Hey, Y’all.
Did you know that there are over 450 bills community being considered in state legislatures across the country attacking the LGBTQ+? Our own state is grappling with six bills under consideration by the General Assembly. We are barely into the year and more discriminatory legislation is likely on the way.
In North Carolina, legislators are considering bills that would impose age restrictions on access to puberty blockers and other gender-affirming care, allow healthcare providers to discriminate against LGBTQ+ patients, force schools to out LGBTQ+ young people, and limit funding for LGBTQ+ affirming healthcare. They not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes but also continue a cycle of discrimination and marginalization. Many of these bills are holdovers from 2023, but more are likely to come.
Unfortunately, this is nothing new. The last few years have seen an alarming increase in bills like these and the sheer volume of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being introduced is indicative of a troubling trend. At a time when equality and acceptance should be no-brainer, extremists are actively working to undermine the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and set us back decades. This is an election year, and the urgency of this fight is deeply felt.
I’m especially troubled by the fact that these bills largely target young people, and the rhetoric that has taken a national stage is already costing lives. Nex Benedict, a young nonbinary teenager from Oklahoma died recently after being attacked in a bathroom by bullies at their school. Nex loved spending time in nature, reading, art, and video games, and their young life was snuffed out. They were failed by their fellow students, their school, by law enforcement, and policymakers.
The Human Rights Campaign and the University of Connecticut’s 2023 LGBTQ+ Youth Report found that over half of trans and gender-expensive youth face feel unsafe at their school, over a third feel unsafe in school bathrooms, and two-thirds have experienced bullying at school. The environment created by anti-LGBTQ+ vitriol and discrimination has enabled and empowered people to lean into the worst parts of themselves. Nex’s death comes at a time when extremism and anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry are at an all-time high and the bills being heard in legislatures across the country will only make things worse.
Despite this, I hold on to hope. For every discriminatory policy that makes its way to the floor of a state legislature or halls of Congress, there are countless individuals united in their efforts to make sure these bills never become law. We must join them in standing up against these discriminatory measures and demand action from our elected officials. This starts with advocacy and raising awareness about the harmful impact of these bills and mobilizing support for inclusive policies that protect the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
This is an election year, the results of which will reverberate throughout our country and beyond for years. If you haven’t been paying attention before, I invite you to start now. All of the bills being heard in the North Carolina General Assembly are readily available on their website. Organizations like the Human Rights Campaign, Equality North Carolina, Democracy North Carolina, the Freedom Center for Social Justice, and others have resources on their websites that can help you make your voices heard.
The proliferation of anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the country, including those in North Carolina, is deeply upsetting and demands action. These discriminatory measures not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes and marginalize LGBTQ+ individuals but also undermine the principles of freedom, equality, and fairness that should be the foundation of our society. It is incumbent upon all of us to speak out against these injustices and work. I believe that if we work together, a future where everyone is treated with dignity, respect, and equality is possible.