This week I attended two different webinars related to legal issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. They were very eye-opening, as I learned about the immense legal difficulties encountered by many LGBTQ+ individuals, such as not having correct identification or being prevented from receiving necessary medical treatment. Having correct identification is certainly something I have always taken for granted but is an arduous undertaking for transgender individuals and can cause immense hardship, such as hindering one’s ability to secure housing, complicating interactions with law enforcement who might assume a seemingly mismatched identification is fraudulent, and affecting the ability of children to play sports and use bathrooms at school. Furthermore, all of these issues can cause a great deal of anxiety and emotional distress. I think one of the most significant takeaways from these webinars is the importance of treating all people with respect and empathy and creating inclusive environments that do not marginalize certain people. I think this is especially important for attorneys working in public service because they have potentially hundreds of clients per year with diverse backgrounds, many of whom probably already face anxiety-inducing legal challenges. I am very glad I got the opportunity to attend these webinars. Respect, empathy, and inclusion are certainly things I will keep in mind as I begin to study and practice law in the future.
