Featured Article in USA Today By Liz Abzug

My mother introduced the first LGBTQ rights bill to Congress. Let's make her proud.

Much has improved for LGBTQ Americans since my mom, Bella Abzug, fought for them in Congress. But America still has a lot of room to grow.

Forty-seven years ago this month, my mother, Bella Abzug, introduced the nation’s first gay rights bill in Congress. It would have amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to included lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans. My mother, ever the pioneering reformer, saw the clear and urgent need for addressing discrimination that far too often destroyed people’s well-being and lives.

While much has improved for LGBTQ Americans since that spring day in 1974 – with growing opportunities for living openly and in safety, for marrying and for serving in the nation’s military –discrimination remains a daily reality for many in our communities. For nearly a halfcentury, however, Congress has failed to follow my mother’s lead to extend equal nondiscrimination protections to all LGBTQ people – despite polling showing overwhelming and bipartisan support across the nation for doing just that. Anti-LGBTQ discrimination is not some abstract or political football. Instead, it has profoundly damaging, real-life and often lifelong consequences for LGBTQ Americans. More than 1 in 3 LGBTQ folks, according to a 2020 Center for American Progress survey, experienced discrimination of some kind –perhaps in public spaces, on the job, in schools and in their own neighborhoods – in the previous year, with that number rising to over 60% among transgender people.

Severe consequences

Vulnerable groups, including communities of color, transgender folks, seniors and youth, face especially severe consequences. According to a 2013 report by multiple advocacy groups, unemployment and poverty rates –already higher among people of color than among whites – are significantly higher yet among LGBTQ people of color, particularly Black LGBTQ people, who are more likely than their white LGBTQ counterparts to be raising children under these burdens.

Women die in combat: Men-only military draft is a vestige of antiwomen bias.

Supreme Court should strike it down. According to a large 2016 report, transgender Americans experience unemployment and poverty at 2.5 to three times the national average, and almost 1 in 3 have experienced homelessness in their lifetime. Violence also stalks the lives of trans people – with nearly half of adults, 47%, reporting having been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives and a record 44 killings last year, most of them targeting women of color. Unsurprisingly, psychological distress, including suicide attempts, far exceeds the level confronted Americans generally. After 47 years, there is now hope that Congress might finally be ready to act. For the first time, both Democrats and Republicans have put forward measures that include LGBTQ protections in our nation’s civil rights laws. The major bone of contention between the two parties’ bills involves how to balance the urgent need to protect LGBTQ people with the religious freedoms all Americans enjoy.

Among LGBTQ elders, same-sex couples face persistent discrimination in securing senior housing, while our community’s youth face bullying and depression and risk for suicide at alarmingly high levels, with less than half the states providing explicit protections against harassment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

We need 'Battling Bella's' fighting spirit

My mother, known by many as “Battling Bella, ” famously never shied away from a fight. At the same time, she was deeply committed to getting things done, saying “I want action – not talk. ”

For example, she partnered with Republican Rep. Barry Goldwater to get the Privacy Rights Act of 1974 over the finish line. She coauthored and championed Title IX –the historic law prohibiting discrimination on basis of sex by educational institutions receiving federal funding – accepting that an exemption for religious schools was a price of winning. Over the fierce opposition of many leaders of the women’s rights movement, she knew it was critical that conservative women – including opponents of abortion – be invited to the first National Women’s Conference in 1977.

Dress code double-standards: Edited Bartram Trail High School yearbook photos are as inherently sexist as they are unsightly We need this kind of courageous leadership today from the Republican and Democratic senators who say they support nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. We need them to get out of their safe corners and find common ground. This is what legislating is all about and it doesn’t require sacrificing fundamental principles.

After nearly five decades, it’s time for Congress to finally deliver on my mother’s vision and include LGBTQ people – coast to coast – in the protections provided to all other Americans by the Civil Rights Act.

Liz Abzug is a national public affairs and strategic consultant, and founder and president of the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute, New York City.

