The introduction of armed police and national guard, often equipped in riot gear with deadly weapons, adds dangerous elements to these otherwise peaceful campus protests and echoes a dark chapter in American history where in 1970 failures of University leadership enabled escalations that led to the deaths of six student protesters in the May 1970 Kent State and Jackson State massacres.

The following is a statement from Laurel Krause, sister to Allison Krause who was a 19-years-old honors student when she was murdered at Kent State University: 

“On May 4, 1970 my sister Allison Krause was killed by the Ohio National Guard on the campus of Kent State University as she protested against the Vietnam war and Cambodian invasion. 

“Three other students were shot dead that day by guardsmen and many other students were injured. As the family member of a peaceful student protester killed by the state, I am aghast at the way that Columbia University President Minouche Shafik, along with administrators at other U.S. institutions of higher education, have endangered the lives and well-being of student protesters by inviting militarized police onto campuses to disperse protesters.

“I urge President Shafik, and other University administrators across the country to hear the demands of ALL student protesters, to encourage and facilitate zones of free expression, and to support the right of your students to protest an ongoing genocide on campus without the threat of state violence and militarized force. 

“In 1970 failures of Kent State University leadership enabled the massacre which left ‘Four Dead in Ohio.’ Our institutions must learn from these past mistakes to not use militarized responses against unarmed, peaceful student protesters by calling in the National Guard, bringing in State Troopers or deploying Police in riot gear. 

“We must not repeat the horrors of Kent State 54 years later.” 

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Laurel Krause is the co-founder of the Kent State Truth Tribunal and the Allison Center for Peace

Nearly 500 community members in favor of the resolution rallied outside City Hall, then packed into the Council Chamber and two overflow rooms. While emotions ran high, pro-ceasefire community members respectfully engaged with the Council, and waited patiently for hours as the resolution was introduced, debated, amended, and passed. The grassroots turnout was organized by Somerville for Palestine, a newly formed inter-faith, intergenerational, interracial group of Somerville residents standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people and demanding an immediate and lasting ceasefire. About 10 people opposed to the resolution attended as well. 

On the steps of City Hall, Somerville High Student Sarah Kapadia, who founded the SHS Muslim Student Association and organized a student walkout in support of Palestine in November, addressed a crowd of hundreds in advance of the Council meeting. “I am standing here on behalf of the whole Somerville High School,” said Kapadia, “It is crucial that we raise our voices to advocate for justice and peace in Palestine.” 

Council President Ben Ewen-Campen introduced the resolution, saying that “for the last 100-plus days, we have seen a military campaign that has been the most devastating bombing campaign in our generation, killing tens of thousands of people, huge numbers of them innocent children. Something like 2 million people are now homeless and hungry, on the brink of starvation, being denied basic humanitarian aid. I am one of the many, many people in our community and beyond who believes that this needs to end, and it needs to end now.” Explaining that he struggled for many months with the decision to bring forward this resolution, he said “the truth is that this is an issue that is coming from the bottom of my heart. My moral convictions compelled me to draft this resolution, pure and simple.” Councillor Ewen-Campen’s full statement can be read here. 

Jamal Halawa, a Somerville High Teacher and Palestinian American resident who has lived in the city for over twenty years, testified before the council urging them to support the ceasefire resolution. “Simply put, voting for a Ceasefire signals to Palestinian and Arab Americans and Muslims in Somerville that our lives matter,” Halawa said. Halawa’s full speech can be found here.

Carina Kurban, the granddaughter of a Palestinian refugee who was ethnically cleansed from Haifa in 1948, shared the stories of direct brutality her family has faced at the hands of Israel, including when their home in Southern Lebanon was commandeered by the Israeli military for nearly two decades. As a 20 year old college student, Kurban told the council, she was stopped at Ben Gurion airport while traveling to the West Bank, “interrogated and humiliated for 8 hours, denied entry, strip searched, jailed, sexually harassed, assaulted, deported in handcuffs, and banned from the country indefinitely – and I was given no reason other than ‘terrorism’.” Kurban said, “We need a permanent ceasefire, and for Israel to be held accountable. Because without both, the situation will go back to what scholars like Noam Chomsky have called ‘an incremental genocide’ rather than an accelerated one.” Kurban’s full speech can be found here.

