Part of what the LGBTQ+ liaison does is provide education and awareness about the community. The more you know, the better allies you can be.

Just a quick note and a heads up, Pride Month is only one month away. Please check out local pride events in our area.

With that in mind, if you’ve never been to one, I’d like to challenge you to attend at least one Pride Month event in your area—at least two if you have been to one before.

Email me about your experience—I know others will want to hear so I will put them in the June issue.

For Your Information:

PFLAG (https://pflag.org/) is the nation's largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them.

For over 50 years, PFLAG has been where LGBTQ+ people, families, and allies have come together in pursuit of justice and affirmation—and always leading with love. What began as a letter, led to a march, which launched a meeting, and birthed a movement of millions.

Since our earliest days, PFLAG has been the connector for LGBTQ+ people with community, parents with resources, and allies with tools, bolstering the LGBTQ+ movement with strength, power, and love.

Some examples of materials you can find on their website:

• Guide to Being an Ally to Trans and Nonbinary People - https://tinyurl.com/bp7d4m6u
• Legislative Advocacy - https://pflag.org/resource/legislative-advocacy/

GOOD LGBTQ+ NEWS

• Support skyrockets for librarian who was fired for refusing to hide LGBTQ+ books from kids https://tinyurl.com/5n95aeae
• Now More Than Ever: The Importance of LGBTQ+ Activism. Time magazine just released its 100 Most Influential People for 2026. LGBTQ+ people appeared throughout. https://tinyurl.com/48fnpd6y
• Unveiling the 2026 Curve Power List https://www.curvemag.com/articles/unveiling-the-2026-curve-power-list/

If you have any information on anything related to LGBTQ+ news, issues, and organizations, if you’d like to help educate, or if you’d like to have a presentation at your local BPW, please contact Sue Oser at soser@nfbpwc.org.

Susan Oser
Advocacy LGBTQ

IMPORTANT LGBTQ+ HOTLINES & RESOURCES FOR ALLIES TOO

• 100 Organizations Supporting Trans People in All 50 States—donations welcome: https://tinyurl.com/3vdz89e5
• Ali Forney Day Center: 212.206.0574
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 800.342.AIDS (2437), Spanish 800.344432
• TDD service for the deaf: 800.243.7889. All lines available 10:00am to 10:00pm EST, Monday through Friday.
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender National Hotline: 888.843.4564
• GLBT National Youth Talkline (youth serving youth through age 25): 800.246.7743
• Guide to Being an Ally to LGBTQ+ People: https://tinyurl.com/ycy8eezz
• Journalist Resource Series: Guide for Reporting on Anti-Trans Violence: https://tinyurl.com/53cbmkj8
• National Runaway Switchboard: 800.RUNAWAY (786.2929)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800.273.8255
• Transgender Michigan: 855-345-TGMI (8464)
• Trevor Project: 866.488.7386

The case of Equal Means Equal vs. Donald Trump

Just a short follow up on this case since I reported on it last month.

There is more here: https://equalmeansequalupdates.substack.com

There was some fantastic news out of PA as of 4/20/2026. 

Today the PA Commonwealth Court ruled 4-3 that the Equal Rights Amendment of the Pennsylvania Constitution includes Medicaid coverage of abortion care as a “right.”

The PA Law that precluded any Medicaid coverage for reproductive health care was ruled unconstitutional and discriminatory. Governor Shapiro immediately said that a woman’s right to health care should not be based on her income.

The Women’s Law Project has been working this case (Allegheny Health Center v. Dept. of Human Services) for many years. This is a major victory not just here, but for other states, as it is a model case for abortion coverage since the overturning of Roe. The ruling authenticates a woman’s right to bodily “autonomy” under the PA ERA. (This information was shared by Lilly Gioia, PA Affiliate member and NFBPWC Advocacy member.  Thank  you Lilly.)

Driving the Vote for Equality is a 25-state national tour to secure Congressional recognition of the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment. We wrote about this at 

length a few months ago.

The event was inspired by  the  1916  suffrage drive of Alice Burke and Nell Richardson. This campaign, led by former Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, deploys the restored Golden Flyer II — a replica of their original Saxon roadster — and is driving around the nation with the intent of collecting 1 million petition signatures and demanding that Congress act now. It is an initiative of ERA-NOW.org and Sign4ERA.org.