Headlines of the month

Two Trump Associates Convicted of Financial Crimes in One Day

This year marks the second annual Black Joy Parade in Oakland, California. The parade is celebrated at the end of February to In recent weeks, commemo Americanrate Black His news outletstory month and f haveills the been saturatedstreetswithwith articles aboutBlack owned bu the convictionsinesses, vendors, of Paul Manafortgames, an andd musMichael Cohen, ic. Elisha Greenwell, Trump’sfounder of former campaignthe Black chairman and formerJoy parade, started this lawyer, tradition respectively, becau for se shefinancialsaw a need crimes. for Black f Michaelolks in her Cohen, Trump’s community longtime to gather not personalonly in mo lawyer ments of protest, but in moments of celebration as well. pleaded guilty to eight federal accounts,Furthermore, the parade symbolizes aincluding campaign finance violations that were reclamation of space in an area that has been made in an attempt to quiet Stephanie Cliffordfighting against gentrification since the 1970’s. (Stormy Daniels) and Karen McDougal about their extramarital affairs with Donald Trump with “hush money. ” But not only did Cohen come clean about his own criminal acts, he also implicated Trump in the process by stating that the payments made to Clifford and McDougal were Trump’s orders. Cohen may also further implicate Trump in the future with his supposed knowledge “a conspiracyCarl Court/Getty Images to corrupt American democracy Th by thee stakes Russians, andaround the world h theave b failureeen risin tog as report thatth knowledgee coronavirus to the(COVID- FBI”19) gro according tows into a bigger his lawyer Lannythreat. Known Davis. cases h Whileave been Trumpreported f asrom ostracizedd Michaelozens of Cohencountries, forbutpleadingthe mostguilty, severe the presidentoutb hasreaks loyally defendedhave been located i hisn Chiformerna, Iran, campaign chairmanItaly, and SouPaulth Ko Manafort, rea. With 977whoconfi hasrmed been chargedcases, with eight counts ofSouth Korea has the bankmost ifraud, nfected tax fraud, p andatien failure ts outside to of reportChina an a foreign bankd Italy has been the source of most infected patients throughout account. His conviction is a result of Robert Europe. According to officials, it is inevitableMueller’s investigation into connections that coronavirus will spread in the United States between the Trump campaign and the Russian as well causing tensions about resources and government. Both Cohen government action and to ris Manafort e. have yet to be sentenced.

This month, New Yorkers navigated rank-choice This month, the Scottish Parliament took a huge voting in the long-awaited mayoral primaries. So step to being the first country in the world to far in the Democratic primaries, New York Police make period products free for all those who Department captain, Eric Adams is in the lead need them. The Period Products (Free with the most first-choice in-person votes. Provision) (Scotland) Bill was introduced by However, absentee ballots and ranked-choice Parliament member Monica Lennon, who first votes will not be released for the next few proposed it in 2017. The bill has now moved weeks, giving former city sanitation onto the second stage in parliament in which commissioner Kathryn Garcia the chance to win members may propose amendments to it. the primary. Ranked-choice votes tabulation Although there is a long way to go until this bill and absentee ballot results will be released becomes law, its introduction to parliament weekly starting July 6. With only two alone has helped dismantle taboos about candidates, and therefore no ranked-choice discussing menstrual health. voting, Guardian Angels founder and activist Curtis Silwa is already projected to be the Republican nominee for Mayor. Since the primary elections, former presidential candidate Andrew Yang conceded, and civil rights attorney Maya Wiley has been eliminated in the 8th round of preliminary tabulations. However, the New York City Board of Elections has come under fire within the past few days for retracting their most recent report of election Recent studies have reported that the United results because they accidentally counted States Census Bureau will incorrectly count 135,000 test votes. With candidates and New Black Americans in the 2020 census, missing Yorkers hesitant about the board and 124,000 between 1.1 million and 1.7 million residents. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-5 Beginning with the 3/5ths compromise, this 7536944absentee ballots left to count, the race news is part of a long history of Black folks not for the Democratic nominee remains tighter being represented in the U.S. census. The lack than ever. of representation now is, in part, caused by various obstacles to accessing residents that primarily affect people of color. Special attention is being brought to this issue because the Census determines a significant amount of federal funding.

