In South Carolina, advocacy groups catering towards teens and adolescents in the LGBTQ+ community are reaching out to those feeling uncertain about the future in the United States following the election results of November 5.
A number of groups in the Palmetto State are working quickly to get their messages out, among them the Carolina Youth Action Program (CYAP) and We Are Family (WAF).
The CYAP program focuses on political education, along with community organizing in order to fight domination, punishment and violence aimed at female and LGBTQ+ youth of all genders. In an Instagram post regarding the results of the 2024 election, CYAP confirms that while the outlook may look despairing, their mission has not changed.
“CYAP’s mission, vision, and plans for 2025 remain the same regardless of an election outcome,” the post reads. “We remain committed to the many folks in our immediate community and beyond. Though our work has been internal for some time, the shifts we have made and the groundwork we have laid will keep us stable and ready for what the coming months bring.”
We Are Family is one of South Carolina’s oldest non-profits, established in 1995. As per their mission statement on WAF’s website, the organization provides life-affirming and life-saving programs for LGBTQ+ young people that have a lasting and measurable impact, with a focus on those who are BIPOC and/or low-income. WAF’s programing is spread out through the state, aimed at bringing community initiatives to and uplifting the lives of youth up to age 24.
North Charleston’s WAF chapter put out a statement on November 6, looking to provide some comfort in the wake of the shocking results from the prior day. “If you are reading this, know that you are cherished beyond measure,” the notice reads. “To the young people we serve, you are powerful, unique, and so incredibly important. You’re on a journey to discover your true self, and that journey deserves to be met with compassion and understanding.”
To put into perspective what LGBTQ+ residents in South Carolina may be facing more of in the near future, the Movement Advancement Project, an independent, nonprofit think tank founded in 2006 that rates every state via “policy tallies,” the friendliness of LGBTQ-related laws and policies, placed the Palmetto State near the bottom of the list. Out of a possible 49, South Carolina’s overall tally is -7.75, compared to bordering states Georgia (1/49) and North Carolina (6.75/49). The state’s MAP rating makes South Carolina the fourth worst in the country, running right behind Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas.