LGBTQ+ Rights
I’m proud to be gay, and I will always stand with the entire LGBTQ+ community. Right-wingers are working overtime to undermine our hard-fought progress, and trans people are at the center of the reactionary backlash for the “crime” of being themselves.
As your State Representative, I will fight to:
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Vermont’s trans healthcare laws, which protect providers from facing lawsuits for administering gender-affirming care (a “shield law”) and require all state-regulated plans to cover such treatment, are considered the gold standard. We have already passed a provider shield law in Rhode Island but still need to mandate that every Rhode Islander on a healthcare plan under the jurisdiction of the state can access the care they need to feel comfortable and safe in their own body.
Currently, health insurance discrimination on the basis of gender identity/expression is only prohibited by a 2015 directive issued by the Health Insurance Commissioner. We need to codify this prohibition into law to prevent the possibility of a future anti-trans governor appointing an anti-trans Commissioner and reversing the regulation.
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As much as any moment ever has, our current political climate demands leaders who are going to do everything in their power to protect the queer community. We must defend marriage equality, protections related to chosen names and gender self-identification, and other rights that generations of LGBTQ+ activists have fought tirelessly to win and expand in Rhode Island.
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One of the Trump administration’s most senselessly cruel actions was the defunding of the LGBTQ+ suicide hotline. Fortunately, our state has continued to offer dedicated support to queer people in need of it. We need to maintain this commitment and ensure that all mental health practices and school counseling departments have the resources necessary to give LGBTQ+ students tailored support.