On June 17th, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making Juneteenth the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983. Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day or Freedom Day, commemorates June 19th, 1865, the day Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, officially emancipating enslaved persons. General Order No. 3 was one of many throughout states that tried to hold onto slavery well after the Emancipation Proclamation. True emancipation in these states, however, was not achieved until Union soldiers enforced these orders. The fight for Juneteenth to be recognized as a national holiday began shortly after the death of Martin Luther King Jr, a time when encouraging the celebration of Black history was a widespread concern. In 1980, state representative Al Edwards made Texas the first state to make Juneteenth a holiday. Since then, organizations like the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, and activist Opal Lee have pushed for the federal recognition of Juneteenth. While the passing of this act is historic, many believe that it is a hypocritical step forward that will only bring about symbolic change. For instead of making significant steps towards reparations, or freeing innocent incarcerated Black folks, or putting an end to police brutality, the federal government has focused its attention on giving Americans the day off of work and school and potentially white-washing this sacred holiday.

Diane Rwigara and Mother, Adeline Rwigara Imprisoned After Diane Announces her Election Bid for President of Rwanda

In August of 2017, Diane Rwigara was becoming a voice for the underrepresented, young people of Rwanda; daring to hold President Paul Kagame’s government accountable for corruption, censorship, and poverty. Shortly after her campaign was announced, however, she was disqualified from the race for allegedly lying about the number of signatures she collected to run for president. Rwigara and her mother were then arrested on accounts of fraud, incitement, and “discrimination and sectarian practices” quickly following the creation of the former candidate’s campaign and response to her disqualification: the “People Salvation Movement. ” According to her family and her supporters, who have also faced severe consequences for being connected to Rwigara, her disqualification and arrest were politically motivated. Rwigara’s arrest comes as no surprise to many, however, because she is one of many opposers of President Kagame to be “eliminated” in some respect. Kagame’s political party has dominated Rwanda since 2000, and he is credited with helping the country recover from its mass genocide in 1994 and stabilizing the economy. Rwanda’s government, under Kagame’s rule, also leads the rest of 8the world in political representation for women,

Headlines of the month

Two Trump Associates Convicted of Financial Crimes in One Day

This year marks the second annual Black Joy Parade in Oakland, California. The parade is celebrated at the end of February to In recent weeks, commemo Americanrate Black His news outletstory month and f haveills the been saturatedstreetswithwith articles aboutBlack owned bu the convictionsinesses, vendors, of Paul Manafortgames, an andd musMichael Cohen, ic. Elisha Greenwell, Trump’sfounder of former campaignthe Black chairman and formerJoy parade, started this lawyer, tradition respectively, becau for se shefinancialsaw a need crimes. for Black f Michaelolks in her Cohen, Trump’s community longtime to gather not personalonly in mo lawyer ments of protest, but in moments of celebration as well. pleaded guilty to eight federal accounts,Furthermore, the parade symbolizes aincluding campaign finance violations that were reclamation of space in an area that has been made in an attempt to quiet Stephanie Cliffordfighting against gentrification since the 1970’s. (Stormy Daniels) and Karen McDougal about their extramarital affairs with Donald Trump with “hush money. ” But not only did Cohen come clean about his own criminal acts, he also implicated Trump in the process by stating that the payments made to Clifford and McDougal were Trump’s orders. Cohen may also further implicate Trump in the future with his supposed knowledge “a conspiracyCarl Court/Getty Images to corrupt American democracy Th by thee stakes Russians, andaround the world h theave b failureeen risin tog as report thatth knowledgee coronavirus to the(COVID- FBI”19) gro according tows into a bigger his lawyer Lannythreat. Known Davis. cases h Whileave been Trumpreported f asrom ostracizedd Michaelozens of Cohencountries, forbutpleadingthe mostguilty, severe the presidentoutb hasreaks loyally defendedhave been located i hisn Chiformerna, Iran, campaign chairmanItaly, and SouPaulth Ko Manafort, rea. With 977whoconfi hasrmed been chargedcases, with eight counts ofSouth Korea has the bankmost ifraud, nfected tax fraud, p andatien failure ts outside to of reportChina an a foreign bankd Italy has been the source of most infected patients throughout account. His conviction is a result of Robert Europe. According to officials, it is inevitableMueller’s investigation into connections that coronavirus will spread in the United States between the Trump campaign and the Russian as well causing tensions about resources and government. Both Cohen government action and to ris Manafort e. have yet to be sentenced.

