Sam Ames

Make Them Look You in the Eye Public Comments, Polite Smiles, and an Actually Pretty Interesting Bureaucratic Lever You Can Pull for Trans Youth Right the Heck Now

New Substack up!

We're talking about the sexiest thing in LGBTQI+ civil rights right now: federal administrative rulemaking.

I know. Hotter than Heated Rivalry.

But the comment period on 3 proposed anti-trans rules is about to close & you can help. sames.substack.com/make-them-look-you-in-the-eye

This is How We Lose How Today’s Oral Arguments Become Tomorrow’s Decisions, How Their Decisions Become Our Story, and How to Make a Big Announcement at the End of a Substack Article

To paraphrase Dread Pirate Roberts, anyone who tells you they know what’s going to happen at SCOTUS is selling something. That goes double for bloggers. With this in mind, I’m becoming a blogger. Welcome to my Substack. Let's talk today's BPJ/Hecox oral arguments. sames.substack.com/p/this-is-ho...

Bad Medicine—How Secretary Kennedy Is Jeopardizing LGBTQ Lives | Opinion If, by his own admission, Kennedy cannot give competent medical advice, it is time he put his energy toward making health care available to more Americans, not fewer.

By @samames.bsky.social and @adrianshanker.bsky.social at @newsweek.com -Bad Medicine—How Secretary Kennedy Is Jeopardizing LGBTQ Lives www.newsweek.com/bad-medicine...

Last month, HHS put out a report on gender-affirming care that reads like a checklist of logical fallacies. @adrianshanker.bsky.social & I published a piece in @newsweek.com on the consequences of misrepresenting evidence, and the real science behind healthcare for trans youth. tinyurl.com/3ryx2tbu

YouTube video by National SOGIE Center A Tribute for Transgender Day of Remembrance

The wonderful folks at the National SOGIE Center adapted part of a piece I wrote for Transgender Day of Visibility into a gorgeous video. It was a genuine honor to be part of this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOzo...

Here's the full text, with more on TDOR and ritual: substack.com/home/post/p-...

In Our Own Name The Story of Trans Day of Remembrance and the Ritual of Reclamation

Trans Day of Remembrance was born in 1999 from a group of friends in Boston, and the simple act of saying their lost beloved's name out loud. Tonight we say the names of 69 new beloveds, and from our grief reclaim their power. I wrote a bit about the history of TDOR and the roots of the ritual here.

9 major faith denominations just released a statement supporting trans & intersex people, calling violation of our rights by those in power a betrayal of religious values.

Faith communities can be complicated for LGBTQI communities. But today, I’m proud to be a member of both.

tinyurl.com/3kkpvhk9

Square graphic featuring a quote on a white-to-gray gradient background above a colorful Progress Pride flag. The text reads: “Transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people are vulnerable today… Our faiths, our theologies, and our practices of prophetic witness call on us to say with one voice: YOU ARE HOLY. YOU ARE SACRED. WE LOVE YOU. WE SUPPORT YOU.” Beneath the quote, a small gray text box reads “Interfaith Statement in Support of Trans, Intersex, and Nonbinary People, Nov. 12, 2025.” The UUA flaming chalice logo appears in black over the Progress Pride flag, and “http://UUA.org ” is centered at the bottom in a dark blue rectangle.

UU President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt joins faith leaders across traditions in proclaiming: transgender, intersex, and nonbinary people are holy, whole, and worthy of love. Together, we call out the misuse of religion to justify harm.

www.uuworld.org/articles/uua...

I'm still rotten at Bluesky, but should have tagged @mamadragons.bsky.social! Thank y'all so much for having me on!

For 10 years, the Mormon mothers at Mama Dragons have been one of my favorite examples of what happens when people of faith choose the message over the messenger - and, in nearly every religion on earth, the message is love. This week, I got to join their podcast.

Listen here: tinyurl.com/4rc7whc5

Some of the very best people I know have created a camp - it’s a retreat for those of us who do social justice work. Camp Ground is about rest: no work allowed.

If you organize, advocate, etc in ANY capacity (professionally, as a volunteer, in your spare time) this camp is probably for you.

YouTube video by Politicon The Fight For LGBTQ Rights

Had the absolute privilege of joining Justice By Design this week to talk SCOTUS, Skrmetti, and sorry-you-can’t-actually-legislate-trans-people-out-of-existence. Thank you to the brilliant @kimberlyeatkins.bsky.social for thinking I’m cool enough to hang out with her. youtu.be/edZ7-XTsJzs?...

Visible and Unstoppable - Zoomathon — Unicorn Solutions

There's a livestream running all day where advocates, artists, & elected officials are sending messages of hope to LGBTQI+ kids. I'm honored to be doing a piece at 3:30ET, but rn Judy & Dennis Shepard are giving me life w/this gem: "They are louder, but they aren't brighter." tinyurl.com/mubcd5sf

A square graphic with a soft pink background and faint blue and pink gradient swirls. At the top left is the text “UUWORLD.ORG ” in small uppercase letters. In the top right corner is a navy blue box with the white text “UUWorld.” Centered on the graphic is a quote in large serif font: “We cannot cede the ground of faith, religion. We cannot cede the ground of the sacred.” Below the quote, in smaller italic sans-serif text, it reads: – Sam Ames Civil Rights Lawyer In the bottom left corner is the UUA flaming chalice logo in a rainbow gradient.

At GA, UUs responded to the Skrmetti ruling with a powerful session led by Sam Ames and Adrienne Walker. The fight for trans youth, grounded in faith and love, continues.

📰 Read more in UU World: bit.ly/44fJrGz
👉 Follow UU World on IG: bit.ly/4nipN5x

#UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #SkrmettiDecision

What U.S. v. Skrmetti Did, What It Didn’t Do, and What It Can Never Do There is going to be a lot of catastrophizing today. We lost U.S. v. Skrmetti, one of the biggest transgender civil rights cases of our…

Listen. We cannot predicate fighting on winning. We're going to lose a lot in the days to come, and if we’re going to make it through the nights we need to find something to fuel us that runs deeper than hope. We’re past hope.

We don't follow hope. Hope follows us.

It only took me 4 years, but I've officially joined the 21st century/Bluesky. Hello, less-cruel world.