At The Gathering Place, we are thrilled by today’s news that the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of LGBTQ+ workplace protections. In a landmark decision, LGBTQ workers are federally protected against workplace discrimination. Considering that one in four transgender people report losing a job due to bias, and another three in four report some form of workplace discrimination, this is a milestone for human rights.
However, this decision does not reverse the disruptive and heartbreaking decision by the current administration, which rolled back the Affordable Care Act rulings that protected transgender and gender non-conforming persons from health care discrimination. A disproportionate number of transgender people unable to find employment (especially in the current recession) and for those that are employed, it does not protect their health care access or treatment through employer-provided health insurance. Fourteen percent of transgender people are living in poverty, compared to four percent of the general population. In addition, nearly one in five transgender persons lack any form of health insurance—including Medicaid. Another one in five people have been refused medical care because of their gender identity.
The ACA ruling, previous to last Friday, offered legal recourse and protection. To reverse this in the middle of a global pandemic and looming economic recession is cruel and inhumane.
Health care is a human right and should never be held hostage to political ideology. Our hope is that today’s Supreme Court ruling lays the groundwork for a similar protection and reversal of the administration’s recent healthcare decision.
The Gathering Place currently offers daytime resources and shelter for women and transgender individuals at TWO locations – our primary location, and the Auxiliary Shelter at the Denver Coliseum. When the 24/7 site at the Coliseum closes, The Gathering Place will continue our vital work as the only daytime resource center dedicated to serving women and transgender individuals. Regardless of any decisions coming out of Washington, regardless of global pandemics or economic recessions, we are here and we will continue to provide safety, life-stabilizing resources, and health intervention and resources to women and transgender individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness. You can support our work and know that by doing so, you are standing up for basic human rights. Support our work as a monthly donor or with a one-time gift here.