The ERA has been ratified by 38 states, meeting every constitutional requirement.

Yet it remains unrecognized, because opponents are using an arbitrary 1972 Congressional deadline to block its adoption. Until that barrier is removed and Congress affirms the ERA, women lack the constitutional protection that already exists for men.

Under Article V, this authority belongs to Congress and the states — not the President, not the courts. Constitutional scholars Laurence Tribe of Harvard and Erwin Chemerinsky of UC Berkeley confirm that once Congress affirms the ERA, no court can deny its status. Equality must be the law of the land for everyone.

In 1916, with the suffrage movement stalled, Alice Burke and Nell Richardson climbed into a gold Saxon roadster they named the “Golden Flyer” and drove 10,700 miles across 29 states. Backed by the National American Women’s Suffrage Association, they spoke in town squares and rallied crowds from coast to coast with one message: women deserve a voice. Four years later, the 19th Amendment was ratified. Persistence and organizing moved mountains

Please check out the path of the Golden Flyer II as it crosses the USA right now.

Keep on Marching.

Nancy Werner
Advocacy ERA

IMPORTANT LGBTQ+ HOTLINES & RESOURCES FOR ALLIES TOO

• 100 Organizations Supporting Trans People in All 50 States—donations welcome: https://tinyurl.com/3vdz89e5
• Ali Forney Day Center: 212.206.0574
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 800.342.AIDS (2437), Spanish 800.344.7432
• TDD service for the deaf: 800.243.7889. All lines available 10:00am to 10:00pm EST, Monday through Friday.
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender National Hotline: 888.843.4564
• GLBT National Youth Talkline, youth serving youth through age 25: 800.246.7743
• Guide to Being an Ally to LGBTQ+ People: https://tinyurl.com/ycy8eezz
• Journalist Resource Series: Guide for Reporting on Anti-Trans Violence: https://tinyurl.com/53cbmkj8
• National Runaway Switchboard: 800.RUNAWAY (786.2929)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800.273.8255
• Transgender Michigan: 855.345.TGMI (8464)
• Trevor Project: 866.488.7386

Susan Oser
Advocacy LGBTQ+

April in Action: Advocacy, Action and Impact

Happy spring BPW members! We’ve just wrapped up a hectic March in NYC with IFBPW’s Leader’s Summit and the 70th Commission of the Status of Women bringing thousands of gender advocates from around the world together. Moving into April, fresh off the tail of all this activity, has me re-energized and ready to take action.

Many of us are used to celebrating spring and Earth Day during April - it is a great time to think about sustainability and our environmental impact. I encourage our members to check out the ESD committee page and learn how to engage in their work. A sustainable future requires healthy communities, strong economies, and the full participation of women in every sector, from leadership and policy to science, technology, and education. Our work as advocates helps ensure that women’s voices are part of shaping that future.

From an advocacy lens, April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time  dedicated to raising awareness, supporting survivors, and strengthening prevention efforts. Sexual violence remains a serious issue affecting women in every community and workplace. Advocating for survivor-centered policies, supporting local organizations, and helping create safe and respectful professional environments are all ways we can contribute to meaningful change.

One of the most visible advocacy moments during the month is Denim Day, marked annually on the last Wednesday in April. Organized internationally by Peace Over Violence, Denim Day began after a controversial court ruling in Italy. The Supreme Court Justices ruled that because the victim was wearing tight denim jeans, there was no way the perpetrator could have removed them by himself, and therefore, the act must have been consensual. In response, activists encouraged people to wear denim as a symbol of protest against victim-blaming and sexual violence.

You can advocate by wearing denim on April 29th and posting a photo on social media - don’t forget to tag NFBPWC!

Later in the month, International Girls in ICT Day (April 23, 2026), led by the International Telecommunication Union, encourages girls and young women to explore careers in technology and digital innovation. Expanding access to these fields not only creates economic opportunity, but also ensures that the technologies shaping our future reflect the experiences and insights of women.

As advocates, we know that progress rarely comes from one action alone. It is built through many voices speaking up, mentoring a young woman exploring a new career path, supporting organizations that assist survivors of violence, participating in local environmental initiatives, or engaging policymakers on issues that affect women’s lives.

