WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) – The Human Rights Campaign on Tuesday declared a “state of emergency” for LGBTQ people living in the U.S. and released a “guidebook for action”, summarizing discriminatory laws and providing health and safety information.
The nation’s leading organization for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and queer Americans has warned that travel advisories against dangerous places don’t help those who already live in hostile states.
The campaign stated that it is taking action to respond to a dangerous and unprecedented spike in discriminatory laws sweeping statehouses this year. More than 525 anti LGBT bills have been introduced, and over 70 of them have already become law in 2023 – more than twice the number from last year. The report “LGBTQ+ Americans under Attack” released on Tuesday says that the new laws were a result from coordinated Republican efforts supported by “well funded extremist groups”.
The “LGBTQ+ Americans Defend Back” guidebook provides information on filing complaints against civil rights violations and identifies resources to help finance moves and find employment in “safer states”.
The guidebook includes a section entitled Know Your Enemy/Opposition that offers advice on how to get involved in local advocacy against anti-LGBTQ initiatives and how to have difficult conversations with family and friends about hate.
The guidebook is designed to assist millions of people who are vulnerable, whether they are planning summer travel in regions that are increasingly hostile towards LGBTQ+ people or if they live in states where political extremism and legislative assaults continue to place a target on their backs. Kelley Robinson said this in a Human Rights Campaign statement.
The HRC’s emergency declaration is its first in 40 years. It comes at a time when Republican-dominated legislatures across the country are passing bills that target people based upon their identities. These include laws restricting different aspects of transgender life from bathroom access and pronoun use to medical care.
Among the latest, one of a series of bills nearing final passage in Louisiana would Ban all K-12 Louisiana public school employees from discussing sexuality or gender identity within the classroom. This legislation is very similar to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, which critics have dubbed.
