdated, harmful practices that have long been rejected by the medical community.
Conversion therapy is not healthcare—it is abuse. It isolates, shames, and endangers LGBTQ+ youth, increasing their risk of depression, self-harm, and suicide.
California was the first state in the nation to ban conversion therapy and remains a national leader in protecting transgender youth and their families. We have enacted groundbreaking legislation to safeguard access to transgender health care, provide critical resources, and shield families who seek that care from out-of-state attacks.
In the face of renewed assaults by the Trump administration, Equality California is continuing to work alongside the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus and our allies in Sacramento to strengthen these protections and ensure every young person has the support they need to live and thrive.
Let’s be absolutely clear: Transgender people have always existed—and no administration, no law, no lie, and no crusade of hate will erase them.”###
May 21, 2025. eqca.org/news
MEDIA CONTACT: Tom Temprano
MOBILE: (213) 355-3057 EMAIL: press@eqca.org
LGBTQ+ Leaders Urge California Lawmakers to Restore Devastating Cuts to Health Equity Programs
$31 Million Slashed from LGBTQ+ Health Programs in Governor’s Budget Threatens Critical Services Across the State
SACRAMENTO, CA – A broad coalition of leading LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations including Equality California, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the California LGBTQ+ Health and Human Services Network, TransLatin@ Coalition, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, and more are calling on the Legislature to restore more than $31 million in proposed budget cuts to the California Department of Public Health’s Office of Health Equity (CDPH-OHE), which would eliminate dozens of programs serving LGBTQ+ communities across the state.
The Governor’s May Revise for the 2025-26 State Budget proposes to eliminate two major CDPH-OHE initiatives: the California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP) and the Gender Health Equity Section (GHES). The move would rescind funding already awarded through existing contracts to more than 68 contracted community-based organizations across California—more than half of which focus on LGBTQ+ populations, including trans, nonbinary, and BIPOC communities.
“The Governor’s proposal to eliminate funding for several vital programs at OHE is deeply troubling and would have devastating consequences for LGBTQ+ Californians, immigrants, and communities of color,” said Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang. “It would force Equality California and many of our LGBTQ+ partner organizations to shut down trusted, culturally competent programs that are already saving lives across the state. As a state that has long claimed national leadership on equity and inclusion, California must double down on that commitment, not abandon the people who need its support most.”
The proposed cuts include grant programs that were created with explicit legislative direction and funded by the Legislature in previous budget cycles. These include programs supporting LBTQ health equity, LGBTQ+ foster youth, and access to reproductive healthcare. The grants fund grassroots mental health services, trauma-informed care, peer support, and capacity-building in underserved regions and communities too often overlooked by mainstream systems.
“These cuts come at a time when LGBTQ+ communities are already facing national rollbacks, from Medicaid slashes and HIV treatment cuts to bans on gender-affirming care and shrinking access to mental health services,” said Dannie Ceseña, MPH, Director of the California LGBTQ+ Health and Human Services Network. “With trauma mounting from political attacks, California should be leading, not cutting lifelines. Slashing nearly half of the Office of Health Equity’s budget, the only state office specifically dedicated to addressing health disparities, breaks trust.”
During yesterday’s Senate and Assembly Budget Subcommittee hearings, legislators asked CDPH for clarification on the rationale and transparency of these cuts. LGBTQ+ and reproductive justice organizations have also organized community members and health equity advocates to speak out at upcoming budget hearings and submit public comments in opposition to these harmful cuts.
“Governor Newsom’s proposed cuts to the LGBTQ+ Health Equity Fund are a moral failure and a betrayal of California’s most vulnerable,” said Joe Hollendoner, CEO, Los Angeles LGBT Center. “Stripping lifesaving funding from over 68 community organizations—especially those serving LBTQ women, trans, and nonbinary people—is indefensible. These programs shouldn’t be viewed as budget relief; they’re staffed, trusted, and saving lives. California must fully restore and expand this initiative. Our state’s legacy of health justice is at stake—and our communities cannot be left behind.”
“In this critical moment, California must double down, not retract, its efforts to advance health equity and reduce health disparities,” said Jodi Hicks, CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. “As proud providers of community based health education programs in under-resourced areas throughout the state, the Planned Parenthood affiliates in California are dismayed by this proposal to eliminate critical CDPH OHE programs. These proposed cuts would impact real lives and be a departure from California’s commitment to eliminating gender-based health disparities and improving the health and well-being of Californians.”
