US election 2016: Hillary Clinton: 'This is painful and will be for a very long time. We owe Donald Trump an open mind'

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Mr Trump sent mixed messages on transgender rights during the campaign. But he promised to nominate a conservative justice to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court and could name an attorney general who may enforce the hard-line positions he outlined during the campaign.

His running mate Mike Pence, meanwhile, advocated for public spending on "conversion therapy" in Indiana as governor of the state and has a track record of opposing same-sex marriage.

California, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont and the District of Columbia have passed laws to prevent licensed mental health providers from offering "conversion therapy" to minors, and more than 20 states have introduced similar legislation.

In 2013 Governor Chris Christie signed a bill banning conversion therapy on minors in New Jersey.

"The American Psychological Association has found that efforts to change sexual orientation can pose critical health risks including, but not limited to, depression, substance abuse, social withdrawal, decreased self-esteem and suicidal thoughts. I believe that exposing children to these health risks without clear evidence of benefits that outweigh these serious risks is not appropriate," said the document signed by Mr Christie.

On Twitter transgender people are using the hashtag #TransLawHelp in an effort to get their gender and identification documents in order before Mr Trump takes office on January 20, 2017.

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