Hi there! Welcome to Easy A–Your go-to source for quick and easy actions you can take in five minutes or less about the issues you care about.
Are you a busy mom? Or maybe your work is so hectic you can’t think about anything else during the day? A lot of us are also taking care of parents or other loved ones too, leaving little time for anything else.
The good news is that these are things you can do while you’re waiting in the school pick up line, on your lunch break, or even at your kid’s soccer practice – anywhere you happen to be! And you can easily share Easy A with your friends so they can be in the know, too! We’ll send you a new action to take every week–just one, we promise –and it will always be something you can do in five minutes or less. Ready to get started? Let’s go!
Read This: Supporting the Transgender Community
June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and advocate for their rights.*
This year, supporting the transgender community and advocating for their rights is especially urgent. That’s because the Trump administration has launched a series of executive orders and other actions that take away trans people’s rights and try to erase their very existence.
Here’s how:
- One of the very first executive orders Trump announced — on his inauguration day! — orders the federal government to only recognize two sexes, “biological males” and “biological females.” It also removes all previous federal guidance that recognized and supported non-binary and transgender people. This means that government-issued IDs like U.S. passports and records like tax and social security forms won’t recognize all genders. And federal prisons will have to house prisoners based on only two sexes, putting non-binary and transgender prisoners at risk of physical harassment and assault.
- A similar executive order restricts what schools can teach about the LGBTQ+ community and requires public schools to only recognize two sexes. It bans schools from recognizing transgender students by their preferred names or pronouns and actually threatens to withhold public funding from schools that support students in this way. It also threatens the prosecution of teachers and school administrators who don’t comply.
- Also impacting schools, a separate executive order bans transgender athletes from playing on girls’ and women’s sports teams, rather than leaving this decision up to state and local organizations. This order goes beyond schools, seeking to pressure independent national and international athletic organizations — including the Olympics — into adopting the same policy. Not only does this take away opportunities for trans girls, but it subjects all girls and women to the possibility of unnecessary and invasive physical examinations.
- Another executive order bans transgender people from serving in the U.S. military. After it was announced, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the military to stop providing healthcare for transgender service members. Both actions are being challenged in federal courts, but for now, the military can ban the enlistment of transgender people and discharge thousands of active service members.
- A separate executive order restricts access to healthcare for transgender children and teens, even in states where it is specifically protected by state law. It misrepresents the guidelines and standards of gender-affirming care recognized by the medical community and takes away the freedom of kids and families to make their own healthcare decisions. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on a case, U.S. v. Skrmetti, which will decide if the U.S. Constitution protects healthcare for transgender kids.
- The U.S. Supreme Court has also agreed to hear Chiles v. Salazar, which could overturn a ban on “conversion therapy” in Colorado. This discredited practice tries to force LGBTQ+ people into being straight. All major medical and psychological associations have proven that it does nothing but cause serious harm. If the court overturns the ban and allows “conversion therapy” in Colorado, it would set the precedent to overturn similar bans that exist in 20 other states.
The bottom line is that these policies are trying to push trans people out of our communities and deny their existence.
To make matters worse, these political attacks have led to an increase in suicide risk among LGBTQ+ kids and teens, and Trump has proposed to cut federal funding for the life-saving 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This hotline helps thousands of kids a month — more than 1.2 million since it started in 2022.
It’s up to all of us to stand up in support of the transgender community. As less than 1% of the U.S. population, they cannot fight this fight alone, but they are 1.6 million people whose health, safety, and happiness matters. Pride Month is a great time to take action, and in the coming weeks, we’ll show you how!
*If you have more time this week, you can read last year’s Easy A posts that dig deeper into the history of Pride Month.
Do This: It’s Survey Time. We Want to Hear From You!
Happy New Year! ? Red Wine & Blue is committed to listening to the people who make up our sisterhood – people like you! That’s why we want to hear from you.
We want to make sure we never lose sight of what our women care about – because that tells us what Red Wine & Blue can and should do. That means finding out from you whether you are finding the work we are doing – and the way we do it – valuable.
With that mission in mind, we are hoping that you’ll take a few minutes out of your day to complete our 2023 Red Wine & Blue Survey!
