Campaign for Southern Equality

09/10/2026

Organizers with the youth-led group Protect Trans Futures (PTF) took to the Massachusetts capital to protest the ever-growing number of medical providers dropping youth gender-affirming care and ask AG Andrea Campbell to write a letter ordering them to reinstate care. The federal administration is continuing to attack trans youth and we hope Massachusetts can continue to push back and provide care.

We want families of transgender youth to know that our Trans Youth Emergency Project is here and able to offer support. Families of transgender youth nationwide are eligible for one-on-one patient navigation to a new provider and grants to support the cost of travel to a provider. Go to the link in the comments for more information. Organizers with the youth-led group Protect Trans Futures (PTF) took to the Massachusetts capital to protest the ever-growing number of medical providers dropping youth gender-affirming care and ask AG Andrea Campbell to write a letter ordering them to reinstate care. The federal administration is continuing to attack trans youth and we hope Massachusetts can continue to push back and provide care.

We want families of transgender youth to know that our Trans Youth Emergency Project is here and able to offer support. Families of transgender youth nationwide are eligible for one-on-one patient navigation to a new provider and grants to support the cost of travel to a provider. Go to the link in the comments for more information.

Activists are calling on the state attorney general to take action against hospitals that have ended gender-affirming care programs after Trump retook office

09/10/2026

If your child has lost access to care at Mt. Sinai-- help is available. The growing number of hospitals ending care threatens care access for transgender youth and their families, many of whom have already traveled long distances or relocated in search of a supportive provider. When hospitals withdraw care, families are left navigating an already difficult system with even fewer options.

If your family is struggling to access youth gender-affirming care, reach out to our Trans Youth Emergency Project to access patient navigation and a relocation of care grant. Find out more at transyouthemergencyproject.org

09/08/2026

Mount Sinai Health System in New York is the latest to end gender-affirming care for youth in a settlement with the Trump Administration. The hospital will also pay an unspecified amount of money to the federal government and dedicate $2 million to free medical care for people who say they were “harmed” by gender-affirming care as children. This is a devastating decision for the families who relied on Mount Sinai for their healthcare.

The growing number of hospitals ending care threatens care access for transgender youth and their families, many of whom have already traveled long distances or relocated in search of a supportive provider. When hospitals withdraw care, families are left navigating an already difficult system with even fewer options. Read more:

Mount Sinai Health System says it agreed to stop treating transgender minors to keep sensitive patient records out of a federal grand jury.

09/08/2026

Capitalism wants us to turn everything we do into a job, and it can make us miserable. Dean Spade explains how the community work we do can be compromised when we only see it as a job. Watch the full video and more from Trans Cookout: https://southernequality.org/the-trans-cookout/

09/06/2026

Through the Lavender South, we showcase LGBTQ+ Southern creatives. This week, we are featuring Janis Parker, a writer and historian from South Carolina. Raised by her grandparents in an in*******al household, Janis reflects on the complexities of identity, belonging, and growing up in the South. While much of her writing has been academic, she is increasingly drawn to personal storytelling that centers the experiences of q***r Southerners.

In her essay, Janis reflects on coming into her identity as a le***an while growing up in an evangelical environment in the rural South. Through her writing, she hopes to offer the kind of stories that helped her find acceptance and confidence, and to remind other LGBTQ people in the South that they are not alone. Read Janis’ work and more from the Lavender South: https://southernequality.org/the-lavender-south/

09/04/2026

LGBTQ+ adults are facing significant barriers to accessing the healthcare they need. A new study found 6 in 10 LGBTQ+ adults are skipping or delaying care due to cost, provider availability, or other barriers. These disparities are even greater for trans adults.
Access to healthcare shouldn’t depend on who you are, where you live, or if you can afford basic care. These findings underscore the urgent need to address barriers and healthcare disparities for our community. Read more:

LGBTQ+ adults are more likely than other adults to miss healthcare appointments due to cost or other reasons — with a third reporting their health worsened as a result, according to a new survey by health policy research group, KFF. Among the 2,640 LGBTQ+ adults surveyed, those who are transgender...

09/03/2026

Back-to-School Mini Grant applications are now open! Apply today for a $1,000 grant to help support programs and projects for LGBTQ+ young people. Student groups, grassroots groups, community-based organizations, and individuals are eligible to apply. Apply at the link: https://southernequality.org/minigrant/

09/02/2026

Out of 180 grantees of the South Carolina Arts Commission, just two were denied. A board member cited they would not fund “organizations structured around specific sexual orientations, nor should public funds support drag performances.”

The Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus ( ) and the Proud Mary Theatre Company ( ) embody the arts, and should not have to defend their merit just because they are associated with the LGBTQ+ community. You can read more about this decision and support these organizations here:

​To help address the upcoming shortfall, the Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus has set up a GoFundMe.

09/01/2026

Our hearts are in Memphis, where over 100 people have been arrested by ICE. Follow Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition to learn more and get involved in the fight for immigrant rights in Tennessee. As we continue to watch ICE rip apart families and enact violence on communities across the country, we are reminded that the fight for LGBTQ+ equality is inextricably tied to the fight for immigrant’s rights. No one is free until we are all free. Read more:

Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested more than 100 people in Memphis over the weekend — the largest raid in the city’s history, according to the loc

08/30/2026

Even activists need to take time for themselves. Kayla Gore, the founder of My Sistah’s House and the Tiny House Project in Memphis, shares wise advice for Trans youth. Check out the latest episode and more: https://youtu.be/M1phcU2E6ds?si=fS88MRZ-wUp9hRfJ