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Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund is committed to ending discrimination based upon gender identity and expression and to achieving equality for transgender people through public education, test-case litigation, direct legal services, and public policy efforts.

The National Center for Transgender Equality and Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund are merging to become Advocates for Trans Equality. More Information

Recent Articles

National Center for Transgender Equality, Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund Announce Intent to Merge to Form “Advocates for Trans Equality”

WASHINGTON - Today, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF), two leading national trans civil rights organizations, officially announced their intent to merge and create a new organization called Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE). Once the merger takes effect, Andrea “Andy” Hong Marra (she/her), executive director of TLDEF, and Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen (he/him), executive director of NCTE, will lead the new organization as CEO and Executive Director, respectively.

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TLDEF- NCTE Merger Frequently Asked Questions

As Open Enrollment Begins, TLDEF Settles Lawsuit with State of Georgia, Ending Exclusion of Transgender Health Care Coverage for Employees and Dependents

Today, the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF), along with co-counsel Bondurant Mixson & Ellmore LLP, announced a settlement in their lawsuit against the State of Georgia for denying coverage of transgender-related health care in the Georgia State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP), which covers more than half a million Georgians, including employees of state agencies and public school districts, and their family members. The changes are particularly timely, as open enrollment is currently underway for SHBP participants, who will need to assess whether plans will provide them with the health care coverage they need.

“I am thrilled to know that none of my trans colleagues will ever have to go through what I did,” said Micha Rich (he/they), employee of a Georgia government agency and a plaintiff in the lawsuit. “I hope this is a new day for my beloved state of Georgia in its treatment of trans and nonbinary people.”

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TLDEF Resolves Complaint for Transgender Federal Employee Denied Facial Surgery

Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) announced that it has resolved a complaint on behalf of career federal employee Kelly Shaw, a transgender woman who was denied necessary facial surgery prescribed by her medical provider.

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Transgender Woman Reaches Landmark Settlement with Broome County Following Lawsuit over Discrimination, Abuse and Denial of Medical Care

Makyyla Holland (she/her/hers), a 25-year-old Black transgender woman, reached a landmark settlement with Broome County following violence, denial of medical care, and discrimination inflicted on her at the Broome County Jail because she is transgender.

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DREDF and TLDEF File Claims Against TSA for Discrimination Against Transgender Couple with Disabilities

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) and Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) filed claims with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on behalf of two transgender individuals with disabilities, August Rocha and Christine Muller, alleging discrimination based on disability and transgender status.

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Updated on May 13, 2024