Most Lesbian Mothers are Satisfied with Type of Sperm Donor Selected

Williams Institute

Eighteen years after conceiving their children through donor insemination, 77.5 percent of 129 lesbian mothers were satisfied with their choice of a known, open-identity, or unknown sperm donor, according to a new study released today by the Williams Institute. The mothers’ satisfaction with donor type was unrelated to the presence or absence of psychological health problems in their 17-year-old adolescents. Donor access and custody concerns were the primary themes associated with the mothers’ satisfaction.

The study was conducted by current and former Williams Institute scholars Nanette Gartrell, Henny Bos, and Naomi Goldberg, along with Amalia Deck and Loes van Rijn-van Gelderen. It appears online in the journal Fertility and Sterility. (Gartrell, Bos, and van Rijn-van Gelderen are also affiliated with University of Amsterdam).

Full report, click here.

Research Suggests that Substantial Numbers of Transgender People are Parents and Report Positive Parenting Experiences

For Immediate Distribution
October 28, 2014

Contact:
Laura Rodriguez, lrodriguez@rabengroup.com, (310) 956-2425
Donald Gatlin, dgatlin@rabengroup.com, (202) 587-2871

Transgender parents report experiencing discrimination, but their children are faring well

LOS ANGELES — A new Williams Institute report shows that substantial numbers of transgender people are parents, though at rates that appear lower than the U.S. general population. Most studies reviewed in this report find that between one quarter and one half of transgender study participants are parents. Parenting percentages for adult males and adult females in the general population are at 65 and 74 percent, respectively. The vast majority of transgender parents report that their relationships with their children are good or positive, including after “coming out” as transgender or transitioning. The study is co-authored by Rebecca L. Stotzer, Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Hawai’i; Jody L. Herman, Williams Institute Manager of Transgender Research and Peter J. Cooper Public Policy Fellow; and Amira Hasenbush, Jim Kepner Law and Policy Fellow.

“While transgender parents and their children may face unique challenges and discrimination, research shows that transgender parent-child relationships and child development appear to be similar to that of any other family,” said Stotzer.

The study reviewed 51 existing reports on the prevalence and characteristics of transgender people who are parents, the quality of relationships between transgender parents and their children, outcomes for children with a transgender parent, and the reported needs of transgender parents. Notably, the report finds there is no evidence that children of transgender parents are different from other children in regard to gender identity or sexual orientation development and no evidence of any differences in other developmental milestones.

Other key findings include:
• Two studies have found that people who transition or “come out” as transgender later in life tend to have higher parenting rates than those people who identify as transgender and/or transition at younger ages. This higher rate of parenting could be due to individuals becoming biological parents before they identified as transgender or transitioned.
• Of the six studies that asked about both “having children” and “living with children,” all found that there were more transgender respondents who reported having children than living with children. It may be that many of the respondents represented in these studies had adult children and are no longer living with them. However, there is some evidence that formal and informal attempts to limit the contact of transgender parents with their children may also partially explain this discrepancy.
• Transgender parents have reported having social service needs related to child care, networking with other parents, and support for family planning.
• Transgender parents have reported discrimination – either formally through the courts or informally by the child(ren)’s other parent – in child custody and visitation arrangements. Transgender people who wish to adopt may experience discrimination in adoption.

“This is rapidly growing area of research,” Herman said. “In particular, we need more research to better understand the impact of discrimination on transgender parents and their families.”

The study authors also recommend that federal agencies and administrators of national population-based surveys include questions to identify transgender respondents on surveys, such as the American Community Survey (ACS) and the National Survey on Family Growth (NSFG). The ability to identify transgender people in national, population-based surveys will help create national benchmarks for certain aspects of transgender parenting.

Click here for the full report

 

NGLCC Newsletter

National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce | Volume 4, Issue 15 Presented by

Just 3 Weeks until NGLCC’s National Dinner Celebrating LGBT Entrepreneurs – Corporate Partners – Supplier Diversity The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is ecstatic to be celebrating 12 years of connecting the LGBT business community at this premier gala! And we are equally excited to announce this years honorees for the 2014 National Dinner Awards in next week’s Connect!   The 2014 NGLCC National Dinner is Friday, November 21 in Washington, D.C. at the National Building Museum. Each year, this signature event is dedicated to celebrating leading LGBT business owners and entrepreneurs, corporations and supplier diversity advocates, and government and community leaders.   Taking to heart this years theme – Our Time is Now. Be Bold. Be NGLCC – we are looking forward to an evening unlike any other. From celebrity guest speakers, to awards, and fantastic auction items, the National Dinner promises to be a unique opportunity to come together as a community and raise a toast to how far we’ve come.   ⇒ Learn More Is Federal Contracting Right for Your Business? Register for NGLCC’s Washington Procurement Forum   The Federal Government spends $100 billion a year with small businesses in virtually every commodity area. Join NGLCC’s Washington Procurement Forum on November 20th and 21st for a first rate education on federal contracting and opportunities to connect with buyers from federal agencies. On Thursday, November 20th, LGBT-owned businesses will participate in a series of expert educational sessions designed to prepare companies to successfully bid on the $100 billion the federal government spends each year with small businesses. The following morning small business attendees will be able to meet face-to-face with federal agency procurement decision makers during the third annual NGLCC LGBT Federal Procurement Fair.   New to the Fair this year is the ability to preschedule one-on-one matchmaker meetings with agency representatives as well as corporate federal prime suppliers interested in finding diverse subcontractors. ⇒ Register or learn more about the 2014 Procurement Forum Time is Running Out! Participate in 12th Silent Auction at National Dinner!   Donate silent auction items by November 7, 2014 for the opportunity to maximize exposure of your company at the NGLCC 2014 National Dinner on Friday, November 21 at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. Participating in our silent auction is an excellent opportunity to showcase your business, property, and brand to more than 1,000 leaders in the LGBT business community.   By donating to our silent auction, your company will be seen by hundreds of top corporate representatives, government officials, LGBT and allied business owners, local and international affiliate chambers and leaders, and entrepreneurs from across the nation. Contact events@nglcc.org for more information about the silent auction and ways for your business to get involved. *Note: All items are considered for silent auction but are not guaranteed visibility at the dinner. To donate an item, download our donation form today! NGLCC GLOBAL: Launch of FME-LGBT a Huge Success NGLCC Global celebrated the launch of its official national affiliate chamber in Mexico, the Mexican Federation of LGBT Entrepreneurs (FME-LGBT), last week from October 23 to 24. The two-day launch event and conference at the Marriott Reforma Hotel in Mexico City was sold out to the public and attended by nearly 150 people from across the country who traveled to the capital to learn about the new chamber and network with fellow entrepreneurs. The highly successful launch represents months of capacity and institution building between NGLCC Global and FME-LGBT under NGLCC’s public-private partnership with USAID and corporate partners. ⇒ Read More Important Information for Small Business Owners Concerning the Affordable Care Act!   The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) is a part of the Affordable Care Act which offers businesses with 1 to 50 employees a choice of health and dental plans, and tools to help employers make informed decisions about health insurance coverage.   The SHOP Marketplace opens November  15, but five states – Delaware, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and New Jersey – have early launches. This information is vital to LGBTBEs and Affiliates in these states.   Please pass along these resources found on the Department of Health & Human Services website. NGLCC Commends Tim Cook for Coming Out Essay   NGLCC, the business voice of the LGBT community, commends Tim Cook for his moving and heartfelt coming out essay. While his story and success are unique, we are proud to say we hear about similar journeys every day from the LGBT Americans, including those who are part of NGLCC. Our goal is to expand economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. Tim’s words today will help us in that mission. They also serve as an opening of the door for other LGBT CEOs and senior executives to move forward in knowing there is a safe place for them in the business world. ⇒ Read Press Statement WeTRADE-LGBT Business Summit WeTRADE is the first conference hosted by the Colombian LGBT Chamber of Commerce and is the first international LGBT summit in the country’s history! Co-organized by NGLCC Global and USAID, this three day event will be held in Bogata,  Colombia November 5-7   ⇒ Register and learn more Supplier in the Spotlight Premium Resource, offering an array of promotional items, is dedicated to finding cost-effective ways to market and promote businesses. Just a year after being LGBTBE certified, Premium Resource was approached by NGLCC corporate partners Chevron and Shell to create branded products for the 2014 NGLCC Conference in Las Vegas. ⇒ Read More Continuing Legal Education (CLE)   Join us for a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) panel and reception on November 19th. Opening remarks for the evening will be shared by Gordon Tanner, who was confirmed as the General Counsel for the U.S. Air Force in September to become the first openly gay person to hold this role. The panel will include attorneys from Office Depot, Freddie Mac, Kaye Scholer, Ackerman Brown. ⇒ Learn More NGLCC is on INSTAGRAM  Follow NGLCC on Instagram @nglcc, hashtags #nglcc #LGBTbiz #supplierDiversity 2nd LGBTBE® Strategic Growth & Development Institute: Welcome the Class of 2014  Continuing our mission to strengthen and support LGBT people and their businesses, we are excited to hold our 2nd LGBTBE Strategic Growth & Development Institute: Predictable Success. This years institute will be led by Les McKeown, best selling author of Predictable Success, who will guide this year’s class towards achieving their greatest potential.   Please join us in welcoming the class of November 2014: Ackerman Brown, LLC AdNet American Meetings, Inc. BHC Assessment & Consulting, LLC Power of Two Promotions Teazled, LLC Also included is the first international institute participant: Acciones de la Frontera ⇒ Read More

