LGBTQ Legislation

+ Denmark became the first country to stop requiring a diagnosis of “gender identity disorder” for people seeking to change their gender on official documents.

Under the new law, expected to take effect in September, Danes changing their gender assignment will also no longer have to first undergo sex reassignment surgery and sterilization. All that will be required is a statement that someone wants to change their official document, which will be processed after a six-month “reflection period.”
+ New York’s State Assembly is considering a ban on gay conversion therapy for minors. If successful, New York would be the third state to put forth this kind of legislation.

Women Workers Organize, Resist, Tell Their Stories

+ MigraZoom is a photography project that gives migrant women cameras so they can document their journeys.

It is so important to consider the experiences of women immigrants as they cross the border, and there is a lot of really great reporting being done by talented and dedicated journalists out there to bring it to light. But having the perspectives of the women themselves — whether through photographs or their social media — is absolutely invaluable.
+ Patricia Valoy, a civil engineer, construction manager, and woman of color, describes her experiences with sexism and discrimination at work.

Valoy represents many women in her industry. The Department of Labor found that 88 percent of women in construction said they had experienced sexual harassment at work, compared to 25 percent of women in the workforce generally. And, according to NWLC, they “are more likely to be concentrated in office positions… and least likely to be found in more labor intensive positions,” but those office positions pay less.