This month, New Yorkers navigated rank-choice This month, the Scottish Parliament took a huge voting in the long-awaited mayoral primaries. So step to being the first country in the world to far in the Democratic primaries, New York Police make period products free for all those who Department captain, Eric Adams is in the lead need them. The Period Products (Free with the most first-choice in-person votes. Provision) (Scotland) Bill was introduced by However, absentee ballots and ranked-choice Parliament member Monica Lennon, who first votes will not be released for the next few proposed it in 2017. The bill has now moved weeks, giving former city sanitation onto the second stage in parliament in which commissioner Kathryn Garcia the chance to win members may propose amendments to it. the primary. Ranked-choice votes tabulation Although there is a long way to go until this bill and absentee ballot results will be released becomes law, its introduction to parliament weekly starting July 6. With only two alone has helped dismantle taboos about candidates, and therefore no ranked-choice discussing menstrual health. voting, Guardian Angels founder and activist Curtis Silwa is already projected to be the Republican nominee for Mayor. Since the primary elections, former presidential candidate Andrew Yang conceded, and civil rights attorney Maya Wiley has been eliminated in the 8th round of preliminary tabulations. However, the New York City Board of Elections has come under fire within the past few days for retracting their most recent report of election Recent studies have reported that the United results because they accidentally counted States Census Bureau will incorrectly count 135,000 test votes. With candidates and New Black Americans in the 2020 census, missing Yorkers hesitant about the board and 124,000 between 1.1 million and 1.7 million residents. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-5 Beginning with the 3/5ths compromise, this 7536944absentee ballots left to count, the race news is part of a long history of Black folks not for the Democratic nominee remains tighter being represented in the U.S. census. The lack than ever. of representation now is, in part, caused by various obstacles to accessing residents that primarily affect people of color. Special attention is being brought to this issue because the Census determines a significant amount of federal funding.

On June 17th, President Joe Biden signed the In recent months, the phrase “critical race

Juneteenth National Independence Day Act,theory” has taken over the news. It’s true

making Juneteenth the first new federal holiday meaning, however, has morphed into an

since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established umbrella term for any form of education about

in 1983. Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day racial discrimination and its history by

or Freedom Day, commemorates June 19th, conservative politicians and public figures. 1865, the day Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued Amidst the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, Fox news released a segment that labeled officially emancipating enslaved persons. “critical race theory” as a disease taking over General Order No. 3 was one of many the White House. In response, former President throughout states that tried to hold onto slavery Trump issued an executive order that limited well after the Emancipation Proclamation. True implicit bias trainings within government emancipation in these states, however, was not agencies. Since the executive order and his exit achieved until Union soldiers enforced these from office, conservative lawmakers have orders. The fight for Juneteenth to be launched a siege against the teaching of “critical recognized as a national holiday began shortly race theory” (sometimes naming more specific after the death of Martin Luther King Jr, a time programs like the 1619 Project) in schools and when encouraging the celebration of Black other institutions, and have since passed 10 of history was a widespread concern. In 1980, these bills. Critical race theory, as defined by state representative Al Edwards made Texas the the academics that created it in the 70s and 80s, first state to make Juneteenth a holiday. Since refers to the idea that legal policies cannot put then, organizations like the National Juneteenth an end to racism because racism is a social Observance Foundation, and activist Opal Lee construct that is imbedded in our society. The have pushed for the federal recognition of theory has five integral tenets: race is a socially Juneteenth. While the passing of this act is constructed system dedicated to oppressing historic, many believe that it is a hypocritical people of color, analysis of law must be step forward that will only bring about symbolic grounded in historical context, critical race change. For instead of making significant steps theory centers the personal experiences and towards reparations, or freeing innocent knowledge of people of color, critical race incarcerated Black folks, or putting an end to theory is inter disciplinary and takes from police brutality, the federal government has feminist and other frameworks, critical race focused its attention on giving Americans the theory’s goal is to eliminate racial oppression as day off of work and school and potentially a step towards eliminating all oppression. white-washing this sacred holiday.