Long time Somerville resident Alain Jehlen, the son of a Holocaust survivor and husband of State Senator Pat Jehlen, urged Somerville Councilors to vote in favor of the Ceasefire Resolution. “It makes me furious that the Israeli government is using Holocaust victims like my family as a reason to slaughter Palestinians. Mass bombing, the systematic demolition of homes, and depriving everyone of food and water have nothing to do with defending Jews… The lesson for us from centuries of oppression capped by the murder of millions is that nobody should ever go through that again. Not just Jews, but nobody. Every human life is equal.” Jehlen’s full comments can be found here.

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Councilor Willie Burnley Jr. was supportive of the resolution from the beginning. “For 110 days, the Apartheid State of Israel has dropped tens of thousands of bombs on Gaza, destroying more than 70% of homes, killing more than 25,000 people (the vast majority of which are women and children). We have a duty to listen to our constituents, to demand that our elected leaders put pressure on President Biden, and to end this genocide before it is too late!” Councilor Burnley Jr’s full speech can be found here.

Somerville for Palestine has been circulating a public letter to Senators Markey and Warren calling for a ceasefire and solidarity with Palestinians, with over 800 signatures from Somerville residents. The City Council resolution represents the next step in Somerville standing up for peace. Somerville for Palestine organizer Sara Halawa stated, “I’m so incredibly proud of my city for being the first in Massachusetts to call for a ceasefire. Like our SHS fight song says, ‘Somerville leads the way’!”

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Constituents rang her doorbell in hopes of delivering the message directly, but Clark, who was believed to be home, did not answer.  Speeches by Palestinian women were made in front of her home. 

Yafa Suliman, a Palestinian constituent, emphasized, “Representative Clark has made a career out of advocating for gun safety and being a faithful supporter of the rights of women and children. But we are here to echo the calls of thousands of Rep Clark’s constituents who say: your hypocrisy is on full display!

Over 70% of Palestinians killed by the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza are women and children. Their lives could have been saved with a ceasefire!

A Ceasefire could have saved the lives of many Palestinian children like Maria Ahmad Abu Safe who was trapped in a dark tight space under the rubble for 4 days with no food or water, Screaming, with her remaining breath, to be saved.”

Earlier today in a powerful demonstration, constituents marched through Representative & Democratic Whip Katherine Clark's neighborhood to her beach-side home, carrying representations of shrouded children to symbolize those killed by Israel's indiscriminate bombing in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/7KsJscc7xG

— The Sparrow Project (@sparrowmedia) January 10, 2024

Lea Kayali, another Palestinian constituent, directly addressed Clark’s role as Whip of the Democratic party, stating, “We are hundreds of thousands of constituents – and millions of people across the country – who are disgusted with your support of genocide and the colossal failure of your so-called leadership. We will continue to expose your alignment with war profiteers. We will demand better representatives, a better system, a better society. We are committed to a world where my people – and all people – can live in freedom and dignity.

You are a leader of the Democratic party – and you will be responsible for its downfall. Because our generation will unseat those who commit crimes against the Palestinian people.”

Background:

Representative Clark’s constituents had actively sought her intervention through various means, expressing their concerns and demanding a ceasefire to save lives.

Despite thousands of calls for action, Representative Clark remained unresponsive, causing disheartenment among constituents. Her recent statement, “If I believed a ceasefire would save lives, I would have called for one already,” calls into question her commitment to democracy, gun safety and women’s and children’s rights.

Of further concern is Representative Clark’s significant financial backing from AIPAC, with a reported contribution of $60,000 in the past year. This financial support raises questions about her prioritization of foreign lobby interests over constituents’ needs.

Media Opportunities:

Media are invited to cover the event retrospectively, with interviews available upon request. Visuals include photos and videos of constituents holding representations of shrouded children and marching to Representative Clark’s beach-side home, where they rang the doorbell, made speeches and chanted. Video, audio, b-roll and interviews can be found here

An assembly of constituents, including Palestinians, Muslims, Jews, and allies, were present, speaking and chanting while holding signs.

