The newly inaugurated U.S. President, during his campaign, made promises of continuing protections for LGBTQ people in the U.S. – promises that were viewed by skepticism by many advocates of human rights.  And indeed, the skepticism was affirmed this week when the President issued an executive order, in the form of a letter to the nation’s schools, that they do not need to observe the protection given by President Obama to assure that transgender students be allowed to use the bathroom of their gender identity.  Even though the letter states that the administration still opposes discrimination and bullying of all disadvantaged students, this claim is blatantly negated by the fact that they are targeting one of the most vulnerable groups of children and youth in our schools, and leaving it to the states to decide whether or not transgender kids can use the bathroom of their choice. Let’s be very clear – this is not about bathrooms – it is about the understanding that LGBTQ people of all ages deserve full human rights protections at every level – an understanding that clearly this administration does not share.

The Human Rights Campaign, among many other LGBTQ advocate organizations, has taken an immediate and strong stand against this order, and has organized a group of parents of transgender children and youth to take public action on behalf of their children’s rights.  Read more here  about the HRC stand, and the actions they are organizing.

And let us know about actions in your local area to protect LGBTQ rights – both in the U.S. and in other countries around the world.  Leave your stories, reports and comments here!  Even the act of sharing is vital to the ongoing activism that is needed to protect LGBTQ rights!