National State of Emergency Declared for LGBTQ+ Community
Is declaring a state of emergency effective enough? Tell your reps.
What's the story?
- For the first time in its four-decade history, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has declared a national state of emergency for the LGBTQ+ community due to a surge of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in 2023.
- The organization warned that people traveling through states with strict anti-LGBTQ laws should expect to encounter homophobia, transphobia, and even violence. The HRC's declaration, which coincides with the beginning of Pride Month, includes a guidebook for LGBTQ+ Americans with information on rights, a state-by-state list of anti-LGBTQ+ laws, and access to health and safety resources.
- The HRC also issued a travel advisory for the LGBTQ+ community in Florida due to six recently passed laws and policies by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation
- In May 2023, Gov. DeSantis signed the largest slate of anti-LGBTQ+ bills in Florida's history, which includes a ban on gender-affirming treatments for transgender children, restrictions on pronoun use in public schools, and a prohibition on transgender individuals using restrooms or changing rooms aligning with their gender identity in government buildings.
- This year, the ACLU has tracked a record-breaking 491 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced by U.S. state legislatures have introduced, double the amount from 2022. The bills include pronoun refusal laws, forced student outing laws, anti-drag bans, and "Don't Say Gay" laws.
- To stay up to date on anti-LGBTQ+ and trans legislation in the U.S., check out our LGBTQ+ Rights & Trans Bans Tracker.
What are opponents saying?
- Naomi Goldberg, deputy director of thinktank Movement Advancement Project, said earlier in 2023:
"Individual policy issues like school censorship bills and bans on transgender youth playing sports have captured national attention, but seeing these as individual flash points misses the larger context of the fast, furious and coordinated attacks on LGBTQ people."
- President of Human Rights Campaign, Kelley Robinson, said:
"LGBTQ+ Americans are living in a state of emergency. The multiplying threats facing millions in our community are not just perceived – they are real, tangible and dangerous. In many cases they are resulting in violence against LGBTQ+ people, forcing families to uproot their lives and flee their homes in search of safer states, and triggering a tidal wave of increased homophobia and transphobia that puts the safety of each and every one of us at risk."
Is declaring a state of emergency effective enough? Tell your reps what you think.
-Laura Woods
(Photo credit: Unsplash)
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Every one needs protection from thsi hatred. Strong State laws needed.
Vote out those involved in this abuse.
It is indeed dangerous for anyone not a cis-gendered straight white Christian male in certain states, like Florida, Texas, and North Dakota. People are moving away, to safe states, where their rights will be protected as equal to anyone else.
Congress MUST pass laws protecting minorities from this kind of state-sanctioned abuse.
The attacks on the LBGTQ+ community is a national disgrace as is all discrimination and hateful attacks against any group. We are so quickly sliding into a Nazi state that it's sickening.
The large number of anti-LGBTQ legislation and rhetoric is very alarming, and we should all pay attention.
The fascists on the right continue blaming the LGBTQ community for things instead of focusing on real problems that affect the whole country, such as inflation, voting rights, healthcare, mental health, gun violence, and the climate crisis. LGBTQ are not to blame for ANY of these things (although clearly Nikki Haley doesn't know that).
I hope voters are paying attention and are ready to vote for more change in the next election; we cannot allow these hateful legislators to keep denying equality to minorities just to gain political points.
And I hope platforms such as Causes continue using their power to restrict lies and propaganda that motivate hate for LGBTQ people. Hate is not free speech.
Since my Rep is GOP, there is no good in contacting him as the GOP are the ones that threaten the lives, saftey and well being of everyone in the LGBTQ+ Community.
Our America is for all people, unless your a straight white and Christian. We have been called White Supremacy and every name but a white. When the LGBT group start indoctrinating our children with their ideology, we the people will stand up for our children. When the education department starts indoctrinating our children we will stand up. When did our rights disappear just because we are white and Christian. When did the morals of the left supersede our rights as individuals to raise our families.
Most LGBTQ violence is due to other LGBTQ members. You won't hear that on MSM, because it goes against their narrative. They lie to Americans that don't do your research and just fall for their lies. Shame on you people.
They want you to believe that white supremacy is the cause of all the violence.. Biden government will make up laws to incarcerate law abiding people. They have locked up J6 for years now and we blame white supremacy. Our government is a Totalitarian government and if you don't realize your freedom is just a breath away of being taken from you. You have NOTHING and be happy. That is our Government.