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The complaint highlights concerns about X Corp.’s lack of transparency in disclosing advertisements, leading to potential consumer deception and providing a breeding ground for scams. After losing a significant portion of its advertising revenue, X Corp. altered its labeling practices, making it challenging for users to distinguish between paid and organic content.

“X Corp.’s lack of disclosures to consumers, misrepresentations to advertisers, and flawed access to explanations about targeted advertising constitute unfair and deceptive practices. We urge the Commission to determine the extent of these violations and address them to the full extent of its authority,” said Sarah Kay Wiley, Policy Director of Check My Ads.

The complaint argues that X Corp.’s failure to adequately disclose advertisements misleads consumers into trusting content as organic, creating an environment ripe for scams. The lack of clear disclosure also leaves users unaware of being targeted with information and advertisements, violating Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. The complaint contends that X Corp.’s actions violate the terms of the 2022 Stipulated Order with the FTC, prohibiting misrepresentation of its advertising practices, a decree which saw them pay a fine of $150 million. Furthermore, Promotional materials for advertising products indicate a clear “Promoted” label, which is not consistently applied to users’ timelines. This misrepresentation not only harms advertisers’ expectations but exposes them to legal risks.

"Industry watchdog Check My Ads is petitioning the Federal Trade Commission to investigate X for unlabeled—and potentially misleading—advertisements." https://t.co/db7EfBWPnc

— Check My Ads (@CheckMyAdsHQ) November 15, 2023

The complaint also points out inconsistencies in X Corp.’s explanations of user targeting practices, hindering users from understanding the advertising targeting process. Broken hyperlinks and a lack of accessibility to information diminish transparency and hinder an informed user experience. 

X Corp. primarily monetizes user information for advertising purposes. Since its acquisition by Elon Musk, the platform has undergone significant changes, including layoffs and alterations to its advertising targeting methods. The company’s revenue has suffered, losing 60% of advertising revenue, and a decline in user trust has led to a drop in valuation. 

Check My Ads Institute calls for the FTC to investigate X Corp.’s violations and seek remedies, including:

• An injunction requiring X Corp. to provide a public database detailing all advertising on the platform, including information about who paid for the advertisements, how the ads were targeted, what ad networks placed the advertisements (if not X Corp.), and how advertisements were distinguished from organic content;
• An injunction for X Corp. to clearly label all advertisements
• Financial penalties per violation under the 2022 Administrative Order;
• An injunction requiring relinquishment of ill-gotten gains from misrepresentations made to users.
• Any other relief the Commission sees fit.

You can view the full complaint here: Check My Ads Complaint and Request for FTC Investigation Into X Advertising Practices on Scribd

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Check My Ads Institute is an independent watchdog reshaping the digital adtech industry from within its ranks — and building a new sustainable standard in digital advertising.

We’re holding the surveillance adtech industry accountable for abuses against advertisers and consumers, and spearheading the development of a transparent, efficient and privacy-focused digital advertising marketplace.

During Hsiung’s trial photo and video evidence depicting cruelty and disease at the farm was withheld from the jury. Hsiung’s legal team intends to appeal the decision hoping to set a legal precedent for future animal rights cases. Hsiung has been remanded into custody pending his sentencing and while in custody has penned a deeply personal letter about the ethos of animal rescue and how being proximate to suffering shapes our world views. Hsiung’s full letter can be read below.

Hsiung is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30th at the Sonoma County Courthouse located at 600 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa, CA. Activists with DxE are mobilizing supporters to attend Hsiung’s sentencing and encourage everyone to share their event page here.

The following is Wayne Hsiung’s letter in its entirety:

“Being close to suffering changes us. I saw this from the moment I first walked into a slaughterhouse 16 years ago. A little lamb looked up at me from her pen. She was shaking and said to me with her eyes, “I’m scared. I don’t want to die.” As I watched her, the world suddenly became very dark.

“My new life as a convict has begun, and I am near suffering again. This time it is me in a cage. Surrounding me are people in their worst moments of life. There is a young man, smashing his hands and feet against the tall walls, as he screams for help from some unknown terror. There is a middle-aged person, muttering in Spanish, as he leans over and digs his head into his hands. (In three hours, he has not bothered to look up.) And there’s a red-headed teenager, with bloodshot eyes and face, who looks as if he will break down in tears. (He cannot be much older than 18.) The world has, once again, become very dark. For the indefinite future, I’ll have to accept that change.

