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Transgender Rights

All people have a right to be who they are, and to live a life free from discrimination. Yet in housing, employment, and public places— including restrooms— in Washington, transgender and non-binary people are unfairly targeted, excluded, and harassed. The ACLU of Washington works to ensure that transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming people have the same rights as everyone else. We’re fighting illegal discrimination wherever it exists, ensuring transgender people have access to the health care they need, helping to remove obstacles to obtaining legal name changes and gender marker changes on identification documents, and fighting for the rights of transgender parents.

Resources

News Release, Published: 
Thursday, October 5, 2017
The ACLU of Washington today filed a civil rights lawsuit against PeaceHealth, a Catholic healthcare organization, on behalf of Cheryl Enstad and her teenage son, Pax, for denying coverage under its health benefits plan for medically necessary surgery to Pax simply because of who he is. The suit says that PeaceHealth’s policy of refusing to cover medical care required by transgender people is discrimination and violates federal and state law.
News Release, Published: 
Friday, July 28, 2017
The ACLU stands ready to defend against any and all attempts to roll back the rules that protect transgender Americans’ ability to serve in our military openly.
Published: 
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
In a series of tweets this morning, President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced a cruel and dangerous reversal in policy on transgender individuals serving in the military. If the military reverses its existing policies protecting trans service members in response to the president’s tweets, the ACLU is ready to act.
Published: 
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
For the second year in a row, a ballot initiative aimed at rolling back non-discrimination protections for our transgender friends and neighbors in Washington has failed.
Published: 
Friday, June 17, 2016
The ACLU has long advocated for the legal rights of transgender individuals, as part of our core commitment to equality for all people.
News Release, Published: 
Monday, November 23, 2015
A private health plan has agreed to cover medically necessary health care for transgender people. Action came after a Seattle man represented by the ACLU challenged the plan’s denial of coverage for routine laboratory tests. (Client Anthony Bopp pictured)
Published: 
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
On July 7, the ACLU of Washington joined a broad range of community organizations to co-sponsor a forum on “The Continuing Fight for LGBTQ Equality – What Lies Ahead” at Town Hall Seattle.  The event featured a panel to discuss the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision guaranteeing the freedom to marry for same-sex couples and a second panel on the remaining, ongoing efforts to achieve full LGBTQ equality in Washington
Published: 
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
We are proud to announce the latest version of our transgender “Know Your Rights” guide, The Rights of Transgender People in Washington State.
Published: 
Friday, June 27, 2014
The ACLU of Washington applauds WA Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler for his recent action supporting the rights of transgender people. Kreidler wrote to health insurance companies on Wednesday to make clear that it is illegal to discriminate against transgender policyholders under state and federal law.

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