This April, I encourage each of you to find one way to take action. Wear denim in solidarity with survivors. Attend an Earth Day event. Mentor a young woman interested in science or technology. Share information about Sexual Assault Awareness Month in your community.

When we combine advocacy with awareness and action, we strengthen the impact of our work. Together we continue to build communities that are safer, more equitable, and more sustainable for women everywhere.

Nancy Werner
Advocacy ERA

Part of what the LGBTQ+ liaison does is provide education and awareness about the community. Below are some places to get started or lean more.

Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE)

Conceived in 2022, Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) was officially created in February 2024, when Texas state officials directed state child protection workers to investigate parents who were suspected of having provided their children with medically necessary transition-related healthcare. It was the first time state officials had ordered this kind of investigation, and it represented a new, extremely frightening level of danger to our community.

Leveraging decades of experience on the frontlines of power, we are working to shift government and society towards a future where transgender individuals are completely equal to any other individuals. In addition to A4TE, 2024 brought forth the merger between the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF), combining two hard-working champions of the community into one even stronger organization.

All of this is based on the ability of members and supporters of the trans community to boldly imagine a world where trans people live joyfully and without barriers. https://transequality.org/

International Transgender Visibility Day

March 31st is a big day in the transgender community: International Transgender Day of Visibility.

The day, which is observed around the world, is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and victories of transgender and gender-expansive people, while simultaneously raising awareness of the work that is still needed to combat discrimination and violence.

TDOV was founded in 2009 by US-based transgender activist Rachel Crandall, a licensed psychotherapist and Executive Director of Transgender Michigan, both of which were conceived in reaction to the lack of LGBTQ+ days of recognition, as well as the frustration that the only well-known transgender-centered day of recognition was Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR).

Having a day dedicated to those who have been the victims of violence simply for living their fullest lives is wonderful, but having it as the only acknowledgment of trans-gender life distressed her. She wanted to recognize the ordinary and joyful moments too.

Today, TDOV is a much-needed day of empowerment, celebrating the lives and achievements of all transgender and gender-expansive people.

Susan Oser
Advocacy LGBTQ+

Article sources:

• https://pflag.org/transgender-day-of-visibility/
• https://pflag.org/tdov-social-toolkit/
• https://www.transgendermichigan.org/ visibility
• https://glaad.org/tdov/

Good LGBTQ+ News

• We’re still gay & we’re still fabulous”: Shop owners fight vandalism with positivity & humor - https://tinyurl.com/3wf626dr
• The surprising way a professor and her students are preserving centuries of LGBTQ+ history – https://tinyurl.com/22b5sm3z
• Building (Rainbow) Bridges Across Michigan's Upper Peninsula - https:// tinyurl.com/88hhm47r

LGBTQ+ Dates for March

• Mar 1: Zero Discrimination Day
• Mar 4: International HPV Awareness Day
• Mar 10: National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
• Mar 16-20: National LGBT Health Awareness Week
• Mar 20: Two-Spirit & Indigenous LGBTQ Awareness Day
• Mar 31: International Transgender Visibility Day
• Mar 31: Transgender Youth Day
• March is also Bisexual Health Awareness Month and Women’s History Month

IMPORTANT LGBTQ+ HOTLINES & RESOURCES FOR ALLIES TOO

• 100 Organizations Supporting Trans People in All 50 States—donations welcome: https://tinyurl.com/3vdz89e5
• Ali Forney Day Center: 212.206.0574
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 800.342.AIDS (2437), Spanish 800.344432
• TDD service for the deaf: 800.243.7889. All lines available 10:00am to 10:00pm EST, Monday through Friday.
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender National Hotline: 888.843.4564
• GLBT National Youth Talkline (youth serving youth through age 25): 800.246.7743
• Guide to Being an Ally to LGBTQ+ People: https://tinyurl.com/ycy8eezz
• Journalist Resource Series: Guide for Reporting on Anti-Trans Violence:
• https://tinyurl.com/53cbmkj8 National Runaway Switchboard: 800.RUNAWAY (786.2929)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800.273.8255
• Transgender Michigan: 855-345-TGMI (8464)
• Trevor Project: 866.488.7386

Honoring Alice Cohan: Beloved and Highly Effective Feminist Leader

For over 60 years, Alice Cohan devoted her life to the feminist movement, as an activist, political organizer, and long-time leader in both the Feminist Majority (FM) and the National Organization for Women (NOW). Alice was a nationally recognized expert on field organizing, mass mobilizations, and electing feminist candidates.