“But there is another change that comes from being close to suffering. Wherever there is suffering, there is also light. I saw that in the little lamb’s eyes 16 years ago. Even as she scrambled away in terror, she showed me her desperation, her hope, her willingness to fight. And I see it in the inmates in this Sonoma County jail. The world has forgotten them. But they still fight. Scrounging together funds for bail. Piecing together a legal defense. Doing whatever it takes to be free.

“The desperation of suffering casts a great shadow. It is the nightmare of every sentient being. But the struggle against suffering creates a light greater than the shadow. Indeed, that light is piercing and powerful precisely because it’s born from the dark. For 16 years, I have tried to come closer to suffering. I have seen things that no one should have to see. But there is a difference between seeing and being. To be truly transformed, I cannot just be near suffering. I must be suffering. I cannot just observe suffering. I must experience it. It is the only path to true understanding, wisdom, and change.

“There is a theory in cognitive science that all human thought comes from metaphor. According to the theory, our minds are unable to understand anything beyond our own experiences. All other thoughts and feelings are just comparisons — metaphorical replications — for something we’ve personally experienced.

“I think this theory goes too far — humans can think about abstractions, such as math, that have no connection to any experience — but it still captures essential truths. Part of the reason I don’t just know, but feel and understand the plight of animals, is that I have been trapped and terrorized myself.

“As a child, I was bullied so mercilessly that I sometimes shook in fear before stepping onto the school bus. I withheld from my family, for years, the cause of the scratches and bruises on my body and face. But because of these experiences, I could be transported in an instant to the suffering of animals. I felt it. And that metaphorical connection was a source of not just fear, but motivation and fight. I know the terror of confinement — and the liberation of being back with the people I loved. For that reason, my childhood torment was a gift. It gave me wisdom that I otherwise would have lacked.

“Yet, that childhood suffering pales in comparison to the torment inflicted on animals today. The violence I faced was intense but brief. It did not leave me physically broken or disfigured (other than a faint scar on my left lip.) I had a caring family to come home to. A best friend, a lab mutt named Vivian, who loved me more than I thought it was possible to love.

“The animals facing systemic abuse have no such comforts. They suffer alone, in the dark, where no one will hear their cries. And, as the brilliant writer Andy Greenberg once put it, this is the dominant experience on Earth today: “The average experience of a sentient being on this planet is the life of a factory-farmed animal in a cage.” I have suffered in life. But I don’t truly understand this experience. I was not torn from my mother’s arms as a child. I was not forced to fight for food and water and watch as those around me were cannibalized. And I was not trapped in a cage and denied the freedom that is the birthright of every sentient being.

“Until now. The coming weeks, months, or years will bring me closer to suffering — to the dominant experience on Earth today — than I’ve ever been before. I can already see that this will change me. The petty resentments and frustrations I felt, just days ago, are gone. They have been consumed by the darkness of this place. But in suffering, there is both darkness and light. Every sentient being yearns to be free. I can see that — feel that — because of the light cast by my own captivity. This is the fight of my life. But it has always been the fight of their lives, too. I will soon come closer to that wisdom and truly understand:

“The dominant experience on Earth is that of an animal in a cage, and it’s time for that to change.”

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HAPPENING NOW: “die-in” by a Tucson pro-palestinian group. It’s outside a Raytheon plant on Hermans road and Nogales highway. pic.twitter.com/iQz5tFWyOC

— Adam Klepp (@AdamKleppAZ) November 2, 2023

Organized by the Tucson Coalition for Palestine and co-sponsored by Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Derechos Humanos, this action came on the anniversary of the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which established the British government’s support for the dispossession of Palestine as the “national home for the Jewish people.” The action also came amidst Israel’s ground invasion and continued bombardment of Gaza, including two airstrikes on the Jabalia Refugee Camp in the past two days.

The Palestinian death toll now surpasses 9,000, and the genocide continues with aid and a green light from the US government. These killings serve not only to ethnically cleanse Palestinians, but also to fill the coffers of weapon manufacturers. A recent Newsweek article reports that shares for Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon have all increased since October 7.” As Tucson residents, we stand with Palestine and against the war profiteers in our community,” a protestor said. 