Diane Rwigara and Mother, Adeline Rwigara Imprisoned After Diane Announces her Election Bid for President of Rwanda

In August of 2017, Diane Rwigara was becoming a voice for the underrepresented, young people of Rwanda; daring to hold President Paul Kagame’s government accountable for corruption, censorship, and poverty. Shortly after her campaign was announced, however, she was disqualified from the race for allegedly lying about the number of signatures she collected to run for president. Rwigara and her mother were then arrested on accounts of fraud, incitement, and “discrimination and sectarian practices” quickly following the creation of the former candidate’s campaign and response to her disqualification: the “People Salvation Movement. ” According to her family and her supporters, who have also faced severe consequences for being connected to Rwigara, her disqualification and arrest were politically motivated. Rwigara’s arrest comes as no surprise to many, however, because she is one of many opposers of President Kagame to be “eliminated” in some respect. Kagame’s political party has dominated Rwanda since 2000, and he is credited with helping the country recover from its mass genocide in 1994 and stabilizing the economy. Rwanda’s government, under Kagame’s rule, also leads the rest of 9the world in political representation for women,

Hunger is a memoir written by Roxane Gay. It was published on June 13th, 2017 and it is 320 pages long. Hunger is a personal account of Roxane Gay’s life, largely consumed by her weight. She addresses her experience of living in a body without control of her size, and lacking the discipline that society encourages women to have over their bodies. She goes through encounters with her body from a childhood shaken by sexual assault, her 20s, which she calls her “lost years”, and becoming an established writer. We follow her as the trauma she was subjected to at 12 years old, follows her relationship with her body until adulthood. She ate to cope with her sorrow and to protect herself from being hurt. She believed that if she shrouded herself with weight, perhaps she would be so intolerable that she would ultimately be free of male dominion over her body. Hunger is the story of being overweight when “the bigger you are, the smaller your world becomes.”Her story is deeply personal, making a political statement about expectations of womanhood and gender, sexuality, trauma and hope. We learn how her body has “informed” her feminism and taught her about the greater machines of society demonizing fat bodies and that work so hard to produce unrealistic standards that we hunger for.

Persepolis is an autobiographical graphic novel written by Marjane Satrapi. The book was originally published in French and has sold Kai Cheng Thom’s most recent book, I Hope We Choose Love: A Trans Girl’s millions of copies and has been translated into several languages. The Thoughts From the End of the World is a collection of thought-provoking personal story follows Satrapi’s childhood and upbringing in Iran during the essays and prose poems concerning the imperfect truths within building queer Islamic Revolution. The title references the ancient capital of the and trans community, organizing, and activism. Persian empire. The book was on the American Library Association’s list of Top Ten Most Challenged Books in 2014. Satrapi was inspired to use the graphic novel as her medium to tell the Winning both the American Library Association Stonewall Book Awards Honor Book and the Publishing story in order to use her talents with images and words. Triangle Award for Trans and Gender-Variant Literature, I Hope We Choose Love has been praised for its brave honesty, especially in the way it discusses difficult topics like suicide, abuse, and transphobia. But Kai Cheng Thom does not simply address these difficult topics, she provides well thought out and empathetic answers Satrapi introduces herselfand ways of reimagining as a 10 year old inorganizing spaces Iran inso that 1980. She belonged to anthey are safe and healing upper for allmiddle folks. class family withAs Leah Lakshmi access to Western music, politicsPiepzna-Samarasinha, author of and art. SheCare Work:participated in protests against the ShahDreaming Disability Justice, perfectly and witnessed his exile.instructs: “Read it, and Despite this, the impact resulted in religious extremismprepare to have your mind challenged and opened. in society especially covering women’s bodies and hair. In Persepolis 2, she describes taking refuge in Vienna, and having to fend for herself in a new place. Persepolis 1 and 2 are artistic representations of living in a turbulent society with questionable political