Her interest in politics ran deep.

She had an extraordinary lifelong commitment to equality and began her activist work in her teens. She attended her first Democratic National Convention as a teenager in 1964 and attended every one from 1976 through 2020 (and many Republican ones as well). She traveled extensively, sometimes for months at a time, organizing in most regions across the United States.

She was a force: a dedicated friend, an inspiring mentor, and a brilliant creative tactician. Her work was critical in electing feminist candidates to office and in moving the Equal Rights Amendment campaign forward.

Organizing infused every aspect of Alice’s life. She loved to gather a group together after a meeting for dinner and fervently believed that such personal connection is crucial to keeping our movement fed (literally and figuratively) and growing. She had an exquisite sense of humor and knew that sometimes a smile or a laugh could bring people together.

Alice served as the Feminist Majority’s Political Director and Chief Field Organizer for over 20 years. In this capacity, she led field operations in community organizing for the National Clinic Access Project, mobilized college students in many state-level ballot initiative and Congressional campaigns, and organized large events, including the Feminist Expos in 1996 and 2000, and the Women, Money, Power Summits in more recent years. She also the organization in a wide range of coalitions, ranging from those dealing with judicial nominations to reproductive rights and many issues in between.

Alice worked extensively with feminist Congressional Candidates, interviewing them, recommending endorsements, and chairing an informal network of Political Action Committees (PACs) that focused on female candidates.

Alice was active with NOW throughout her life and in 2019 received their lifetime achievement award. Over time, she served as chief field director, specializing in direct and mass actions; director of all women’s rights mass mobilizations and marches; and spent the last eight years of her tenure as political director.

In her capacity as the director of mass mobilizations and marches, she served as Director of the 2004 March for Women’s Lives, which brought 1.15 million supporters to Washington, DC through the work of over 1,400 co-sponsoring organizations. The march was a monumental call to action to protect abortion rights, reproductive justice, access to birth control, and women’s health. As March Director, Alice braved countless storms, juggled egos and priorities, and pulled off the event of a lifetime.

Personally, Alice was also a genuine force. She took great pride in mentoring younger generations of feminists both through her work at NOW and the Feminist Majority, but also as a member of the Advisory Council of the Women’s Information Network, which was a group of pro-choice, Democratic Women under 30.

In an interview with her alma mater Rider University’s magazine about her lifetime achievement award from NOW, Alice explained her relentless pursuit of equality this way:

“I remain enthusiastic about the work because I’m passionate about the issues and the people who come together to work on them. There is opposition everywhere we look, and its root is money. People profit from discrimination. Only if we are strong and united can we move closer to equality.”

Part 1: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any ate on account of sex.”

Part 2: Gives Congress the power to force the ERA through legislation.

Part 3: The amendment takes effect two years after it is ratified

Following Up on Equal Means Equal vs. Donald Trump

This case is a challenge to the Military Selective Service Act (MSSA), 50 U.S.C. § 3801 et seq., which requires male citizens to register for the draft but bars women from doing so.

A hearing on the motion to dismiss was scheduled for November 17, 2025.

It did not happen.

Then another hearing was scheduled for December.

It did not happen.

A new hearing is set for March 24th before Judge William G. Young (remote only). In order to gain access to the hearing, you must sign up at the following address: https://forms.mad.uscourts.gov/courtlist.html.

The ERA Coalition meets twice every month, and we are learning how to place the ERA into our “250” events. More on this topic next month.

