#CommunityVoicesForChange - Maine Women's Lobby

30 mins - First Aired February 23, 2026 on #WMPG-FM
Host: Richard Rudolph

"The podcast for February 23, 2026 is an interview of Destie Hoffman Sprague who is the Executive Director of the Maine's Women Lobby. The show focused on a referendum question that will be on the Maine ballot this coming fall which would restrict transgender students’ access to school sports and facilities. Destie first talked about why the League is involved in this issue and why it has joined a coalition to defeat the proposal. The coalition contends the referendum will increase bullying and harassment, cost schools millions in potential ligation and undermine public education. According to Destie the referendum is spearheaded by the group Protect Girls Support in Maine which seeks to mandate sports by sex, requiring public school students to play on sports teams based on the sex listed on their birth certificates. Destie believes the effort to restrict transgender students from playing sports in Maine is primarily driven by the Trump Administration which has threatened to pull federal education funding if the state does not ban transgender girls from female sports. Maine's Governor, Janet Mills, Attorney General Aaron Frey, and the Maine Principals’ Association are opposed. In closing, Destie encouraged listeners to get involved in the fight to defeat this measure. which would undermine Maine's existing #HumanRightsAct which protects #GenderIdentity."

Listen:
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/maine-s-women-lobby--70154733

#MainePol #USPol #CommunityRadio #BoycottUline #GLBTQ #GLBTQRights #TransRightsAreHumanRights #TrumpSucks #FuckMAGABillionaireTrash
#SendBillionairesToMars

Social Media's Influence on Youth Gender Identity Under Scrutiny

A UK doctor warns social media gives young people a false idea of gender transition, hiding the hard parts of medical steps.

#GenderIdentity, #SocialMedia, #YouthHealth, #UKNews, #GenderTransition

https://newsletter.tf/uk-doctor-social-media-gender-change-2024/

A doctor in the UK has said that social media often shows a very positive and simple picture of changing gender. She worries this is not true and hides the difficult medical steps and surgeries involved, which can be hard for young people to understand.

#GenderIdentity, #SocialMedia, #YouthHealth, #UKNews, #GenderTransition

https://newsletter.tf/uk-doctor-social-media-gender-change-2024/

Baroness Cass Highlights Social Media's Role in Child Gender Distress

Expert Baroness Cass shares worries that social media might be confusing young people about gender and causing distress. Learn about the Cass Review findings.

#GenderIdentity, #SocialMedia, #ChildHealth, #CassReview, #MentalHealth

https://newsletter.tf/expert-social-media-child-gender-worries/

Baroness Cass, a child health expert, is concerned that social media may be negatively affecting young people who have questions about their gender. Her review of NHS services suggests online influences could be adding to their worries.

#GenderIdentity, #SocialMedia, #ChildHealth, #CassReview, #MentalHealth

https://newsletter.tf/expert-social-media-child-gender-worries/

Kansas lawmakers override governor's veto of anti-trans 'bathroom bounty' bill

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.advocate.com/politics/states/kansas-overrides-bathroom-bill-veto

[Petition] Black & #Transgender Lives Lost to Medical Neglect: Demand Justice in MA Hospitals!

The Issue

"My name is And Steiner. I am a Queer, gender-diverse patient that has been hospitalized in Massachusetts' (MA) Department of Mental Health (#DMH) hospitals for four years because of severe suicidality with suicide attempts.

"During that time, I have endured three attempts by DMH to suddenly discharge me from treatment without appropriate support, a practice known as '#PatientDumping'. This usually occurs when insurance has denied coverage or a patient has become a legal liability and often proves deadly, as you will see in this petition.

"While under DMH’s care, I have learned of at least two cases of serious medical neglect, and one suspected, which resulted in patient deaths. #HaywoodEarl was a Black man who died 'a painful and untimely death' from medical neglect at #LemuelShattuck Hospital, according to an investigation by #DisabilityLawCenter. Disability Law Center also investigated the death of #CaSonyaKing (pictured), a Black woman who they concluded 'died needlessly' from being 'patient dumped" from a #PsychiatricHospital. It is suspected that #JeanBusch, a transgender patient at Lemuel Shattuck, died similarly. All minorities. All died needlessly.

"When I learned of their deaths I was affected deeply. I reported Jean's death to DMH Authority, Attorney General Campbell and Governor Maura Healey in Jan 2023.

"Despite being under no criminal investigation, as punishment for reporting Jean's death, I was illegally and forcibly transferred to a dangerous forensic ward with no due process. There I experience 15 months of relentless physical #assaults, as well as verbal and sexual #harassment, often directly related to my sexual orientation and #GenderIdentity."

Read more:
https://www.change.org/p/black-transgender-lives-lost-to-medical-neglect-demand-justice-in-ma-hospitals?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=78b398f0-d78d-11ed-a2c8-a52d1edad3fc

#LemuelShattuck #BIPOC #PatientAbuse #Queer #BIPOC #Transgender #LGBTQ #PatientNeglect #PatternOfAbuse #Psychiatry #Massachusetts #MassDMH
#HumanRightsAbuses

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoes anti-trans 'bathroom bounty' bill

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.advocate.com/politics/states/kansas-governor-vetoes-bathroom-bill

Hate crimes which target people on the grounds of their sexuality or #genderidentity, or a #disability, are set to become aggravated offences under a proposed new law.

An amendment to the Crimes and Policing Bill will mean a crime is aggravated if a victim is targeted because of those characteristics, and will carry a higher penalty.

The #LGBTQi+ anti-abuse charity Galop described the amendment as a "landmark moment" for equality

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