Take It One Step Further: Look Back on 2023, Look Ahead to 2024
There’s just a few days left of 2023 and we want to celebrate with you! Not gonna lie, it was a busy year. We accomplished SO MUCH and we did it together, as a community of badass superheroes. Check out our 2023 Year in Review now:
We are so proud of our wins – You should be proud too! – And looking ahead, we know that 2024 is going to be an even bigger year. And we could really use your help.
There are so many different ways to get involved with RWB and making a year-end donation is one of them. It’s an easy way to invest in the future of our fight against extremism. If you make a donation this week, your gift will be doubled thanks to a generous matching gift donor! That means $10 becomes $20, $25 becomes $50! If you’re a first time donor, your gift will even be tripled!
Are you ready to take the next step and help us continue our fight against extremism in 2024? Click here to make a donation and become a Red Wine & Blue superhero!
Oh, and one more thing: Happy New Year! ?
Do This: Become a Troublemaker!
Wow, what a year! We accomplished a ton in 2023. Thank you for being a part of our community – We couldn’t have done it without you.
Here are some other amazing things that happened this year: 
- Over 20,000 people attended Red Wine & Blue events.
- 110 members of our community ran for office.
- RWB members in Ohio collected 57,000 signatures to help put Reproductive Freedom on the ballot. And then they passed the ballot measure enshrining repro rights in their state constitution!
- TroubleNation (our national distributed organizing program) started in the fall and already has 112 grassroots groups in 37 states, with 38,000 mostly female members!
- Across multiple states we stopped extremists from winning seats on school boards.
- Over 14,000 people attended an RWB training in 2023. Were you one of them? If not, now’s your chance!
Are you ready to level up in 2024? How about making it one of your New Year’s resolutions to cause a little good trouble next year? We can help you get started with one of our upcoming Troublemaker Trainings. These trainings are super easy to fit into your schedule – They are entirely online, so you can do them from anywhere, and they’re only about one hour long. You’ll learn how to be a Troublemaker and meet like-minded women. You might even make a new friend! So are you ready to take the next step? Sign up now for a Troublemaker Training this January!
Watch This: We’ve Got a Theme Song!
One of the amazing things about the Red Wine & Blue community is all the unbelievably talented women it includes. We’ve got actors and singers, writers and artists, teachers and organizers. And we love seeing the creativity that our members bring to their activism.
In fact, one of our members, Mariama Whyte, even wrote a song for us! It’s called “We Came to Make a Change,” and it’s guaranteed to get you feeling fired up. Check it out now. And sorry, not sorry for getting this ear worm stuck in your head!
We’re gearing up to make some major change in 2024 with the support of everyday superheroes like you. Together, we will protect reproductive freedom, push back on book bans, defeat extremism in our communities, and stand up for democratic values. Click here to supercharge our work in 2024. Thanks so much for your support!
Read This: Meet the Superheroes of Black Voters Matter!
Happy December! All this month, we are celebrating the Everyday Superheroes that are making a difference in our communities. And as part of that celebration, we have joined forces with another superpowered group: Black Voters Matter (BVM)! 
Black voters turn out at the ballot box at the second highest rate in the nation, but extremists are using racial gerrymandering and terrible voter suppression laws to make it harder for Black Americans to vote. BVM is fighting back! Since 2018, BVM has been at the forefront of initiatives to protect voting rights and get the vote out where it’s most difficult.
We’re super inspired by the work of Black Voters Matter, and we think you will be too! So today, if you give to Red Wine & Blue, half of every dollar will go to support their amazing voting rights work.
Suppression of the Black vote doesn’t just stop at gerrymandering. States like North Carolina, Georgia, and Michigan have implemented strict voter ID laws, taken away Sunday voting, removed polling places in predominantly Black areas, and reduced early voting – all policies proven to reduce Black turnout.
Black Voters Matter has stood up for their rights in a BIG way. They organized a nine-day “Freedom Ride for Voting Rights” bus tour to garner grassroots support for voting legislation. They have sued Florida and Georgia to challenge restrictive provisions. They held clinics to help people get the correct ID to vote. They organized sending 69 million text messages to inform people of their rights.
We are going to need Black Voters Matter at full power to help turn out the vote in 2024, and you can make a real difference for them.
Thanks for being a superhero for Black Voters Matter and Red Wine & Blue! ??