The coalition of LGBTQ+ and reproductive justice organizations is urging the Legislature to fully restore funding to the Office of Health Equity’s California Reducing Disparities Project and Gender Health Equity Section in the final 2025-26 State Budget. With more than 68 community programs on the line, legislators must act swiftly to prevent irreparable harm to California’s LGBTQ+ communities. Equity cannot be protected in name only; it must be backed by the resources to deliver real impact.
“These aren’t just cuts—they’re an act of erasure,” said Bamby Salcedo, President and CEO of The TransLatin@ Coalition. “The state is pulling funding from programs that were already promised, already contracted, and already making an impact in our communities. You can’t claim to champion equity while dismantling the only infrastructure built to support TGI people. These programs are lifelines and we need the legislature to restore and expand these services.”
The coalition’s full public letter and list of organizational signatories will be submitted to the Legislature this week.
I wanted to flag a helpful new resource from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) that may be of interest to you.
DHCS has just published new guidance reaffirming that all medically necessary gender-affirming care services for Medi-Cal members are covered and Medi-Cal’s policies have not changed. You can access the full guidance here: DHCS Gender-Affirming Care Guidance.
This guidance provides important information that can support community education efforts—particularly in light of escalating federal attacks on transgender healthcare. Please feel free to share this with your networks.
Craig Pulsipher | Legislative Director
Equality California | Equality California Institute
Attached, please find an updated April 25 version of the Know Your Rights sheet, as it relates to the anti-transgender executive orders.
Friends,
The Trump administration is considering a plan to eliminate the CDC’s HIV prevention division — a move that would gut critical services like HIV testing, PrEP access, and condom distribution.
The consequences?
🔴 Higher HIV transmission rates
🔴 Increased healthcare costs — each HIV diagnosis costs $500,000 in lifetime treatment
🔴 Decades of progress erased in the fight to end the epidemic
Now is the time to act! Members of Congress need to hear from you.
📞 Call 202-224-3121 and demand your representatives protect HIV prevention funding.
We can’t let the Trump administration get away with this direct attack on public health and our most vulnerable communities. We must hold our elected officials accountable.
Make your voice heard today.
— Valerie
Valerie Ploumpis
National Policy Director
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Advocates for Transgender Equality Advocacy Invitation
Hey friends,
I’m reaching out to ask for your support in protecting health care access for trans people and DACA recipients. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule CMS-9884-P would eliminate federal protections requiring ACA marketplace plans to cover gender-affirming care, jeopardizing essential, life-saving treatments for trans individuals nationwide.
We’re launching the Protect Our Healthcare Campaign to drive comments opposing this harmful rule before the April 11, 2025 deadline. Your organization’s voice is critical in challenging this proposal.
How You Can Take Action:
- Submit an Organization Comment:
We’ve created a storytelling-focused comment template for organizations to highlight the real-world impact of this rule. This version is ideal for narrative-driven responses. A more technical template may be available soon if your organization prefers to wait. Organization Comment Template - Mobilize Your Community:You can direct your members to submit personal comments using our individual comment portal. Sharing personal stories is a powerful way to emphasize the harm this rule would cause. Individual Comment Portal
- Amplify on Social Media:
We’ve put together a Social Media Kit to help you spread the word, drive engagement, and rally support. Social Media Kit
Comments are due April 11th!!!!
If you have any questions or require additional resources, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at dojeda@transequality.org. We deeply appreciate your support in this critical effort to protect trans healthcare.
Thank you for standing with us!
In solidarity,
Devon Ojeda Ph.D. (they/he)
Senior National Organizer
Advocates for Transgender Equality
dojeda@transequality.org
Cell: 813.732.4821
transequality.org | @TransEquality | A4TE on Facebook
transformthevote.org
Attorney General Bonta and 12 Attorneys General Issue Joint Statement on Protecting Access to Gender-Affirming Care
News Release
February 4, 2025
OAKLAND – Attorney General Bonta today joined a coalition of 12 attorneys general to reaffirm their commitment to protecting access to gender-affirming care in the face of the Trump Administration’s recent Executive Order. The coalition released the following statement:
“As state attorneys general, we stand firmly in support of healthcare policies that respect the dignity and rights of all people. Health care decisions should be made by patients, families, and doctors, not by a politician trying to use his power to restrict your freedoms. Gender-affirming care is essential, life-saving medical treatment that supports individuals in living as their authentic selves.
The Trump Administration’s recent Executive Order is wrong on the science and the law. Despite what the Trump Administration has suggested, there is no connection between “female genital mutilation” and gender-affirming care, and no federal law makes gender-affirming care unlawful. President Trump cannot change that by Executive Order.
