The “Not Welcome” Sign Is Out.

When you read the Connecticut non-discrimination statute one thing becomes clear… private organizations are exempt from the law like golf clubs. It has to be a public accommodation.

Zeta Phi Beta bans transgender women from membership
The Washington Blade
By James Wellemeyer
April 25, 2019

Zeta Phi Beta, a historically black sorority founded at Howard University, says transgender women are not eligible for membership.

A “diversity statement” adopted by the Zeta Phi Beta International Executive Board on Jan. 12 states “an individual must be a cisgender woman” to join the organization. The statement at the same time says the sorority “values all people, regardless of race, age, gender, gender expression, ability, disability, creed, religion, or walk of life.”

A source earlier this month sent the Washington Blade a copy of the statement. Zeta Phi Beta has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
[…]
Sororities and fraternities have been traditionally seen as hostile towards LGBT people. Trans women in color in particular face higher levels of discrimination in the U.S. than other groups.

So what can be done to integrate sororities and fraternities? The colleges and universities can take the lead on this, they can mandate all school affiliated organizations be fully integrated. There have been a court case that allowed schools to regulate organizations on campus, but note if the sororities and fraternities are located off campus that limits what a school can do.

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Under the microscope…

The largest study involving transgender people is providing long-sought insights about their health
The research examines once taboo questions about the impacts of gender transition.
Nature
By Sara Reardon
April 25, 2019

[…]
The European Network for the Investigation of Gender Incongruence (ENIGI) is the largest study of transgender people in the world, and it’s unique: most studies are small and look at the outcomes of people who have already undergone hormone treatment and surgery. That has left scientists and physicians with little data about the long-term effects of such treatment on health, such as cancer susceptibility, or how the brain and body change as people transition both socially and medically. Joshua Safer, an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, says that ENIGI is a major contribution to his field, and praises T’Sjoen for the scale of its ambition. “He’s doing this on his own without tons of resources. It’s very impressive,” Safer says.

ENIGI and a handful of other emerging studies could provide invaluable information. Media attention on transgender issues and a general shift in public opinion over the past decade has allowed more people than ever to open up about how they identify and to seek treatment. But even though scientific societies have produced medical guidelines, each person’s treatment is still generally a matter of an individual physician’s judgement.

ENIGI and a few other studies hope to change that by providing data on the best treatments and outcomes. The research could also reveal some of the basic biology underlying differences among sexes. Tantalizing hints are already beginning to emerge about the respective roles of hormones and genetics in gender identity. And findings are beginning to clarify the medical and psychological impacts of transitioning. T’Sjoen thinks that the rapidly growing field already has the potential to improve the care that people receive. “Saying you’re not informed about this topic is not really valid any more,” he says. “It’s just that you’re lazy.”

So far even though the studies are just beginning they have found one thing…

The numbers mean that the ENIGI researchers can finally draw some significant conclusions about the effects of standard care. So far, hormone treatments seem to be safe, with few side effects. The most common complaints from people are lowered sexual desire and voice changes. But the most significant change the researchers have measured is something positive — a decrease in anxiety and depression after treatment.

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This morning I am at a meeting on aging at the State Unit On Aging: Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, the committee is called “Inclusive Communities for All” and our vision is…

A public and private group that works collaboratively to develop an education series of tools and strategies to strengthen the ability for long term care settings to be inclusive. We hope to help communities continue to grow, becoming more accepting and welcoming for all.

And I am making sure that we are included in that education.