More than 125 people staged a die-in blocking the main entrance to Raytheon in Tucson this morning to condemn the genocide against Palestinians. #Gaza_Genocide #Gaza #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/A42etZlvt7

— Tucson Coalition for Palestine (@TucsonPalestine) November 2, 2023

Despite governmental support for Israel, protests across the US and around the world are growing. This die-in comes as part of a wave of people taking action against the weapon manufacturers whose missiles are killing people in Gaza. In the past week, protestors in the UK and Boston shut down Elbit offices. Today, in Niles, Illinois youth organizers blocked the entrance to Woodward, Inc.. In Tucson, residents are connecting the Raytheon-manufactured surveillance equipment which hunts asylum seekers in the American Southwest to the bombs the company supplies to Israel. “We want a thriving, life-giving economy, not one that contributes to genocide and the militarization of our borders,” the Tucson Coalition for Justice in Palestine said. “We want to encourage Tucson residents and people around the world to join with us and take a moral stand against companies like Raytheon who profit off of murder.

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Musk’s acknowledgment of these significant losses comes as X is also claiming — without evidence — that many major brands have returned to advertise on the platform.

The #StopToxicTwitter coalition has documented the significant missteps Musk has made since taking over the platform last October. His mismanagement began at the outset when he lied to civil-rights leaders about his content-moderation plans. Musk then laid off key staff charged with ensuring brand and user safety while granting a “general amnesty” to thousands of previously banned accounts, including those belonging to neo-Nazis, white supremacists, homophobes, transphobes, conspiracy theorists and others spouting hate and disinformation. As a result, #StopToxicTwitter coalition members, including the Center for Countering Digital Hate and Media Matters for America, have repeatedly shown that major brands’ ads are appearing next to extremist, bigoted and antisemitic content.

Since Musk took over the platform, #StopToxicTwitter members have doggedly tracked the impact of Musk’s reckless abandonment of content-moderation standards. More than 600 advertisers had abandoned X by the start of 2023, fearing that their brands wouldn’t be safe under Musk’s erratic leadership. Their departure contributed to a 70-percent drop in platform revenue over the previous year, according to Standard Media Index. By midyear, Fidelity Investments reported that the platform was worth just one-third of the $44 billion Musk paid for it.

#StopToxicTwitter member ADL is among Musk’s chief critics, repeatedly calling out his amplification of antisemitic voices and memes. While X CEO Linda Yaccarino met with ADL to hear their concerns, Musk lashed out, amplifying antisemitic attacks on the organization and vowing to sue. X has already attempted to silence a critic by suing the Center for Countering Digital Hate, another #StopToxicTwitter member that has documented the explosion of hate speech on the platform since Musk took over.

“The #StopToxicTwitter coalition exists to shine a light on Musk’s mismanagement of X, and on how Musk’s decisions to replatform white supremacists and conspiracy theorists have harmed people and the brands that advertise on the platform,” said Free Press Co-CEO Jessica J. González. “That the wealthiest man on the planet is using his money, influence and even legal action to threaten and silence critics, including our coalition partners, is reprehensible. Musk bought an advertising platform and advertisers have made themselves clear: They want no part of the toxic stew of hate and lies that Musk has enabled. The only one Musk has to blame for X’s declining fortunes is himself.” 

“Elon Musk’s professed commitment to free speech is nothing more than fig leaf flapping in the wind,” said Media Matters Chairman and CEO Angelo Carusone. “For Musk, it’s always been about morphing Twitter into a free for all that enables extremists and promotes his red-pilled worldview. Rarely does a day go by where Musk does not further expose himself as a volatile and petty hypocrite. “We know that Musk is going to continue to ratchet up the temperature on the simmering cauldron of deceit and hate that Twitter has become. Accordingly, the most important question isn’t what Musk will do next, it’s what will Twitter’s few remaining big-name advertisers and business partners do now? Continuing to support Twitter in its current state is akin to actively financing hate. It’s also a truly bizarre decision given that it’s only a matter of time before they inevitably get scorched by the noxious stew that Musk is cooking.”