Last week, attorneys general secured a critical win from a federal court that directed the federal government to resume funding that had been frozen by the Trump Administration. In response to the Court’s Order, the Department of Justice has sent a notice stating that “federal agencies cannot pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate any awards or obligations on the basis of the OMB memo, or on the basis of the President’s recently issued Executive Orders.” This means that federal funding to institutions that provide gender-affirming care continues to be available, irrespective of President Trump’s recent Executive Order. If the federal administration takes additional action to impede this critical funding, we will not hesitate to take further legal action.
State attorneys general will continue to enforce state laws that provide access to gender-affirming care, in states where such enforcement authority exists, and we will challenge any unlawful effort by the Trump Administration to restrict access to it in our jurisdictions.”
Joining Attorney General Bonta in issuing this statement are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Rhode Island and Vermont.
You may view the full account of this posting, including possible attachments, in the News & Alerts section of our website at: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-and-12-attorneys-general-issue-joint-statement-protecting
Attorney General Bonta Reminds Hospitals and Clinics of Anti-Discrimination Laws Amid Executive Order on Gender Affirming Care
OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today reminded California hospitals and federally-funded healthcare providers of their ongoing obligation under California anti-discrimination law to provide gender affirming care amid confusion resulting from President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directive on freezing or pausing federal funding and his executive order on gender affirming care. Attorney General Bonta also issued a letter putting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles on notice of its obligations under state anti-discrimination law, following reports that the hospital is pausing the initiation of hormonal therapies for all gender affirming care patients under the age of 19 and gender-affirming surgeries on minors.
“California supports the rights of transgender youth to live their lives as their authentic selves,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We will not let the President turn back the clock or deter us from upholding California values. I understand that the President’s executive order on gender affirming care has created some confusion. Let me be clear: California law has not changed, and hospitals and clinics have a legal obligation to provide equal access to healthcare services.”
The California Department of Justice is aware of concerns about gender-affirming care being impacted by recent federal government actions attempting to restrict federal funds to recipients of federal grants, including the availability of federal financial assistance regarding the provision of gender affirming care to minors.
On January 28, 2025, Attorney General Bonta, along with 22 other state attorneys general, filed suit in federal district court to halt the federal government’s illegal efforts to freeze such federal funding. The court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on January 31, 2025, prohibiting federal agencies from taking any action that would “pause, freeze, block, cancel or terminate” such funding. As a result of the TRO won by Attorney General Bonta and 22 other state attorneys general, federal agencies must continue to comply with existing grants, awards, and obligations, except as authorized by law.
In a notice sent to federal agencies and filed with the court on Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) indicated its intent to comply with the court order and affirmed that the TRO blocking the illegal funding freeze applied to all federal funding awards or obligations, including those made to recipients such as hospitals, and federally funded healthcare providers. The U.S. DOJ stated that federal agencies “cannot pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate any awards or obligations on the basis of the OMB memo, or on the basis of the President’s recently issued Executive Orders.” As such, the recent executive order pertaining to gender-affirming care for minors does not provide federal agencies with any basis to threaten or revoke federal funding from hospitals and federally funded healthcare providers.
Furthermore, California law, including the Unruh Civil Rights Act, Civil Code section 51 and Government Code section 11135, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Electing to refuse services to a class of individuals based on their protected status, such as withholding services from transgender individuals based on their gender identity or their diagnosis of gender dysphoria, while offering such services to cisgender individuals, is discrimination. California families seeking gender-affirming care, and the doctors and staff who provide it, are protected under state laws.
RESOURCES
California has a number of resources for transgender youth and the broader LGBTQ+ community:
- California Department of Justice’s Health Equity and Civil Rights webpage
- California Department of Justice’s LGBTQ+ Discrimination Rights webpage
- Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Intersex (TGI) Inclusive Care Act
- California Department of Health Care Services’ Medi-Cal State Inmate Program and Medi-Cal County Inmate Program webpage
- California Civil Rights Department’s The Rights of Employees Who Are Transgender or Gender Nonconforming fact sheet
- California Department of Insurance’s Equal Access to Health Insurance: Coverage for Transgender Californians webpage
- California Department of Managed Health Care’s TGI Care webpage
If you believe your rights are being violated as part of the enforcement of the President’s executive order, you can file a complaint with the California Attorney General’s Office here or with the California Civil Rights Department here.
A copy of the letter to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is available here.