Yasemin Smallens

Half of US states have banned gender-affirming care for youth—replacing evidence-based, individualized treatment with sweeping political restrictions. These laws are cutting trans youth off from essential care, with devastating consequences. @hrw: hrw.org/news/2025/06/0…

Trump’s latest rollback targets federal employees, retirees, and their families—removing coverage for gender-affirming care in 2026. hrw.org/news/2025/09/0…

NEW: Laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the United States are inflicting severe harm on young people and their families as well as health care systems and civil society. 🧵⬇️ hrw.org/news/2025/06/0…

Two Nepali women faced police harassment and forcible separation while trying to register their marriage - despite a 2023 Supreme Court ruling allowing for same-sex unions. @hrw hrw.org/news/2025/05/1…

Rather than strengthen support for children experiencing real abuse or neglect, Trump is doubling down on attacks on trans youth. He’s not protecting kids — he’s endangering them for political gain. @hrw: hrw.org/news/2025/04/1…

The US is failing its transgender youth. Instead of ensuring safety and dignity, Trump’s administration is systematically stripping away their rights: hrw.org/news/2025/02/0…

OPINION: “Currently, no hospitals in California have publicly committed to stopping medically unnecessary nonconsensual surgeries on intersex children. It doesn’t have to be this way,” Kyle Knight writes about intersex rights. trib.al/cx91Jfs

This year, @TGEUorg marked a sobering milestone, documenting its 5,000th recorded case of anti-trans murders since 2008. It should not be a predictable routine that each fall brings another alarming update on rising anti-trans murders. @hrw hrw.org/news/2024/11/2…

Trans rights are under fire once again as a Texas doctor faces sharp penalties for providing lifesaving, gender-affirming care to youth. More here for @hrw hrw.org/news/2024/10/2…

incredible to hear from many smart & passionate people @wpath I was honored to share some @hrw research on GAC access & restrictions in the US and abroad. grateful to be part of these impt conversations - the views in Lisbon weren’t too bad either… the hills are a diff story 🤣

#Woubi #IvoryCoast #LGBT The escalating campaign against LGBT+ people in Ivory Coast is both alarming and deeply disturbing. Hate IS NOT an African value. Here's what's happening🧵

After being polio-free for more than 25 years, Palestine has confirmed a polio case in a 10-month-old baby in Gaza. Israeli officials should urgently end the blockade of Gaza and ensure full humanitarian access to prevent a polio outbreak. bit.ly/4fTCsrI

Released today: @hrw report on criminalization of unhoused people in Los Angeles. A massive study on LA’s cruel, ineffective treatment of people living on the streets hrw.org/report/2024/08…

Apropos of absolutely nothing, just posting the link to our @hrw report about sex testing in elite women’s sport — hrw.org/report/2020/12…

Florida has passed a series of discriminatory educational censorship laws that restrict teaching on race, Black history, sexual orientation, and gender identity — but advocates are standing up. Meet the activists building a movement to protect the right to education ⤵️

Hi Twitter! The LGBT rights program at HRW is conducting research on the impact of youth bans on gender-affirming care in the US. If you or someone you know has been directly impacted by these bans please email transvoices@hrw.org to participate in an interview.

Instead of teaching a stereotype-driven image of Africa as unable to acknowledge gender and sexual diversity, pan-Africanists should speak up when LGBTQ+ people are denied their rights to freedom of expression, privacy, and safety. @HRW's @Klari237: hrw.org/news/2024/07/0…

The UK's Cass Review lied about who trans people are and manipulated its own data and findings--fueling political efforts to ban trans medicine outright in the UK and US--according to a damning joint report from Yale's colleges of Medicine and Law law.yale.edu/yls-today/news…

🇵🇪Peru’s Health Ministry clarified that trans identities are not mental health conditions, walking back a much criticized presidential decree portraying them as diagnosable. This was the right move, and a step toward ensuring trans people's dignity. 📰:hrw.org/news/2024/05/1…

In recent years, the US has seen an unprecedented avalanche of anti-LGBT legislation each spring. In 2024, the onslaught seems to have faltered somewhat. While that may seem like cause for celebration, it’s also cause for concern. @HRW's @ryanthoreson - hrw.org/news/2024/06/2…