“Often, weseethecallforsafetyactuallyreinforcethepowerofoppressiveinstitutions, like the police and theprisonsystem, inourlives . Whenwechoosesafetyoverliberation, our movementsfail . ” - Kai ChengThom

Hunger is a memoir written by Roxane Gay. It was published on June 13th, 2017 and it is 320 pages long. Hunger is a personal account of Roxane Gay’s life, largely consumed by her weight. She addresses her experience of living in a body without control of her size, and lacking the discipline that society encourages women to have over their bodies. She goes through encounters with her body from a childhood shaken by sexual assault, her 20s, which she calls her “lost years”, and becoming an established writer. We follow her as the trauma she was subjected to at 12 years old, follows her relationship with her body until adulthood. She ate to cope with her sorrow and to protect herself from being hurt. She believed that if she shrouded herself with weight, perhaps she would be so intolerable that she would ultimately be free of male dominion over her body. Hunger is the story of being overweight when “the bigger you are, the smaller your world becomes.”Her story is deeply personal, making a political statement about expectations of womanhood and gender, sexuality, trauma and hope. We learn how her body has “informed” her feminism and taught her about the greater machines of society demonizing fat bodies and that work so hard to produce unrealistic standards that we hunger for.

Kai Cheng Persepolis is an autobiographical graphic novelThom is a self-identified writer, performer, cultural writtenworker, by and Marjane speaker. In addition Satrapi.to being The book was originally published in French and has soldan award-winning author, Kai Cheng Thom hosts workshops Kai Cheng Thom’s most recent book, I Hope We Choose Love: A Trans Girl’s and millions ofprovides creativecopies arts and has been translated intofacilitation. Carrying both several languages. Theinformal and formal Thoughts From the End of the World is a collection of thought-provoking personal experience, story follows Satrapi’s childhood and upbringing in IranKai Cheng Thom educates communities and individuals during theon spoken essays and prose poems concerning the imperfect truths within building queer word, Islamicwritten poetr Revolution. The title references they, creative arts facilitation for activism, ancient capital of theand reclaiming creative and trans community, organizing, and activism. voices in the face of oppression. Persian empire. The book was on the American Library Association’s list of Top Ten Most Challenged Books in 2014. Satrapi was inspired to use the graphic novel as her medium to tell the Winning both the American Library Association Stonewall Book Awards Honor Book and the Publishing story in order to use her talents with images and words. Triangle AwardIn addition to I for TransHope We and Gender-Variant Literature,Choose Love, Kai Cheng Thom I Hope We Choosehas released both Love has been praised for its a children’s book, a memoir, braveand a honesty, especially in the way it discusses difficult topics like suicide, abuse, and transphobia. But Kai Chengcollection of poetry. Her memoir, Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Thom does not simplyMemoir, was her first address these difficult topics, shepublication and earned a spot as provides well thought out and empathetic answers a 29th Annual Lambda Literary Awards Finalist for Satrapi introduces herselfand ways of reimaginingTransgender Fiction and as a 10 year old in Iran in 1980. She belonged to an upper middle class family withorganizing spaces so that they are safe and healing for all folks. As Leah Lakshmithe Winner of Writers’ Trust of Canada Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ Emerging access to Western music, politics and art. She participated in protests against the Shah and witnessed his exile.Piepzna-Samarasinha, author of Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice, perfectly instructs: “Read it, andWriters (2017). Her other titles include a place called No Homeland and From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in Despite this, the impact resulted in religious extremismprepare to have your mind challenged and opened.the Sea. in society especially covering women’s bodies and hair. In Persepolis 2, she describes taking refuge in Vienna, and having to fend for herself in a new place. Persepolis 1 and 2 are artistic representations of living in a turbulent society with questionable political