WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 15: Joseph Fons holding a Pride Flag in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building after the court ruled that LGBTQ people can not be disciplined or fired based on their sexual orientation, Washington, DC, June 15, 2020. With Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Neil Gorsuch joining the Democratic appointees, the court ruled 6-3 that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bans bias based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Fons is wearing a Black Lives Matter mask with the words 'I Can't Breathe', as a precaution against Covid-19. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
America’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, the Human Rights Campaign, has declared a national state of emergency for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The announcement came in the midst of an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, with at least 417 bills being introduced within the first quarter of 2023. This is twice the number of total bills introduced last year.
“LGBTQ+ Americans are living in a state of emergency,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson. “The multiplying threats facing millions in our community are not just perceived – they are real, tangible and dangerous.”
The Human Rights Campaign also issued a travel notice for the state of Florida last month in the wake of six anti-LGBTQ+ bills that were recently passed there. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) has championed the state’s Don’t Say Gay bill, which prohibits public school teachers from teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten through third grade.
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Conservative lawmakers have focused their efforts on enacting laws banning gender-affirming care, drag performances and inclusive bathrooms, all in a campaign to position themselves for the upcoming 2024 election cycle. By framing these laws as attempts to protect America’s “kids,” Republican officials are appealing to concerned parents who believe that children should be shielded from information about the LGBTQ community, without explaining the negative effects of these laws.
The Human Rights Campaign is set to release a digital guidebook that will serve as a resource for members of the LGBTQ community. It will include health and safety suggestions, a summary of state-by-state laws and information regarding access to protection in hostile states.
Organizations around the country insist that they will never stop fighting for the rights of all people.
“It is imperative for all of us to recognize the gravity of this moment and commit ourselves on the frontlines, unwavering in our fight for freedom,” said CEO of Equality Florida, Nadine Smith, in the Human Rights Campaign press release.
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