“Advertisers have fled Twitter because Musk’s takeover cost the company its legitimacy by welcoming hate, extremism and disinformation, which no respectable brand wants to be associated with,” said Accountable Tech Policy and Advocacy Director Kaili Lambe. “Twitter’s downward spiral is due to Musk’s complete contempt for community standards and the safeguards that both users and advertisers demand. It’s the ultimate hypocrisy that Musk still masquerades as a free-speech absolutist when he’s made it clear he will pull every lever at his disposal to silence his critics. It should go without saying that his tactics are bad for business as well as an internet that allows for true democratic engagement and community conversations.”

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Read the full text of the letter here, which includes the full list of signatories

CCDH has previously said it views the lawsuit as a move “straight out of the authoritarian playbook.” Musk is now showing that he will stop at nothing to silence anyone who criticizes him for his own decisions and actions, the group added. 

The letter, published today and signed by 64 organizations and individuals – including Amnesty International, GLAAD, and Friends of the Earth – describes the legal action as a “threat to the right to the freedom of expression, resulting in a dangerous chilling effect on civil society, experts, and advocates – and ultimately the public, which deserves to know how X and similar platforms are spreading hate and disinformation.”

Instead of using scare tactics to shut down independent research and evade accountability, the letter calls on X — and all major social media platforms — to embrace independent researcher access, transparency and accountability.

“Civil society organizations have joined together and shown that they will not be intimidated from undertaking or supporting independent research that is clearly in the public interest. CCDH and these groups and leaders are sending a message to Elon Musk and every social media company that we will not be bullied into silence,” said Imran Ahmed, founder and chief executive officer of CCDH.

Organizations and leaders who signed the open letter include: Amnesty International, Friends of the Earth; GLAAD; Union of Concerned Scientists; Free Press; Center for Digital Democracy; Ekō (formerly SumOfUs); Fairplay; Fight for the Future; Institute for Strategic Dialogue; News Media Association; HateAid; Coalition for Independent Tech Research Board; Reset; Accountable Tech; The Tech Oversight Project; Mozilla; MediaJustice; Global Project Against Hate and Extremism; ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association; PFLAG National; Reproaction; Antisemitism Policy Trust; Public Interest News Foundation; Roger McNamee; Sander van der Linden, University of Cambridge; Stephan Lewandowsky, University of Bristol.

Since Musk completed his takeover of X/Twitter in October 2022, CCDH has monitored the increase of hate speech and disinformation on the platform.

CCDH’s research has shown that the volume of tweets containing the n-word rose by up to 202% in the month after Musk’s takeover; shown that tweets mentioning LGBTQ+ people in connection with “child grooming” more than doubled in the four months after the takeover. We also found that the platform failed to act on 99 out of 100 hateful tweets posted by Twitter Blue subscribers.

“I have completed my gender confirmation surgery, and am now in the post-operative recovery phase. I want to thank all of the people who helped me reach this life changing event,” said Ms. Langan.

Ms. Langan spent the first decades of her life alternately seeking gender affirmation and attempting to conceal her gender beneath a mask of regrettably violent masculinity. In 1996, Ms. Langan was arrested and placed into federal custody, where she is currently serving a sentence of life without parole. Upon her confinement, Ms. Langan started to reckon with the harm caused by developing a violent persona rather than making peace with her femininity.

She renounced her previously held beliefs and began assiduously requesting access to gender affirming care from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP).

“Ms. Langan’s long unmet need for gender affirming care has shaped every part of her life, from her chaotic past to her moral transformation and prisoner advocacy. Now that FBOP has satisfied its constitutional obligations to Ms. Langan, she can finally move forward as her truest and best self,” said attorney Moira Meltzer-Cohen, who has represented Ms. Langan since 2015.  

Under the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution, prisons are responsible for providing medically necessary care to prisoners. Nevertheless, when it came to gender-affirming surgeries, this right was universally denied to  the many transgender people in federal custody until the end of 2022. 

While being transgender is not a mental disorder, transgender people may experience gender dysphoria (GD). GD derives from the external conditions that contravene a person’s gender, and is thus treated by alleviating the medical, psychological, and social barriers to living fully within the individual’s gender identity. Gender dysphoria is a serious medical condition, but it is highly treatable. For decades, the medical community has been aware of safe, effective treatments for GD. If untreated or mistreated, gender dysphoria can lead to serious risks and harms, including both physical and mental health effects. 