NGLCC | 729 15th Street, NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC | 20005 nglcc.org

Top 10 Epic Reasons Why Americans Should Give a Sh*t About Voting

Victoria Collier and Ben-Zion Ptashnik | Truthout | October 30, 2014

Pop icon Russell Brand raised a ruckus last year when he exhorted, “Don’t vote” to millions of his fans; a radical political directive under fire even by the likes of Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten.

But Brand was just preaching to the choir.

Many Americans, particularly the young, believe that voting is an exercise in futility, or worse, an immoral display of support for a fundamentally corrupt political system. Far more appealing is to build a diverse grassroots movement – organically and horizontally – to change our consciousness, our lifestyles, the way we grow our food, harness our energy, travel, trade – and how we treat each other as human beings.

Read more

Races To Watch On Election Night

Democratic candidate for Governor Mark Schauer with his running mate Lisa Brown.

AJ TRAGER | Between the Lines | Pride Source | October 30, 2014

MICHIGAN – Michigan takes to the polls Nov. 4 to vote for the next local and statewide elected officials. BTL has provided candidate information, a 20-page 2014 Voter’s Guide and has followed the races as they progressed through the election season. All of the interviews and analysis can be found online at http://www.pridesource.com or http://www.mivoterguide.com.

A few hot races to follow this coming Tuesday include those for governor, state attorney general, Michigan’s Supreme Court and the U.S. Senate. Each of the Democratic candidates from these races has come out in support of same-sex marriage and LGBT inclusive policies and has been heavily endorsed by Between The Lines. If the Michigan House shifts from Republican control, it will have a critical impact for LGBT citizens.

Governor’s Race

Running for governor, Democratic candidate Mark Schauer has been tied in many polls this October with incumbent Rick Snyder. In his first term as governor, Snyder has setback LGBT initiatives and is the named defendant in Michigan’s same-sex marriage equality case. Just this year Snyder allowed the passage of a “rape insurance” bill, adding an insurance clause that requires women to purchase an added package if they want an abortion, regardless of the circumstances that led to the pregnancy. Mark Schauer, on the other hand, would not pursue anti-woman policies like “rape insurance” and has vowed to dismiss the appeal of the DeBoer v Snyder decision made in March by Federal Judge Friedman. He has said he would endorse and push for an amendment to the state’s civil rights act, which would include gender identity and sexual orientation protections.

