Updates on LGBTQIA+ laws in the US
Hello everyone. Today is an awesome day, my husband’s birthday! The three of us are going to have a lovely dinner at a Mexican restaurant, and then cake with our other friend who has the same birthday! Life as a queer person can be hard, but there is a lot of joy in the small things in life and living the life I want to live. Sadly, at this moment, living life as a queer person is a political statement, but its nice to focus on the small moments of queer joy.
I wanted to spend some time updating everyone on what is happening around LGBTQIA+ rights across the US. As individuals and nonprofits, if you are based in a state where anti-LGBTQIA+ laws are being passed, it is important to make your voice heard. Currently, the LGBTQIA+ community is under attack, with over 500 laws being followed by the ACLU. Many of these laws are found to be unconstitutional, but the damage is done and the message being sent to LGBTQIA+ people is that you do not belong. Therefore, we as nonprofit professionals need to work extra hard to protect and support LGBTQIA+ people, especially the children.
Anti-Drag Law in Florida
One of the major protectors of drag in Florida has been Hamburger Mary’s, a chain of restaurants across the country which do drag shows. I have never been, so I cannot comment on the food. But, as they do have a restaurant in Florida, Hamburger Mary’s has been able to use resources to fight a drag ban (in this case, one that says that children cannot go to drag shows). The 11th Circuit Court blocked the bill during appeal, so DeSantis has gone to the Supreme Court to allow the law to be enacted. Hamburger Mary’s has written a response to the Supreme Court. Of course, these anti-drag laws are not just bad for the LGBTQIA+ community, but they are also attacks on free speech, so they usually are not upheld by the court. But the attempts to stifle queer joy and LGBTQIA+ expression is terrifying and has led to threats and attacks on drag shows and drag queen story hours.
Gender Affirming Care Bans
In late September, the 6th Circuit Court allowed Tennessee and Kentucky to ban gender affirming care for minors (You can read about gender affirming care for minors here). While the 6th Circuit and 11th Circuit Court (for the state of Alabama) have allowed these bans to remain in place, other courts have ruled them unconstitutional. The ACLU is asking the Supreme Court to weigh in. While we wait, these bills are expanding; in Wisconsin, Republican lawmakers are pushing anti-trans bills, including a ban on gender affirming care for youth and a ban for transgender individuals to take part in women’s sports.
Bathroom Bans
The 9th Circuit Court has temporarily blocked a bathroom ban from being enacted in Idaho. This isn’t the end of the bathroom ban in Idaho, but it means that there will be a temporary relief for transgender students while the law goes through the appeals process. There are still several bathroom bills across the US, and in Florida it is a criminal offense for people to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity and expression. Bills like these increase anxiety among transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse individuals and do nothing but create hate against the transgender community.
Birth Certificate & Other Paperwork
One area that has been an issue in a few states (Tennessee, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Montana) for transgender people is laws being passed or politicians trying to stop transgender people from being able to change their gender on their birth certificates. Tennessee does not allow transgender people to change their identity on their drivers license either. Though the courts have allowed Tennessee’s discriminatory policy to stand, Lambda Legal is looking to appeal the ruling. Being able to legally change one’s name and gender on paperwork can help reduce depression and anxiety in transgender individuals.
What can you do?
As mentioned above, it is important to make your voice heard. This includes voting, educating others, and reaching out to your elected officials. We often focus on congress, and it is important to reach out to them, but a lot happens on the local level and state level as well. As I discuss here, being aware of what is happening locally and getting involved in advocacy in your town or state is a way to make a big impact. Click here to find your local and state representatives. Work with your local LGBTQIA+ community to find out what they need and how you can better support them. If you have questions on allyship for the LGBTQIA+ community, feel free to ask! And, importantly, stay informed about the issues in your state. I will do these updates every so often but each of these issues impacts how nonprofits are physically structured and the support they can and cannot provide to LGBTQIA+ individuals.