Two Topics Are On My Mind This Morning.

The first is about politics… no surprise there, and the second is about accessibility and inclusion.

The Trump administration and the Republicans have launched a full scale attack on the LGBTQ community.

16 Ways Trump Made Life Hell for LGBTQ Americans in 2019
This year, the Trump administration proved yet again that it is dedicated to chipping away at protections for the queer community.
NewNowNext
By Jeff Taylor
December 5, 2019

President Donald Trump pledged to be a friend to LGBTQ Americans, before quickly revealing that there was—surprise!—no reason to trust that claim. The administration has been on the offensive against LGBTQ rights since the 45th president of the United States took office, and this year has been no exception. If anything, the onslaught is ramping up.

Below, read up on 16 notable instances of the Trump administration going after the queer community in 2019.

1. Proposed Cuts to the Fight to End the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic
2. Successfully Pushed for Trans Military Ban to Go Into Effect
3. Announced Rule Ceasing Data Collection on LGBTQ Foster Youth
4. Opposed the Equality Act
5. Proposed Allowing Shelters to Discriminate Against Trans People
6. Tried to Stop U.S. Embassies From Flying Pride Flags
7. Ended Federal Funding of Research Working on HIV Therapies
8. Formed “Commission on Unalienable Rights” to Question What Counts as “Human Rights”
9. Separated Families Based on HIV Status
10. Pushed for Title IX to Be Used to Discriminate Against Trans Students
11. Proposed Rule Allowing Federal Contractors to Discriminate Against LGBTQ Workers
12. Supported Firing LGBTQ Workers in the Private Sector
13. Told Iowa Town to Erase Its Pride Crosswalks
14. Proposed an Anti-LGBTQ Adoption Rule
15. Rolled Back LGBTQ Health Care Protections
16. Proposed Final Regulations Permitting Religious Schools to Ignore Nondiscrimination Standards Set by Accrediting Agencies

Most troubling to me is the cut in funding to HIV programs including Ryan White grants; with cutting our rights we can always reinstate them but with HIV research and funding cuts HIV/AIDS can get re-entrenched in the general population. The evangelical Christians conservatives and the Republicans still think of HIV/AIDS as the “Gay Disease” and seek to punish us by cutting funding, but in reality it is a disease that affects everyone, it knows of no boundaries. It is a virus just like the Coronavirus it needs an aggressive medial and social responses just like all the diseases. The Republicans are playing a deadly game with their hate and politics.

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This morning on Facebook I came across this article and even though it is a couple of years ago it is worth repeating…

I’m Autistic and Sick of Feeling Excluded from Queer Spaces
"I do not exist as a fraction, and I cannot extricate my queerness from my autism."
Them
By Chrysanthe Tan
October 30, 2017

I’m alone at The Abbey, a queer bar in West Hollywood, hiding in the bathroom. I’m hyperventilating, plugging my ears, frantically tapping on all my iPhone apps to calm myself down and pass the time. My friends aren’t here yet, so I don’t dare go back to the bar, where there’s loud music, harsh air conditioning, flashing lights, overlapping conversations, people brushing up against me, and the risk of having drinks spilled on me. This is an autistic nightmare. At worst, I will feel awkward, alone, in pain, and physically ill as a result of tonight’s outing; perhaps so nauseous from the sensory input that I cannot drive home. At best, I might dissociate completely, ceasing to register my body, my pain, and my needs.
[…]
Many queer spaces, events, and practices do not welcome autistic people. These spaces may not explicitly aim to exclude us, but they are not designed or planned with people like me, who have sensory sensitivities, an intense need for structure, and atypical social behaviors, in mind. Crowded parties, nightclubs, protests, and parades trigger sensory overload, something that happens whenever my senses are overstimulated by the environment. Seemingly small details, like cold weather, smoke, coconut scent, or unexpected splashes of water can be a deal breaker in regards to whether or not I can withstand being in a particular place.

I am not autistic but I don't like loud music, when the band starts, I leave and I don't like crowds. I am a big fan of Yogi Berra-ism "No one goes there anymore, it's too crowded." Also consider parking somebody coming from out of town might not know where to park or they cannot walk long distances. How handicap accessible is the space? Can someone in a wheelchair get around inside? I've seen restaurants with a wheelchair accessible parking space right outside their door but inside the tables are so close together that a wheelchair can't get through.

The article goes on to offer some tips…

1. Be aware of sensory environments when planning events or choosing locations.
2. Provide as many details as possible. Not knowing a schedule or complete list of activities and resources is a barrier that can prevent autistic people from feeling safe enough to attend an event.
3. Provide language and communication aids.
4. Never draw attention to behavior you may consider unusual.
5. Check in with us to see how we’re doing.
6. Offer accommodations to autistic and other disabled people, and let us know in advance how to obtain them. Examples can include weighted vests or blankets, a list of sensory warnings to be aware of, or a designated quiet room.
7. Let an autistic person pick the activity every now and then.
8. Do not guilt-trip or pressure an autistic person to attend a gathering or partake in an activity, even if you created it with them in mind. Similarly, don’t pressure them to try food and drink that they do not want.
9. Do your own research. Look up ideas on how to be a better friend to autistic people, and on how to make events more accessible.

When I read this my first thoughts were; how can we make the Trans Health and Law conference a safe space?

Many of the tips make sense not just for autistic people but for everyone. I go to a number of fundraiser banquets and one of my pet peeves when everyone is sitting down to dinner and making small talk to their other table mates and they have to shout over the music… why is the music so loud? Yes, I can se it for when the dancing begins but during dinner?

Well these are my words of wisdom for today, until tomorrow...