AlecZander, Ohio

I #WontBeErased. As an 18 year old, non-binary, queer person of color, I REFUSE to be told that in order to avoid harassment, I should conform to the sex stereotypes of America today. I refuse to be told that in order for my government to acknowledge my existence, I must be a cisgender, straight, white american. I will not erase my own identity by conforming. We will not erase our identities by conforming. The transgender community is over 1.4 million people strong and we will not simply disappear just because the Trump Administration wants to define us out of existence.

The Trump Administration’s proposal for redefining ‘gender’ is blatantly transphobic. The proposed definition of gender results in the erasure of transgender and gender-nonconforming people in Title IX’s anti-discriminatory law. This definition would define sex as unchangeable. This proposition would require that the gender of a person be determined by the genitals that a person is born with. If this proposed definition is adopted, it allows the federal government to ignore all issues relating to transgender discrimination under Title IX. When questioned about cases in which transgender students faced discrimination in school, the Education Department’s office for Civil Rights stated that they will continue to investigate cases as “unwelcome conduct based on a student’s sex” or “harassing conduct based on a student’s failure to conform to sex stereotypes.” rather than simply investigating them as what they are, transgender discrimination cases. This proves to the transgender community that our government not only wants to erase our existence, but expects us to conform to stereotypes that our society has placed on us.

Mikal Woods, Philadelphia

Before I became this big ray of awesomeness

I was a child who was passed around different foster homes since I was 5, faced countless adoption rejections and endured many years of verbal abuse and physical abuse.

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I used to envy folks with family; now I don’t even know how to react to the family thing most of the time.

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This is one of 2 pics that I know that’s still around from when I was a kid. (I’m just seeing this one today).

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I spent majority of my teen years in a group home and many of those years I spent every Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving, in my room wondering why can’t I go home.

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I’ve met awesome folks along the way. I’ve made major progress from the young me. I’ve seen folks come and go so much I’m used to it .

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This is me this is my truth and I’m now the hero that little Mikal always needed when he was a kid and didn’t have one.

Asking and correctly using someone’s pronouns is one of the most basic ways to show your respect for their gender identity.

Today we recognize National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), a day dedicated to raising awareness about the disproportionate impact of HIV in Latinx communities in the United States, Puerto Rico and territories.

When LGBTQ Latinx youth are shamed or denied care, they seek out other providers or stop pursuing care. Healthcare providers can adopt LGBTQ inclusive trainings, policies, and practices so youth obtain welcoming care.

‪”I am a proud black gay man. At age 16 I decided to embrace my sexuality. I let the world know I was a man who was attracted to other men; I chose to no longer hide or fight who I truly am.‬” — Darriyhan, Atlanta

“At the age of 16, I didn’t know non-binary, transgender, queer and blackness identities could co-exist with one another. At the age of 23 I am a representation of all those identities and I am proud, and liberated. Because I make my own  journey, and folks choose to be apart of it or not but they can’t take what’s mine.” — Aidan, Philadelphia

#WorldMentalHealthDay gives us the opportunity to stand in solidarity and fight stigma that surrounds mental health.