Human Rights Campaign declares ‘State of Emergency’ for LGBTQ Americans
So far in the 2023 legislative session, more than 525 bills have been introduced in 41 states.
The advocacy group, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has declared its first-ever ‘State of Emergency’ for LGBTQ people in America.
It follows more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills being signed into law in 2023 so far. That’s more than double the number this time last year, according to HRC. It’s also more than any year on record.
This wave of “unprecedented and dangerous” anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation has “created increasingly hostile and dangerous environments for LGBTQ+ people,” the HRC said on Wednesday (6 June).
This is especially the case for trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming youth. HRC says over 30% of trans youth (aged 13-17) live in states where they can’t access gender-affirming care.
Approximately 90,100 of the estimated 300,100 trans youth live in states where they are unable to play on sports teams that match their gender identity. Over 243,000 of the 1.6 million transgender people in the US (including 32,700 trans youth) live in states where they are unable to use bathrooms, locker rooms, and/or other facilities matching their gender identity.
“The multiplying threats facing millions in our community are not just perceived — they are real, tangible, and dangerous,” wrote HRC President Kelley Robinson.
She also said the anti-LGBTQ sentiment had led to people uprooting their lives in search of safer states. This was as a result of violence and “a tidal wave of increased homophobia and transphobia.”
She continued: “There is an imminent threat to the health and safety of millions of LGBTQ+ people and families, who are living every day in uncertainty and fear.
“We’ll fight tooth and nail to ensure the safety and dignity of every LGBTQ+ person is respected and protected”
“Our number one priority will always be ensuring that LGBTQ+ people are safe and have the tools they need to defend and protect themselves against acts of hostility, discrimination, and — in the most extreme cases — violence.”
Robinson also called on allies of the LGBTQ community “to stand with us and make it clear that they won’t sit idly by while extremists attack and malign LGBTQ+ people and our families.”
She closed: “We’ll fight tooth and nail to ensure the safety and dignity of every LGBTQ+ person is respected and protected — without exception.”
In light of this, HRC has created a guidebook to help people navigate life in the US right now. The guidebook includes health and safety resources and a summary of state-by-state laws.
It also includes information on people’s rights and resources to support LGBTQ+ travelers and people living in the US.
HRC says the guidebook is “part of a larger effort” to “furnish the LGBTQ+ community with information and resources it needs to navigate the increasingly hostile climate.”
So far in the 2023 legislative session, more than 525 bills have been introduced in 41 states. More than 220 explicitly targeted trans people. More than 76 bills have been signed into law as of 5 June 2023.