Cait Smith

Lesbian and bisexual women are more likely to be low-income, more likely to be parents and more likely to rely on Medicaid. They could fall through the cracks of Trump’s new tax law. them.us/story/queer-bi…

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law barring lifesaving medical care for transgender minors. In response, Caleb Smith, director of LGBTQI+ Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement: americanprogress.org/press/statemen…

State laws banning and restricting best practice care, including reproductive care and trans medical care, disproportionately impact marginalized communities. Everyone, including LGBTQI+ people, needs policies that expand access to care and protect bodily autonomy now more than ever.

"...we're not going to be put back into the closet to appease anyone, and we're not going to be silent while human dignity is under threat." @MarkTakano at CAP today speaking out against the continuous attacks on LGBTQI+ rights:

Look at this speaker lineup for our event on LGBTQI+ data and policy at CAP tomorrow! So excited to be joined by @RepMarkTakano, Jaymes Black and Dr. Kellan Baker. There's still time to RSVP! americanprogress.org/events/state-o…

New report published! Data from the CAP 2024 LGBTQI+ Community Survey reveals that abortion bans have uniquely drastic impacts on LGBTQI+ people. Concerningly, results show that LGBTQI+ people are struggling to find medical care due to abortion bans. americanprogress.org/article/new-su…

New: Abortion bans are disproportionately hurting LGBTQ+ people. “The attacks on gender-affirming care, the attacks on LGBT rights are about bodily autonomy in the same way that anti-choice efforts are attacks on our bodily autonomy," Caleb Smith told me. huffpost.com/entry/abortion…

Come join me at CAP for an event at 10:30 on May 13. We’ll discuss the importance of LGBTQI+ data and I’ll present new survey findings. A light breakfast is available for folks who can join in person, and we have some great guest speakers too! RSVP below: americanprogress.org/events/state-o…

Today on the Trans Day of Visibility, @RepBeccaB has introduced a new bill to expand and protect health care access for trans people. @hvnorris and Congresswoman Balint explain the need for the Transgender Health Care Access Act:

.@AllisonLMcManus sat down with fellow CAP expert, @CaitESmith1 to discuss the impact that DOGE's cuts to USAID programs have on global health, including on the global fight against HIV/AIDS. Watch the full conversation: americanprogress.org/events/cap-exp…

On March 17, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will immediately cease providing gender-affirming care to transgender veterans—or any veteran with gender dysphoria. CAP's @CaitESmith1 outlines the steep cost to transgender veterans: americanprogress.org/article/by-cut…

New article! If the VA stops providing gender-affirming care, they’ll likely save less than a nickel per veteran they serve - but the cost for trans vets could be steep. All veterans, including trans vets, deserve access to the care they need. americanprogress.org/article/by-cut…

New survey findings show that the U.S. LGBTQI+ community experiences high rates of discrimination, challenges in accessing health care, and more. Explore the report from @CaitESmith1 and Haley Norris: americanprogress.org/article/the-lg…

No solutions to make housing more affordable. No solutions to cut the cost of health care. No solutions to make groceries cheaper. He has no solutions to address the challenges crushing working people - worse, his policies are making them worse.

The SAVE Act could keep millions of trans folks out of the voting booth. It would require voters to prove citizenship in order to register, likely using a passport or birth certificate; harming married women, rural voters - and trans Americans. americanprogress.org/article/the-sa…

Over 20 states have laws protecting against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Should this bill in Iowa pass, it would be the first to remove non-discrimination protections for trans folks from state law. This is a BIG deal and must be stopped.

Action Alert: Anti-LGBTQI+ legislators in Iowa are trying to roll back state non-discrimination protections. The bill would remove gender identity from state civil rights law, and is moving VERY quickly. Follow @OneIowa and email your reps. oneiowaaction.org/iowacivilright…

“The law today is no different than the law was yesterday,” Smith said. “Attempting to sow confusion, that’s easier than actually passing policy.” cnn.com/2025/02/19/hea…

Current web page, which only asks about name, relationship status, and preferred language. Interestingly, the header to the toolkit still uses the language supporting the importance of ensuring an "inclusive and affirming" patient experience.

Former web page, which includes questions about pronouns, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Another attempt to erase trans people by Trump admin. HHS quietly edited the "Inclusive Language for Intake Forms" toolkit for medical providers axing questions about gender, pronouns, and sexual orientation. A thread w/ copies of current and former pages. ahrq.gov/health-literac…