Via HRC:

Dear Daniel,

As we navigate an extremely challenging time in our nation's history, a passionate national discussion about the role and scope of government action has unfolded. Opinions about what government means run across a wide spectrum, and rightly so. In many cases, as we have witnessed over the past week, government can be used to make enormously positive changes.

This week, HRC released a study of healthcare facilities nationwide, surveying the policies and practices that affect the LGBT community. Although there were notable high achievers like Kaiser Permanente in the mix, the overall picture was less positive, with most hospitals lacking non-discrimination policies that include our entire community.

Equal care in hospitals has long been a pressing concern in our community, and our findings demonstrate why. Fortunately, the federal government is mandating that hospitals nationwide adopt non-discriminatory, inclusive visitation policies and reinforcing those hospitals' obligation to respect advanced healthcare directives and other medical decision-making documents. This development is the result of the President's April 15 memorandum protecting the rights of LGBT people in health care settings. Also, the Joint Commission, the body that certifies and accredits healthcare facilities nationwide, recently announced that fully inclusive non-discrimination standards would be added to their certification process. These two developments are important steps toward healthcare equality.

This week, we also learned that the administration has taken action on two recommendations from HRC's Blueprint for Positive Change. The Justice Department clarified that criminal provisions of the Violence Against Women Act, a key federal domestic violence statute, should be equally applied to LGBT people. In addition, the State Department instituted a new policy, effective immediately, which establishes a less burdensome standard for transgender applicants to change their gender marker on a passport. The federal government's move to improve health care for our community, include LGBT people in our nation's domestic violence laws and establish more respectful passport policies for transgender Americans are examples of our government working for the people.

It is clear that our government can do great good. The way that this will continue to be the case – and the only way that we will avoid government's often negative instincts – is to be actively involved. Whether it be by our active participation in the November elections, our public opposition to discrimination at all levels, or the relationships that we develop with policy makers and elected officials, we must be involved. It's a responsibility that we owe to our democracy and future generations.

Sincerely,

Joe Solmonese
President, Human Rights Campaign