Nancy Werner
Advocacy ERA

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S CLUBS (NFBPWC) ADVOCACY PLATFORM 2024 - 2026

NFBPWC will employ several education, advocacy, monitoring, and tracking strategies to meet the following priorities:

The Alice Paul Equal Rights Amendment shall stand first and foremost above all other items of the advocacy platform until Equal Rights have been guaranteed in the United States Constitution - i.e. "Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

Human Rights - recognition that women's rights are human rights

• Support:
• • The Alice Paul Equal Rights Amendment.
  • Passage of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
  • Equal rights for historically marginalized groups, encompassing, but not restricted to, Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
  • Universal background checks for all firearm purchases.
  • The Violence Against Women Act; especially when reauthorization is required.
  • Fair and equal access to education, including sufficient funding for public education ranging from early childhood education to post-secondary/ higher education.
  • Policies and practices that promote environmental sustainability.
  • Empower and enhance the well-being of military-affiliated women.
  • Equitable treatment of any women who are arrested, detained, or incarcerated.
  • Privacy rights of women, especially regarding their health, sexual and relationship history, and personal and digital data.
  • Protection of human rights and equitable treatment of all migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers.
  • Eradicate Domestic Violence and Electronic and Physical stalking, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and discrimination.
  • Oppose human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and all forms of slavery.

Economic Equity and Justice

• Support the elimination of Forced Arbitration as the sole means of dispute resolution.
• Access to:
• • Education, training, and promotional opportunities.
  • Equal opportunities in the workplace and on corporate boards.
  • Procurement procedures that facilitate opportunities for women-owned or women-led enterprises.
  • Quality, affordable dependent care (child, elderly, or disabled).
  • Funding and capital for entrepreneurial activity.
  • Affordable and attainable housing.

Health Equity and Justice

• Support for reproductive justice.
• Access to affordable reproductive healthcare; including but not limited to; contraception, assisted reproduction techniques, and abortion care.
• Support for paid sick, family, and medical leave.
• Elimination of gender bias in research funding .
• Health education funding for women's and girl's health issues.
• Prevention of discrimination against pregnancy and infant care in the workplace (e.g. reasonable accommodations for breastfeeding/breast pumping and other pregnancy /maternity conditions.)
• Ensure workplace safety.
• Expansion of mental health coverage and services .

Approved on July 20, 2024: NFBPWC Biennial General Assembly, King of Prussia, PA

Part of what the LGBTQ+ liaison does is to provide education and awareness about the community. Hopefully, these links and information will help.

There is a lot of legislation and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community these days. That’s why it’s important to connect with them as allies in your local area. Each month I’ll be featuring some groups and organizations that you can get to know and perhaps connect with and hear their stories.

Free Mom Hugs

Founded by a fierce advocate and mother, Free Mom Hugs provides visibility, conversation, and education with the hope of reconciling relationships. They sincerely believe that broken family relationships can be restored, and work to equip family members, friends, and allies with valuable resources so they can love well.

Their goal is not to replace family relationships, but to display individual’s celebration and love for the LGBTQIA+ community so that family members feel encouraged to do the same. Though  they’re known as Free Mom Hugs, dads, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and friends are encouraged to be part of this movement of inclusion fueled by love.

The organization’s desire is that this work can restore relationships, and that families are reconciled through the hope and power of Sara and Parker’s story. https://freemomhugs.org/

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In honor of this month’s theme:

Heart of a Woman

• Queer Love Poems: Love is love, poetry by and for LGBTQ+ folks. https://tinyurl.com/yeyddvsw
• Unsung heroes: Six queer moms who revolutionized LGBTQ+ family building. https://tinyurl.com/3z7vudhk

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Black Trans Advocacy Coalition

Through a national advocacy center, a network of affiliate state chapters, and communities across the globe they work daily, advocating to end poverty, discrimination in all forms, and the inequities in health, employment, housing, and education that are rooted in systemic racism, to improve the lived experience of transgender people.

Their work is based on peace building, community education, public policy initiatives, empowerment programs, and direct services. Additionally, they work to increase diversity, inclusion, and equality for all people. The Black Trans Advocacy Coalition is led by the Black Transmen, Inc., Black Transwomen, Inc., and Black Trans MX nonprofit organizations. https://blacktrans.org/

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Good LGBTQ+ News

Gender-affirming care helped detect this woman’s cancer & save her life https:// tinyurl.com/5fyryh88

Democrats successfully strip all anti-trans riders from final appropriations bills https://tinyurl.com/w95bedy3

