Quickies: New Regs for Trans Olimpians, Ali Forney Fundraiser, Maher HIV Quackery

• British School Uniforms Go Gender Neutral – [Warning: autoplay] Students of any gender can choose between a slacks/shirt and skirt/blouse. Gender neutral single stall bathrooms are also available.
• Surgery No Longer Required for Transgender Olympians – “The International Olympic Committee on Monday updated its guidelines for transgender athletes, saying Olympians do not need to undergo sex reassignment surgery to compete in the games… The resulting guidelines suggest that people assigned male at birth are naturally stronger and more athletically inclined than people assigned female at birth. ‘Those who transition from female to male are eligible to compete in the male category without restriction,’ the IOC announced.” I kind of want some cis women to enter the men’s long distance ski jump to demonstrate the IOC’s ignorance on this issue.
• Homeless LGBT Youth Center in Running to Buy Former Hate Church – Upon hearing that Harlem church with a history of homophobia was up for auction due to $1 million in unpaid debts, The Ali Forney Center started a fundraiser to buy the church in order to provide additional housing to LGBT homeless youth. As of writing this, they’ve already raised $85K of their $200K goal!
• Bill Maher Promotes HIV Quackery – The TV Atheist is already known for his ignorance around vaccines and GMOs, but letting a man peddle false HIV cures (based on milk from arthritic goats!) on his show is a new low.
• “HHS Rules Trans Woman Entitled to Surgery Under Medicare” – “In a landmark decision, the United States Department of Health and Human Services has ruled for the first time that a transgender person is entitled to gender-confirming surgery under Medicare.”
• Planned Parenthood Providing HRT to Transgender Patients – Testosterone and estrogen are currently available at 26 locations, and Planned Parenthood plans to expand the program. The cost of seeing a doctor is a major barrier to many trans people seeking HRT.
• Rome: Last Week For, This Week Against – Thousands have rallied in Rome against Italy’s proposed civil union legislation.

Featured image: IOC President Thomas Bach via Fabrice Coffrini / AFP / Getty Images