On June 12th, 2020, the Trump administration issued an executive decision to reverse Obama-era transgender protections in the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also commonly known as “Obamacare”, was enacted in March of 2010 under President Barack Obama’s administration. It is a comprehensive health care reform law, meaning it encompasses a vast array of services necessary to maintain both physical and mental health. The main goal of the ACA was to provide these various health services to millions of uninsured U.S. citizens under affordable health insurance. It did so with a set of regulations, which included expanding Medicaid eligibility and ensuring that insurance companies would not be…
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J.K. Rowling’s Transphobic Tweets and Trump’s Transphobia
The author of the famous Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, has been labeled “transphobic,” “cruel,” and a “bigot” after tweeting in support of her friend, Maya Forstater. Forstater lost her job as a tax expert at the Center for Global development after suggesting that transgender people cannot change the biological sex they were born with. Maya Forstater is a researcher who claimed online that there are only two biological sexes. As a result, she was fired by the U.K. think tank for questioning the government’s plans to allow people to self-identify as another gender. The tweet said: “People who menstruate. I’m sure there used to be a word for those…
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Stonewall commemorates 50th anniversary
“Until you know who you are, nothing will ever work out,” remarked Truett Vaigneur, CUNY LEADS Specialist at York College. Vaigneur said this in regards to dealing with one’s sexuality, a topic that has been seemingly destigmatized in our modern era. A particular time period that emphasizes the importance of this milestone is the times of the Stonewall Riots: a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay community, versus a police raid, that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. John Carlson, Student Life Events Manager at Queens…
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50 year landmark of Stonewall riots
Earlier this month Queens College’s Student Life Events Manager, John Carlson, hosted the Stonewall Panel Discussion, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Led by a panel of LGBTQ acitivists, the panel was a commemoration meant to reflect on the LGBTQ’s struggles to become recognized in the positive manner it deserves, and how far it has come in recent years. The discussion began by noting, “It is important for us to look back at the narrative [of LGBTQ history] and make sure it’s truthful, and that it’s genuine, and this platform assembled is one of the great ways of making sure we [as a society] achieve that.” Gracie…
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Celebrating Diversity in Leadership: QC Welcomes First Openly Transgender U.S. Navy SEAL Kristin Beck
On March 7 during free hour, retired United States Navy SEAL Kristin Beck spoke to a crowd in the Summit Flex Space about her experiences as a transgender woman, with a message of inclusiveness and self-acceptance. Despite the inclement weather, the event had over 60 attendees. After an introduction by Veterans Club President Ricardo Acuna, Beck began her presentation by showcasing a long list of labels and accomplishments ranging from ordained minister to surfer. Beck then explained to the audience that everyone has a list made up of the facets of their own identity. The diverse list underlined a central theme of the speech, which concerned the complex navigation of…