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IMPORTANT LGBTQ+ HOTLINES & RESOURCES FOR ALLIES TOO

• 100 Organizations Supporting Trans People in All 50 States—donations welcome: https://tinyurl.com/3vdz89e5
• Ali Forney Day Center: 212.206.0574
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 800.342.AIDS (2437), Spanish 800.344432
• TDD service for the deaf: 800.243.7889. All lines available 10:00am to 10:00pm EST, Monday through Friday.
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender National Hotline: 888.843.4564
• GLBT National Youth Talkline (youth serving youth through age 25): 800.246.7743
• Guide to Being an Ally to LGBTQ+ People: https://tinyurl.com/ycy8eezz
• Journalist Resource Series: Guide for Reporting on Anti-Trans Violence: https://tinyurl.com/53cbmkj8 
• National Runaway Switchboard: 800.RUNAWAY (786.2929)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800.273.8255
• Transgender Michigan: 855-345-TGMI (8464)
• Trevor Project: 866.488.7386

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This month’s LGBTQ+ celebrations

• February 7: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
• February 12: National Freedom to Marry Day
• February 13: Self-Love Day
• February 14: National Condom Day
• Week after Valentine’s Day (February 16-22): Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week
• February 22: Chosen Family Day
• February 25: Anti-Bullying Day
• February 28: HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day

February is Black History Month, National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and the International Month of Black Women in The Arts
(https://www.history.com/articles/black-women-in-art-and-literature)

Susan Oser
Advocacy LGBTQ

Equal Means Equal vs. Donald Trump

This case is a challenge to the Military Se-lective Service Act (MSSA), 50 U.S.C. § 3801 et seq., which requires male citizens to register for the draft but bars women from doing so.

A hearing on the motion to dismiss was scheduled for November 17, 2025. It did not happen. Then another hearing was scheduled for December. It did not hap-pen.

The hearing on the motion to dismiss the case for failure to state a claim was reset for March 24, 2026 (remote only) before Judge William G. Young. Please check the Court schedule.

In order to gain access to the hearing, you must sign up here in advance.

For questions regarding access to hear-ings, you may refer to the general orders and public notices of the Court available on www.mad.uscourts.gov or contact the session here (KB) (Entered: 12/10/2025)

In 1916, two suffragists drove a bright gold Saxon motorcar called the Golden Flyer 10,700 miles across America. Why? Because women couldn’t vote and politicians were stalling. Today, Carolyn Maloney of Sign4ERA.org is telling their story to illustrate that today the Equal Rights Amendment is in the exact place suffrage was then.

We know that women de-serve full constitutional equality. But here we are in 2026 watching politicians stall the final step that would make equality enforceable.

How can we win and why 2026 is the year:

Now is the time to decide how you will participate in the campaign of Driving the Vote for Equality.

Congressional Updates from the Alice Paul web site

The Equal Rights Amendment was intro-duced in the House and Senate during Women’s History Month (March) in 2025.

Representative Press-ley’s Bill HJ Resolution 80 now has 215 co-sponsors, including Representative Bobby Scott. We still have three members, Adam Grey, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Henry Cuellar whose signatures are needed.

Co-sponsors of Bill SJ Resolution 38, Senator Murkowski and Senator Hirano are working to-gether to secure more Senators sign on.

The Senate bill is a companion bill to the House Resolution and the two bills share the same name: a joint resolution establishing the ratification of the Equal Rights Amend-ment.

The ERA Coalition meets twice every month, and we are learning how to place the ERA into our “250” events. More on this topic next month.

Lastly, a belated Happy Birthday to Alice Paul, (1885-1977) whose birthday was celebrated on January 11th at the Alice Paul Institute. No woman deserves the “Heart of a Woman” recognition more than this Quaker from New Jersey who, using tactics she’d learned in England, led the militant wing of the movement to rati-fy the 19th Amendment—giving women the right to vote. Her whole life was dedi-cated to fighting for women’s equality.

She was fond of saying, “There will never be a new world order until women are part of it.” May we keep her memory alive and keep marching forward.

Nancy Werner
Advocacy ERA

Advocacy LGBTQ+

Since anti-transgender rhetoric and actions seem to be on everyone’s mind in the current political climate, it’s important to keep the information and education flowing and going on this issue and how communities and LGBTQ+ groups are fighting back. Part of what NFBPWC’s LGBTQ+ liaison does is provide education and awareness about the community. Hopefully, these links and information will help.

