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HIV-Positive Visitors Ban Removed -- Almost!

We're all living in the 21st Century, but many of America's policies have some catching up to do. One of those policies is an outright ban on HIV-positive visitors or immigrants to the United States. Last year, the ban was removed from federal law, but the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has to take the last step to fully eliminate this harsh policy. HHS solicits public comments on an issue before acting, so this is your chance to ensure they do the right thing.

Help end this outdated, unjust policy »

Ending Queer Health Disparities

Does the federal government collect any information about LGBT Americans? Is today's medical community kept current on issues surrounding LGBT people? Is there an Office of LGBT Health at the Department of Health & Human Services?

NO.

But, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and others recently introduced the Ending Health Disparities for LGBT Americans Act (EHDLA) to change that.

EHDLA would comprehensively address disparities in queer healthcare. Some of the issues covered by the bill include: collecting health-related data on LGBT Americans, early access to treatment for HIV-positive Medicaid recipients, training on LGBT issues for health care providers and federal support for health centers that serve the queer community.

Find out more about EHDLA »

Resources

Unity: Bringing Together the Summer's Hottest Progressive Voices

If you're in Washington, DC this summer, join HRC and Campus Progress on July 23 for a chance to meet other young progressives and discuss the role of LGBTQ voices in the progressive movement. HRC's own Candace Gingrich, Senior Manager of the Youth & Campus Outreach Program, and Vincent Villano, Events Associate at Campus Progress, will be speaking at the event.

And, of course, there will be free food and drinks to enjoy!

RSVP today »

Generation Equality Reflects on Stonewall

The last weekend in June marked the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall uprising in New York City -- the birth of the queer rights movement. What does Generation Equality know about Stonewall?

We asked two of HRC's summer interns for their perspective »

There are a lot of people -- including queer people -- who have never heard of Stonewall or the transpeople who instigated a riot at Compton's Cafeteria in San Francisco three years earlier. LGBT history isn't something we learn in grade school (not yet!), so we need to educate ourselves about the events and people who have shaped Queer America today.

Better know your queer history »

EQ News

ACLU Forces Tennessee Schools to Unblock LGBT Websites

Two weeks after the American Civil Liberties Union sued two Tennessee school districts for blocking student access to online information about LGBT issues and scholarships, the filtering software company made "technical adjustments" to cease the censorship.

While it's regrettable that it took a lawsuit for students to obtain access to this crucial information, at least queer young Tennesseans can finally find out about the numerous resources available to them -- whether it's coming out or scholarships to pursue further education.

Read more about this censorship case »

Same-Sex Pair Voted "Best Couple"

Victoria "Vikky" Cruz, 17, and Deoine Scott, 18, made history at their South Bronx high school when they were voted "best couple" this year. When they began dating sophomore year, they encountered some resistance from their peers, but by senior year, that had largely disappeared. According to Maribel, a friend of Vikky's and editor of their high school yearbook, the pair won "best couple" by a sizable margin.