Read more

 

Event: TWO Benefit: THE SANTA CLOSET

ACCLAIMED SHOW IN NYC TO BENEFIT TRUTH WINS OUT

on December 10, 2014  Get your tickets now! 

 

THE SANTA CLOSET

written and performed by Jeffrey Solomon
Directed by Joe Brancato

Synopsis

 

When a little boy’s gender atypical gift request to the North Pole is denied, a series of heart-felt  letters from the child nudge Santa Claus out of the closet, and into the culture wars. The play’s Off Broadway run was heralded as “Hilarious” and “Brilliant” by Broadway World and Out Magazine. The New York Times raved: “A Delightful Surprise!…This isn’t a clumsy parody, but a sensitive, imaginative tale that really is about a boy’s realization that he is different. Mr. Solomon portrays an amazing range of characters, all of them beautifully.”

 

A theatrical documentarian in the mold of Anna Deveare Smith and the Laramie Project, Mr. Solomon purports to have interviewed, and portrays, all of the key players in the scandal that has come to be known as ‘Santa-Gate’.

The play was inspired by the national movement to speak honestly and openly to children about LGBT lives and issues, and the conservative backlash. Jeffrey Solomon’s other solo play “MotherSON” has been sponsored by PFLAG NYC and is a favorite of PFLAG chapters all over the U.S.

 

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10th

7PM
STAGE 72 / THE TRIAD NYC
158 WEST 72nd St.

ADVANCE SALES AT http://www.BrownPaperTickets.com

or 1-800-838-3006

 BUY TICKETS NOW (Be sure to choose Dec. 10) 

 

View on Facebook 

 

All tickets are $25.00
(A portion of the proceeds to benefit Truth Wins Out.)
*Please note the venue has a 2-drink minimum
Can’t make the TWO Benefit? There is another performance on 11/25.

 

About Truth Wins Out:
Truth Wins Out (TWO) is a non-profit organization that works to demolish the very foundation of anti-gay prejudice. Our philosophy is simple: We attack the underpinnings of homophobia by debunking harmful lies, discrediting hateful myths, and countering anti-gay organizations. By chipping away at the underlying ignorance that fuels anti-LGBT attitudes, we can ultimately win our fight for fairness and achieve full equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people worldwide.

Survey Illuminates Impact of Discrimination on LGBT People in Nepal

For Immediate Distribution
October 30, 2014

Contact:
Laura Rodriguez, lrodriguez@rabengroup.com, (310) 956-2425
Donald Gatlin, dgatlin@rabengroup.com, (202) 587-2871

LOS ANGELES – In a recent survey of sexual and gender minorities in Nepal over 60 percent of respondents reported experiencing abuse or discrimination, and over one-third reported discrimination or abuse in three or more public settings. The research methodology and study was implemented through the Williams Institute and the Blue Diamond Society (BDS).

The survey utilized Nepal’s inclusion of a third gender category in its national census, the first such attempt in the world. Nearly 1,200 respondents were recruited by trained BDS outreach workers whose aim was to study the identity, demographics, and experiences of sexual and gender minorities in Nepal. The study participants came from 32 of Nepal’s 75 districts, spoke Nepali, Bhojpuri, and Maithill, were primarily Hindu, and included individuals from 150 caste and ethnic groups.

“This study documents the experiences of Nepal’s sexual minority community and is a critical foundation for the development of appropriate policies by the government,” said Sunil Pant, founder of the Blue Diamond Society.

“While Nepal is often cited as a progressive country in Asia having guaranteed equal rights and recognition of sexual and gender minorities through a landmark Supreme Court verdict in 2007, Nepal’s progress in protecting the rights of these minorities and implementing the verdict has been limited,” stated Edmund Settle, UNDP Policy Advisor at the Bangkok Regional Hub. “This study demonstrates that specific anti-discrimination provisions which protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are lacking and often not enforced.”

The survey reveals that LGBT people in Nepal continue to face a wide range of obstacles as individuals and as a community.  These challenges include widespread bullying in schools, lack of protection from discrimination by employers, paucity of programming to address the reproductive health needs of lesbians, and the lack of sensitive HIV healthcare for transgender women and gay men who are at exponentially higher risk of HIV infection than the general population.