Every major medical and psychological organization in the United States, including the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), has unambiguously endorsed the articulated World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care for the treatment of transgender individuals. According to the WPATH standards, GCS is the obvious and necessary treatment for individuals suffering from GD who desire to alter their bodies to relieve symptoms. “Medical procedures attendant to gender affirming/confirming surgeries are not optional in any meaningful sense, but are understood to be medically necessary for the treatment of the diagnosed condition. In some cases, such surgery is the only effective treatment for the condition, and for some people genital surgery is essential and life-saving.”

“Ms. Langan is not alone in enduring decades of anguish resulting from the Federal Bureau of Prisons functionally blanket denial of this medically necessary, life-saving care,” said Attorney Meltzer-Cohen. “We are thrilled that FBOP has meaningfully altered its practice to comply with the Eight Amendment, starting with providing Ms. Langan with the care she needs and deserves. We hope that her persistence will benefit others in her position. We also want to acknowledge the tremendous work recently done by ACLU and other attorneys on behalf of former prisoner Cristina Iglesias, which undoubtedly paved the way for this critical victory.” 

In 2012, sixteen years after her first requests for gender affirming care, FBOP approved Ms. Langan to begin Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). In 2016, she was moved to a women’s facility. She continued to request GCS, but over more than four years, her requests were either denied or simply left unresolved. Although FBOP has articulated policies that acknowledge the medical necessity of gender affirming care, including surgery, for prisoners suffering from gender dysphoria, no trans prisoner had previously been approved for such surgeries by the Transgender Executive Council (TEC), a body of prison administrators and medical staff that oversees decisions about medical treatment for trans prisoners. 

In September, 2020, an action filed in the D.C. Circuit Court on Ms. Langan’s behalf set forth claims for relief under the 8th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution, and other statutory law. Shortly thereafter, the TEC approved one of Ms. Langan’s many previously disregarded requests for GCS. Ms. Langan’s case remains stayed pending resolution of her final request for gender affirming permanent facial hair removal. 

Ms. Langan credits her attorneys, the community of LGBTQ advocacy groups, her family, friends (especially her “BFF, Sugar Dumpling”), the previous medical director of FMC, Carswell, and her fellow prisoners with helping her to remain strong enough to see this outcome. While she appreciates that the TEC approved her request for clinical gender confirmation, she hopes that the many other trans people confined in federal penal institutions are also able to access medically necessary gender affirming care without having to suffer years-long delays. “I hope that many others who need gender confirmation can get it too,” said Ms. Langan. “While I do want to continue to live my life with some level of privacy, I am sure I will have to speak out and be an advocate for trans prisoners and the LGBTQ+ community in general.”

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What: Press conference with Rep. Omar, issue experts, supporters, and family advocating for the Presidential commutation of currently incarcerated Drone program whistleblower Daniel Hale

When: Thursday, December 15 at 11AM ET

Why: A little more than a year ago Air Force veteran Daniel Hale was sentenced to 45 months in Federal prison with extreme measures put in place to limit his communication with the outside world. Daniel was accused and convicted of leaking sensitive government information, when in truth the information he revealed didn’t put anyone in danger and uncovered the deep inaccuracies inherent in the drone program. Hale has spoken powerfully to his moral decision to blow the whistle, saying to the judge at sentencing:

“I am here because I stole something that was never mine to take — precious human life. I couldn’t keep living in a world in which people pretend that things weren’t happening that were. Please, your honor, forgive me for taking papers instead of human lives.”

Rep. Omar, issue experts, former whistleblowers, and family will speak to why Daniel Hale shouldn’t be retaliated against for his brave public service and why the Biden Administration should use its power to free him. 

Press Conference Registration

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The Daniel Hale Support Network is a coalition of friends, supporters, allies, and organizations who are focused on supporting whistleblower Daniel Hale to get free. Some of the organizations include About Face: Veterans Against the War, Codepink, Courage Foundation,  Defending Rights and Dissent, Veterans for Peace, ExposeFacts, and more.