INTERSEXISM AND TRANSPHOBIA.IT MARKS THE 30 YEARANNIVERSARY OF THE WORLD HEALTHORGANIZATION'S DECISION TOREMOVE HOMOSEXUALITY FROM THELIST OF MENTAL DISORDERS.13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER ASTRIDMENDEZ JOINS US WITH A CLOSERLOOK AT THE CHALLENGES LGBTQMEMBERS FACE.AND HOW THE COVID-19 PANDEMICHAS CREATED NEW CHALLENGES.THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY FOR THELGBTQ COMMUNITY HAS BEEN LONG.STILL,ACCEPTANCE IS SOMETHING THEYCONTINUE LOOKING FOR.AND WITH COVID-19, ISSUES FORTHE COMMUNITY ARE INCREASINGIT'S NOT AN EASY TIME FORMEMBERS OF LGBTQ COMMUNITY .SOT "SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE STILLFEELING THAT HATE OR THATUNEASE BEING AROUND PEOPLE ATHOME OR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS,THEIR NEIGHBORS." NOW THATFAMILIES ARE TOGETHERCONSTANTLY DURING THISPANDEMIC, IT MAY BE A DIFFICULTSITUATION FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE."SOME HAVE PARENTS THATCONSTANTLY MISGENDER THEM ORLIKE PARENTS ARE LIKE NO,'YOU'RE A BOY, YOU'RE ALWAYSGOING TO BE A BOY, YOU'RE NOTTRANSGENDER.'

SO, THERE ARESTILL SOME PEOPLE THAT NEEDEDUCATION ABOUT ISSUES WITHLGBT".WHILE ACCEPTANCE HAS GROWN INTHE VALLEY, COVID-19 HAS ALSOBEEN A REMINDER OF PRESSINGNEEDS FOR THIS COMMUNITY, LIKETHE IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTHCAREAND MAKING SURE PEOPLE DON'TFEEL ISOLATED.SOT "SELF ESTEEM IS ALWAYS ANISSUE IN THE GAY COMMUNITY, FOREXAMPLE, YOU HAVE TO LOOKCERTAIN WAY AND WHEN PEOPLETHAT ARE OUTSIDE YOURCOMMUNITY, DISCRIMINATE AGAINSTYOU OR THEY DON'T SAY NICETHINGS TO YOU, IT DOESN'T FEELGOOD, ASTRID TAGIN A STATEMENT, THE LGBTQCENTER FOR SOUTHER NEVADA SAYTHAT THE QUARANTINE HAS FORCEDTHEM TO FOCUS INWARD AND THATTHEY'RE LOOKINGFORWARD FOR THE RETURN OF THEIRCOMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMSTHAT WILL ALWAYS FIGHTDIFFERENT CRIMES AGAINST THISCOMMUNITY"BOTH CENTERS HAVE SEVERALPROGRAMS AND OPTIONS FORMEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITYIN CASE THEY NEED HELP OR WOULDLIKE TO TALK WITH SOMEONE.AM 13 ANSTILL NO WORD ON WHAT LED TO AFATAL SHOOTING IN NORTH LAS