Blog
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Network Statement on Supreme Court Arguments Impacting Trans Youth in Sports
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox — two cases that will shape whether transgender youth are allowed to play on the same school sports teams as their peers. These cases were never only about…
January 13, 2026
Health and LGBTQ+ advocates respond to CMS proposed rules on gender-affirming care
The California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network and Health Access California respond to the draft notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today that aim to prevent access to medically necessary health care for trans youth nationally. “The Trump administration has made it blatantly obvious that…
December 18, 2025
Network Response to Governor Newsom’s Veto of SB 418
Governor Newsom has vetoed SB 418 – In response, the California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network Director, Dannie Ceseña, issued the following statement: “It is with profound disappointment that we acknowledge the Governor’s veto of SB 418. This decision is a significant setback, but it does not diminish the immense effort of everyone who…
October 14, 2025
Improving Tobacco Cessation Research for the Non-Binary Community: A Call for More Inclusive Data and Representation
By: Tania A. Ruedas Ortiz (she/they), We Breathe Communications Intern It was through the non-binary community that I began to understand myself more fully. Hearing others share their stories helped me embrace my identity and feel comfortable using she/they pronouns. That sense of belonging gave me the confidence to ask deeper questions—not just about myself,…
June 26, 2025
Still Here, Still Fighting: The Urgency of Pride in 2025 and beyond
In June 1969, LGBTQ+ people, led by trans women of color like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, fought back against police brutality at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. This act of resistance sparked a national movement for dignity, safety, and equality. Pride was never just a celebration; it was a protest demanding…
June 23, 2025
Let’s Take a Smoke Break? Understanding Why Tobacco is Interwoven in Queer Nightlife – and How to Celebrate the Joy of Breathing
Cigarettes and vapes are being lit up across queer nightlife spaces – influencing queer culture, aesthetics, and connection. In this Spotlight On, OUT Against Big Tobacco LA dives into the complicated relationship between tobacco and queer joy, grief, and belonging. We are asking: How can we honor the spaces that provide community support while protecting…
June 20, 2025
Network Statement on U.S. v. Skrmetti: California Must Keep Fighting for Trans Youth
This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its deeply disappointing ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti, upholding Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The Court concluded that the law does not discriminate based on sex or transgender status and therefore does not require heightened judicial scrutiny. We know this is wrong, and we are…
June 18, 2025
Network Statement in Response to Gender-Affirming Care Program Closure at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
We are devastated and outraged by the announcement that Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) will close its Center for Transyouth Health and Development and Gender-Affirming Care program effective July 22. In CHLA’s public statement claims the hospital had been “left with no viable path forward.” We ask: how is that possible in a state where laws…
June 13, 2025
LGBTQ Network Director Letter to Immigrant Community
Our strength comes from our unity and our care for one another Dear Community, In times of uncertainty and fear, we want you to know that you are not alone. The CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network stands firmly with our immigrant community members and we want to ensure you have our unwavering support.…
June 12, 2025
We Breathe: Fund LGBTQ+ Organizations
We Breathe: Fund LGBTQ+ Organizations Since the Trump Administration released its horrific executive order calling for an end to LGBTQ+ research and contracts, many LGBTQ+-serving organizations have lost crucial funds to serve and support our most vulnerable communities. More than half of federal contacts that mention the words LGBTQ+ and transgender have been terminated since…
June 4, 2025
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