Equality News

by Jessica Douglas

TEXAS AG DEMANDS PRIVATE MEDICAL RECORDS FROM LOCAL GEORGIA CLINIC ALREADY TARGETED BY ARSON

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DECATUR, GA (January 29, 2024) – QueerMed, a local gender-affirming care clinic in downtown Decatur, received a recent request from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to release patient records for transgender youth. Paxton specifically sought private information about Texas residents who received telehealth care from the Georgia clinic before Texas instituted a ban on medical care for trans youth.

“The actions of the Texas Attorney General puts politics between pediatricians and parents in an egregious act of government interference which violates the most fundamental rights of parents and children,” said Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality. Continue reading →

by Wes Sanders

Federal Judge Restores Access to Gender-Affirming Care for Georgia Transgender Youth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ATLANTA, GA (August 21, 2023) – On Sunday night, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction halting provisions of Senate Bill 140, Georgia’s restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, from taking effect while a legal case challenging the legislation proceeds.

“The federal Judge confirms what so many families and transgender youth have been saying all along: that bans against healthcare are harmful, dangerous, discriminatory, and illegal,” said Georgia Equality’s executive director Jeff Graham. “It is our hope that this loss, and its echoes all over the country, along with overwhelming public opposition, will discourage any further legislative action targeting trans folks when the General Assembly convenes again in January.” 

Continue reading →

by Jessica Douglas

Apply Now: Development & Communications Intern

Fall Semester Development & Communications Intern

Duration: 10-12 weeks

Students receiving course credit preferred, not required.

Hours: The candidate must firmly commit to at least 10 hours per week with daily hours depending on the student’s class schedule and availability.

Location: Internship will be primarily remote, with some in-person, off-site events to be done. Occasional visits to Georgia Equality office (1530 DeKalb Avenue, Atlanta, GA) may be requested. Continue reading →

by Jessica Douglas

Dr. Fred Richter, Champion for Equality

On July 29, 2023 in Statesboro, Georgia Equality was proud to honor Dr. Fred Richter with the Champion for Equality Award due to his hard work to advance fairness, safety, and opportunity for LGBTQ+ people in Statesboro and across Georgia. This is Dr. Richter’s acceptance speech:

I am deeply grateful for this honor, but in truth, all I’ve ever done is SAY GAY. The incriminating word was “homosexual” when I was a boy, and I said it to myself in my closet of despair. A crime, a sickness, a sin. Heavy burden for any young boy or girl.

Continue reading →

by Jessica Douglas

PRESS RELEASE: DEKALB COUNTY PASSES ADDITIONAL LGBTQ PROTECTIONS FROM DISCRIMINATION

Georgia’s latest municipality to explicitly protect LGBTQ people.

July 11, 2023 (DeKalb County, GA) – Today, by unanimous vote, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners passed a nondiscrimination ordinance providing critical public accommodation protections to LGBTQ folks and other marginalized groups who live, work, and visit DeKalb County as well as explicit employment protections to LGBTQ county employees. Continue reading →