Seychelle Gabriel

Seychelle Gabriel Instagram – Simple action below to support the transgender community this week:
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The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is proposing a rule change to the existing Equal Access Rule which currently protects trans people from discrimination while seeking emergency shelter. This new proposed rule would give homeless shelters the option to turn away trans people. It would encourage shelters to look out for Adam’s apples and other physical features as “reasonable considerations” to determine a person’s biological gender (instead of listening to how that person identifies themselves) and using that to prohibit them from accessing a shelter that aligns with their gender identity.
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It’s very harmful legislation that’s based on an unfounded argument that if laws are passed to protect trans folks (ie using a bathroom that aligns with their gender identity), that cis men will take advantage of it to harass women. But there’s no evidence of an increase in harassment/violence in any jurisdictions where trans protection laws have been passed (Check the Vox article “myth #3“ on their “Transgender People: 10 common myths” series), and passing trans protection laws doesn’t change the fact that it’s still illegal to assault anyone. Instead, this proposed rule only perpetuates the painful shaming of trans and gender non-conforming people, who are most at-risk for homelessness.
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What you can do: Leave a public comment until next week (9/22), anonymous or not, and urge the HUD not to pass this degrading rule. Go to my saved stories for links to read the legislation and make your comment, and for more info on all of this. Won’t take long! 💙🤍💗
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The slides are some helpful and usable points from HousingSavesLives.org. #HousingSavesLives
#translivesmatter | Posted on 15/Sep/2020 07:18:21