Other key findings include:
• Over a quarter of the respondents had not worked in the past year with unemployment being the primary reason.
• Over half the respondents reported that their income was less than that necessary to meet their needs.
• Overall, 60 percent reported discrimination or harassment in public settings, 42 percent reported verbal harassment in stores, 40 percent reported verbal harassment in public transportatio
• Overall one in four respondents reported being denied healthcare in a hospital or clinic. Almost 30 percent of third gender people assigned male at birth reported being denied healthcare.
• 41 percent of people with highly gender non-conforming identities reported physical assault during interactions with police officers.
• Among HIV-positive respondents, one third reported being denied healthcare, 1 in 6 reported physical abuse by police officers, and 16 percent reported harassment on public transportation.

“This survey helps form the basis for accurately conducting further research into the experiences of diverse sexual and gender identities, said Williams Fellow, Kyle Knight, who helped train the team that conducted the study.

The survey was supported by UNDP under the Multi-Country Global Fund Programme (MSA-910-G02-H) and the Norwegian Embassy, Nepal.

Click here for full report.

Philadelphia Adds Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity To List Of Hate Crimes

Carlos Santoscoy | On Top Magazine | October 30, 2014

Philadelphia City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a bill adding sexual orientation, gender identity and disability to the city’s list of hate crimes.

A last-minute push to expand the state’s hate crimes law to include sexual orientation after a gay male couple was severely beaten by a group of men and women in downtown Philadelphia failed to gain sufficient traction before lawmakers headed home last month.

(Related: 3 face charges in beating of gay couple in Philadelphia.)

Read more

Apple chief Tim Cook’s coming-out ‘will resonate’

James Stewart | The Age | October 31, 2014

Apple chief Tim Cook with U2 at the launch of the new iPhone 6. Photo: Getty Images

Tim Cook’s declaration Thursday that “I’m proud to be gay” made him the first publicly gay chief executive of a Fortune 500 company. But Cook isn’t just any chief executive. And Apple isn’t any company. It’s one of the most profitable companies in the Fortune 500 and ranks No. 1 on the magazine’s annual ranking of the most admired companies.

As Goldman Sachs chief executive Lloyd Blankfein put it: “He’s chief executive of the Fortune One. Something has consequences because of who does it, and this is Tim Cook and Apple. This will resonate powerfully.”

Trevor Burgess, the openly gay chief executive of C1 Financial in Florida, and one of the first publicly gay chief executives of a public company, said Tim Cook used “the metaphor of laying a brick on the ‘path towards justice.'” But “this is more like 600 million bricks”, Burgess said. “He has the most influential voice in global business.”

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Civil liberties minister launches Gender Identity Act

ILGA Europe | October 30, 2014

Reposted from Malta Today: http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/45611/civil_liberties_minister_launches_gender_identity_act#.VFI-UFdnCd6

Government launches draft law that allows trans people to have their self determined identity respected by law

The Gender Identity Act was tonight presented in Parliament by social dialogue and civil liberties minister Helena Dalli who also launched a one-month public consultation process.

In a press conference held before the start of today’s sitting, Dalli said that the law will allow transgender people to fulfil their potential” at all levels especially in their careers.
“I know many transgender people who are very talented but are forced into living an invisible life, they have a right to a normal life like anyone else,” she said.
Dalli explained that the law will allow transgender people to change their birth certificates which will mean that all other documents, including ID Cards, passports, driving licences and academic certificates will change accordingly.

Transgenders will no longer have to go through gender reassignment surgery to change their birth certificate but requests to the Director of Public Registry can be submitted through a notarial deed including a clear and unequivocal declaration by the applicant that one’s gender identity does not correspond to the assigned sex in the act of birth.

The draft law regulates the procedure for change of legal gender for minors and adults alike and introduces “a positive obligation on government entities to ensure that their services meet the objectives of this Act.”

Moreover the act provides parents with the possibility to postpone the entry of a gender marker on their children’s birth certificate.

Downloadable Files Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act

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