Do This: Ask Your Friends to Join Us in Standing Up for LGBTQ+ Kids
Have you had enough with extremists trying to pass anti-trans legislation? Are you tired of the fear mongering that surrounds trans kids and their participation in sports? Do you wish people would just focus on real issues in education instead of these made up issues? Then you’re in the right place! And you probably have some friends who feel the same way.
Click below to help spread the word on social and invite your friends to join us. Let’s come together and work for all of our kids. Empathy is our superpower!
Watch This: Anti-Trans Bills Are Harming LGBTQ+ Kids
Last week, we started talking about right-wing extremist attacks on LGBTQ+ kids, so this week, we’re taking it one step further to dig into gender affirming care–what exactly is it and why it is so important. It’s actually very simple.
Gender affirming care helps kids feel safe in their own body, in their homes, and in their school. Critics who attack gender affirming care use fear-mongering and inaccurate information to manipulate us. But take it from trans activist Alejandra Caraballo, as she explains just how important gender affirming care is to kids, and why these attacks on the trans community are so dangerous.
Want to learn more? You can listen to our full podcast about Anti-Trans Bills and the harm they are causing our LGBTQ+ youth on our website or anywhere you listen to your favorite pods.
One more thing! Next Thursday is a holiday, so we won’t have a new post that day. We’ll see you again on November 30th. Take care!
Read This: Anti-Trans Bills Are Harming LGBTQ+ Kids
Reproductive freedom has been making headlines a lot this year, but did you know that the same groups that fought to get Roe overturned are also the ones behind all the anti-trans legislation exploding across the country? This year alone, 586 anti-trans bills have been introduced in state houses across the nation. This number grows so often, that we’ve had to update our stats while writing and researching about this topic. By the time you read this, it could be even more.
So what are these anti-trans laws about? It’s usually targeting things like which bathroom kids can use, what sports teams they can play on, and whether or not they’re allowed to choose their own pronouns at
school. And now some states have moved beyond trying to control trans students in the classroom, and are banning gender-affirming care.
Okay, so what is that exactly? Gender-affirming care is as simple as allowing a child to wear their hair in a style they feel better suits them, choosing clothes they feel comfortable in, or picking a name that better represents them. Gender affirming care is simply validating how the child feels, and it goes a long way towards making them feel safe and accepted.
Extremists like to hide behind the slogan “protect the children,” but in reality it’s about controlling children and teaching them that there is only one ‘right’ way to be. The fact is these anti-trans bills are causing a lot of harm to LGBTQ+ kids. Studies have shown that anti-trans bills increase depression, anxiety and even thoughts of suicide in kids and teens. And LGBTQ+ youth are already at an increased risk of depression and suicide. That’s really heartbreaking.
As parents, educators, and community members, it’s up to all of us to ensure every kid grows up feeling safe, valued, and loved. We don’t have to sit on the sidelines – We can help. We know that all students benefit from a safe learning environment, so we can be an advocate for schools that are accepting of all students. And we can be an ally and a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. Stay tuned for more info over the next couple of weeks on easy actions you can take to help.
We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming: Time to Vote! Election Day Is Tuesday, Nov. 7th
Wow, this year is flying by – Election Day is just a few days away! Are you ready to be the difference between winning and losing an election? Yes, you really do have that power!
From school boards to mayoral races to state legislatures, local and state races are often won by just a handful of votes–and there are thousands of seats across the country that are on the ballot this November. And because it’s not a presidential election year, many people don’t have them on their radar.
And you know what’s really wild? These are the elections that affect our communities the most! Even though they don’t usually make national headlines, the results will be felt in our schools, our towns, and our homes. You can have a huge impact simply by voting and reminding your friends and family to vote.
Your Easy Action for this week…Take a few seconds to tell us how you plan to vote! ??????
Take It One Step Further: Tell Your Friends About School Board Extremism
OK, we’ve been talking a lot about school board extremism these last few weeks. We know that reasonable common sense parents like us are the majority, and extremists are a very loud, but very tiny group of people. We know they’ve been working hard to take over our school boards to push their agenda and control what our kids can learn.
And we know one more thing: local elections are happening all over the country and early voting has already started in a lot of communities. Now’s your chance to get the word out and warn your friends about what’s happening. Click below to share this post on social right now: