International

How Healthcare Workers Are Defending Their Transgender Patients from Trump’s Attacks

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In the five years Quinn has worked as a licensed counselor, they have seen the astonishing positive impact that gender-affirming care can have on young patients’ lives. “You talk to these kids, and they can have such complicated experiences with depression and social anxiety, and then you start providing hormones and gender-affirming care, and you see this dramatic difference in how they are able to engage with the world,” explained Quinn, who is going by a pseudonym. “It’s so clear that this is what helps our trans young people to be contributing to society and fully themselves, to meet expected life milestones in ways that are healthy, and connect with community in good ways.”

Because Quinn’s clinic relies on federal funding, it is in the crosshairs of the Trump administration’s attempts to cut off access to gender-affirming healthcare for people under the age of 19. Quinn and their coworkers are worried about the future, but they’re determined not to reduce any services. 

In the wake of the executive orders threatening to cut federal funding to programs providing gender affirming care, the clinic did make some changes to its public-facing communications. “We were asked to take our pronouns out of our signature box, and information about our gender-affirming support groups and care was taken off the website,” said Quinn, who requested I not identify the location, name, or type of clinic out of fear of retribution.

International

Cómo puede el movimiento laboral luchar contra la agenda de deportaciones masivas de Trump

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Este es un momento aterrador para los trabajadores inmigrantes. El presidente electo Donald Trump hizo campaña con el lema “deportaciones masivas ahora” y nombró a un equipo de extremistas anti-inmigrantes. La dirigencia del Partido Demócrata se ha inclinado hacia la derecha en este tema, adoptando la retórica de Trump sobre “asegurar la frontera” y las políticas republicanas fundamentales. Un proyecto de ley que apuntaría a personas indocumentadas para deportación si son simplemente acusadas, no condenadas, de delitos no violentos como el hurto en tiendas fue aprobado en la Cámara de Representantes con apoyo bipartidista. Está avanzando en el Senado, donde sólo ocho demócratas se opusieron a su avance.

International

How Labor Can Fight Back Against Trump’s Mass Deportation Agenda

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This article is a joint publication of Workday Magazine and Labor Notes. This is a frightening time for immigrant workers. President-elect Donald Trump ran on the slogan “mass deportations now,” and has appointed a team of anti-immigrant hardliners. The leadership of the Democratic Party has lurched to the right on this issue, adopting Trump’s rhetoric about “securing the border,” and embracing core Republican policies. 

A bill that would target undocumented people for deportations if they are merely accused—not convicted—of nonviolent crimes like shoplifting passed in the House with bipartisan support. It’s moving forward in the Senate where only eight Democrats opposed its advance.

Minnesota

Wall Street Took Over a Vital Sign Language Service—And Started Union Busting

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This article is a joint publication of Workday Magazine and In These Times. “Do no harm” is the guiding principle of American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters’ professional code of conduct. But when Joe Klug, 28, worked as a Video Relay Service (VRS) interpreter for a Twin Cities metro area office of Purple Communications, he says this principle was routinely violated. The VRS field, which allows Deaf and Hard of Hearing people to make phone calls by video interfacing with interpreters, is difficult and fast-paced work. While some calls are social, others can be serious: medical emergencies, job interviews, jargon-heavy discussions with lawyers or sensitive conversations with doctors.