Note on the holidays

If you have a friend or family member that needs a place to celebrate the holidays, please open your heart and doors to them. This can be a very difficult time for the LGBTQ+ community.

Some heartwarming and encouraging stories in honor of this month’s theme: Celebrate and Anticipate

• Robert De Niro’s trans daughter gushes over his “nonstop” support: “He’s very good at being a dad” https://tinyurl.com/yssdy2ft
• “Happiness looks fantastic on her”: Here’s what parents wish folks knew about their trans kids https:// tinyurl.com/3rwcnyvs
• This supportive dad wanted to stand up for his trans kids,so he did something truly surprising https:// tinyurl.com/mr4sz9u7

Good LGBTQ+ News

• Over 60,000 women signed a letter in support of trans women and calling out “false feminism” https:// tinyurl.com/39ep64zy 
• An “incredibly proud mama” asked for help renaming her trans daughter. The internet melted https:// tinyurl.com/3pfw5juy
• HRC Honors Frances Thompson, a Black Transgender Hero https:// tinyurl.com/yzfutep6

Victory in Michigan!

After hours of testimony, Michigan’s State Board of Education approvednew state health education standards—its first update since 2007—by a 6–2 vote. The revised standards expand objectives related to LGBTQ+ relationships, gender identity, and other essential areas of student health and well-being.

Throughout the process, school board members faced waves of harmful rhetoric and misinformation, yet remained committed to evidence-based, inclusive education.

PFLAG members and supporters in Michigan sent nearly 300 messages to the Board, chapter presidents from Detroit and Plymouth testified, and five chapters joined PFLAG National in submitting written comments in support of the updates.

Here is the message they sent, “PFLAG National and PFLAG Michigan chapters in Detroit, Great Lakes Bay Region, Manistee, Monroe, and Plymouth/Canton applaud the State Board of Education for adopting inclusive updates to the Michigan Health Education Standards Framework. LGBTQ+ youth are facing growing challenges in schools from outside actors—from book bans to classroom censorship to efforts to erase their identities. The Board’s decision to strengthen lessons on inclusion, mental health, consent, and decision-making sends a powerful message of respect and support for LGBTQ+ students and their families. We are deeply grateful to the Board members for their leadership, and to our PFLAG chapter members in Michigan whose advocacy helped make this important vote possible.” It was signed by Katie Blair, PFLAG National Vice President, Advocacy.

Transgender Michigan’s Helpline

This is one of the helplines listed each month in our reminder of places you can share with those who might need help.

Their message:

Do you need someone to talk to? Do you wish you could talk to another transgender person? In times like these, the help line is even more crucial. You are not alone!

Our team, led by our Executive Director Rachel Crandall Crocker, LMSW, ACSW, is ready to take your calls if you have questions, concerns, or if you just need to vent. Call us toll free on 855-345-TGMI (855-345-8464).

Susan Oser
Advocacy LGBTQ+ Lead

Last month I asked you to tell us about your memories of allies in your work lives.

This one is from Sharon Simmons, BPW CO and WA.

A Real-Life Genie in the Classroom

A great ally and real first mentor was Mrs. Gold, who looked like a tiny version of Barbara Eden, the star of the 1960s television hit I Dream of Jeannie.

So cute.

She taught ninth grade speech at Centennial Jr High in Boulder CO.

Mrs. Gold had us do impromptu speeches in front of an auditorium full of students. We had to go onto the stage and pull a slip from a bowl and discuss whatever topic was on that piece of paper.

I did OK on debates about guns, birth control, etc.

Things I was already passionately interested in. Then, one day, I got on the stage and pulled a slip that said SAILBOATS.

Excuse me? What?

I stood in shock as she started her stopwatch! I know nothing about sailboats or any other boats. I froze. Can you image? Me, freezing. First time I’d ever had stage fright!

She said, if you don’t know, make it up or talk about the fact that you don’t know. Holy cats!

I got through it, shaking and sweating. Mrs. Gold told us we would encounter this kind of thin in life. She said, “If you want to speak publicly, be ready for anything!!”

I still think of her to this day! She wanted me to stay in touch. Life got away from me, but I won’t ever forget that little blonde in high heels with her hair up perfectly every day.

If I could find her, I’d say, “I still know nothing about sailboats, but I know a lot about public speaking. Thanks so much!!”