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Dr. Dulcinea Alex Pitagora's avatar

One bright spot in NY: I got word from the Attorney General's office that they entered a settlement with one of the mail order pharmacies, CarelonRx, who had been refusing to fill gender-affirming prescriptions, causing delays in trans people receiving hormones prescriptions. The NY Assistant Attorney General said "They have agreed to stop discriminating against New Yorkers by mail-order, train their staff, report any changes going forward impacting trans folks, and pay the State of New York 200,000 dollars in a fine. They have also agreed to pay restitution to any cost-sharing transgender folks experienced in the diversion."

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Erin Reed's avatar

Send me info on this via email!

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Dr. Dulcinea Alex Pitagora's avatar

Happy to forward you the email I got from Kyle Rapiñan, do I send it to erininthemorn@substack.com?

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Erin Reed's avatar

Yup

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Mike Gelt's avatar

These companies and institutions have no moral compass they give in and give up to save a buck We should publish a complete list of all who have given in and shame them publicly over and over again as well as boycott them anyway we can

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Tanya Laird's avatar

Boycotting isn't the answer. Ultimately boycotts are not terribly useful to advance trans rights, as there simply aren't enough trans people and allies who care enough to really move the needle. This really does need to be handled by blue state attorneys general. A better community option might be to fund anti-discrimination lawsuits brought by individual plaintiffs against these companies and institutions.

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Mike Gelt's avatar

That maybe true but we need to shine a continuous light on these companies and Institutions

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On The Run with Kate Bornstein's avatar

Hey Erin, thanks for your reporting. I’m a Brown alum, Class of 1969. I’ve reached out to the university president, Chris Paxson, and I’m waiting to hear back about an appointment. I also contacted the archivist who’s managing my collection there and she sent me a copy of the agreement Brown made with the Trump administration. There is a bathroom ban for athletic facilities, but the damn thing could be read as applying campus-wide. I’ll let you know when I hear any more. In solidarity, with big love, Auntie Kate

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Nicola A's avatar

Seeing Brown capitulate makes me severely uncomfortable. I pray that Rhode Island enforces the law against them.

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Talia Perkins's avatar

And, the people engineering, funding, and carrying out the propaganda campaign against transgender people must face 42 U.S.C. § 1983, 18 U.S.C. § 241, & 18 U.S.C. § 242 prosecution. It is in fact against the constitution and civil and criminal laws to conspire against the rights of Americans from within America.

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Evelyn Belle Scott's avatar

Thank you for this. Living in Connecticut, it’s abundantly clear that trans people are only visible when convenient. Our AG, William Tong, is an excellent jurist, and he is right to pursue litigation against the administration. But that will likely fail, given how the federal judiciary has been captured. These suits need to be paired with actual enforcement at the state level.

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Ann Journey's avatar

I really thought that universities would resist more. The capitulation in favor of financial considerations instead of students, faculty, academic freedom, and educational interests is abhorrent. The problem is that University Presidents and leadership are funding and budget-first automatons and the voice of students and faculty who want to fight are being completely suppressed. I fully expect my red state university to tell me any day now to start using the men's restroom or go to a single-occupancy in another building. But I will not comply. I will make them go through the procedural hoops to punish or get rid of me to demonstrate the injustice of the situation. I expect that from a red state university. But that blue state universities are proceeding along the same path is incredibly depressing because now I don't have anywhere to flee to in the US if I want to remain in this field.

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Sandra's avatar

I am entirely in agreement that federal lawsuits are not likely to be productive, and that the main recourse against unjust actions against trans people - as occurred at Brown University in Rhode Island - is likely to be vigorous enforcement of state laws by AGs. They must choose to step up to the plate, otherwise this will spread to other institutions in blue states.

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Liz's avatar

This puts into words what I have been so upset about, why I have been losing hope. This fight is far too big for us; yet those that can fight the fight (and win) are just sitting back and watching our slow demise. It is dehumanizing and depressing, creates a hopelessness I’ve not felt since before I left my extremely conservative family behind.

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Brynn Craffey's avatar

Great to have you back! Excellent and very necessary post.

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Slack System's avatar

Have there been any of these organizations complying in Massachusetts? If so I'd like to write to and call my AG. Does anyone have a full list somewhere?

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Archer Grimley's avatar

100% agree - as a primary care physician who’s organization banned me from prescribing HRT for my trans patients (so I created a private practice to continue doing it) i have tried fighting my own employer on this but have had no legal support / no one has agreed to take on the case. I’ve contacted at least a dozen lawyers and organizations. I’m in Nevada.

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Tammy's avatar

Thank you for this, Erin,- I so agree. We in the Blue states,(I am in Oregon), need to stay on top of what is happening and contact our AGs when they are letting things slip. Letting them know we are watching, and that we want the strongest protections our State Laws allow enforced, is a top priority.

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Jennifer Moore's avatar

Caving to illegal and immoral demands is inconsistent with the practice of medicine and patient care. I spoke with a woman from Children's Hospital of LA today. The entire staff of providers, social workers, support crews and other personnel was let go. Other centers in the organization were laying off staff who worked in preventive medicine. CHLA LGBTQ practices were among the oldest and largest in the country. A very painful future for many children and families.

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Tony D's avatar

This is very sad to me

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Mark Zelman's avatar

Well done, Erin. I appreciate your journalism and commentary, and your work is valued by many.

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