Transgender Day of Visibility: Debunking Transphobic Myths
Transgender Day of Visibility takes place each year on March 31st to celebrate transgender and non-binary (TNB) people and to take action against discrimination and transphobia. This year, it is more important than ever to use your voice and stand…
Understanding Drag Bans: The Latest Legislative Attacks on Queer Communities
Recently Tennessee enacted the nation’s first “Drag Ban,” prohibiting all drag performances in public or in the presence of minors. Anyone who violates the drag ban could face misdemeanor charges punishable by a fine of $2,500 and/or up to a…
GOTV – What Are the New District Councils?
In July 2021, the Chicago City Council passed the Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) ordinance, which created a new model for police oversight, accountability, and public safety. The ECPS ordinance created District Councils to be comprised of several dozen…
What’s on Your Chicago Ballot!
Chicago is having a municipal election on February 28th! This is our opportunity to elect officials who will be responsible for making laws and regulations that affect the safety and health of all Chicagoans. Participating in municipal elections can have…
Advocate for Culturally Responsive Care in Illinois!
This legislative session, Howard Brown Health and a group of advocates and providers are supporting a legislation (SB 2427/HB 2280) that would establish cultural competency requirements as part of continuing medical education (CME) for healthcare providers. There is a strong…
Illinois Lame Duck Legislative Session 2023 Roundup
Recently, Illinois concluded its lame duck legislative session and several crucial health equity bills supported by Howard Brown Health passed both houses of the Illinois General Assembly! Assault weapons ban: Protect Illinois Communities Act (HB 5471) With the increasing number…
Howard Brown Health applauds the Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act by the U.S. Senate
Recently, the U.S. Senate voted to pass the Respect for Marriage Act! The legislation now moves back to the House of Representatives for approval, then onto the President’s desk. The Respect for Marriage Act passed the Senate with strong bipartisan…
I completed the US Trans Survey and you should, too!
My name is Becs, and I am a policy associate at Howard Brown Health. I identify as trans-masculine and use they/them (and sometimes he/him) pronouns. I recently took the 2022 US Trans Survey (USTS), and wanted to share about why…
The Rainbow Wave: A 2022 LGBTQ+ Midterm Round Up
The Midterm Elections presented Americans with crucial issues to decide on and important offices to fill. Many of these issues deeply impact LGBTQ+ people, and particularly trans and non-binary (TNB) youth. In weeks leading up to the Midterms, many campaigns…
Howard Brown Health Opposes “Don’t Say Gay” Legislation
Due to the current surge of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the country, LGBTQ+ youth have increasingly become targets of harassment and discrimination. U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (LA-R) recently introduced a national bill known as the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act…
Understand the State and Local Positions on your Ballot!
Midterm elections have an incredible impact on our day-to-day life, but voter turnout for Midterms often lags behind Presidential elections. Even for voters who do vote in Midterm elections, much of the attention is focused on national races. It’s critical…
October is Breast/Chest Cancer Awareness Month!
Breast/chest cancer is the most common diagnosed cancer in the U.S. with an expected 290,560 new cases in 2022. While there is limited data on overall rates of breast/chest cancer screenings, diagnosis, and health outcomes among LGBTQ+ individuals, a growing…