Ryan Adamczeski

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Texas City Council that targeted LGBTQ+ people gets voted out — and replaced with first gay member

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Voters in Odessa, Texas, rejected three incumbent City Council members just one month after they voted to implement a harsh anti-trans bathroom ban, replacing one with the city’s first out gay council member.

Craig Stoker, the executive director for Meals on Wheels in Odessa, won his November election for at-large City Council member with 56 percent of the vote — in the same county President-elect Donald Trump won 76 percent of the vote. 

Stoker beat Denise Swanner by campaigning on infrastructure — specifically roads and garbage pickup — in contrast to the incumbent, whose campaign sent out mailers comparing the two’s opposite positions by listing their only similarity as the fact that they are both in relationships with men.

“I understood the outcome was too important. If I could pull this off, what I would have the ability to do completely outweighed whatever they were slinging at me,” Stoker told The Texas Tribune. “And the ability to represent people who have probably never had a voice in the City Council chamber became too important to me.”

The Odessa City Council banned transgender individuals from using bathrooms, locker rooms, changing areas, showers, and similar public facilities that align with their gender identity after a contentious open meeting in October. Those who violate the ban could be convicted of a class C misdemeanor and receive a fine of up to $500, also giving legal standing to alleged victims to sue for damages up to $10,000 in civil court.

Mayor Javier Joven strongly supported the ban, stating that it was “important to prioritize the safety and privacy of the majority.” He lost he reelection bid to Cal Hendrick, who campaigned on repairing infrastructure. 

The Ector County Republican Party did not endorse any local candidates in this year’s elections, with Chair Donna Kelm reasoning that abortion and LGBTQ+ issues should be left to the state legislature. 

“None of it was truly about me. It was their fear of losing a seat, losing an election, losing the title,” Stoker continued. “I came into this campaign with the mindset that I’m going to have to rely on the work I’ve done in the community and the reputation I’ve built preceding me. That’s all I got.”

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The 5 states with the smallest amount of LGBTQ+ people

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The hubs and duds of queer life in modern America have been revealed, thanks to a report from the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

The good news: wherever you are, you’re not alone. Overall, 14.1 million people reported that they “identify as LGBT” between 2020 and 2021, making up a significant portion of the population at 5.6 percent. By state, there wasn’t a single area with an LGBTQ+ population of less than 4 percent. 

However, compared to others, some states still have less than half as many queer people proportionally.

While the report did not give any reasoning as to why some states have larger LGBTQ+ demographics than others, the states with the lowest percentages of queer people all but one have pushed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation this year.

Here are the states with the smallest queer communities, and the legislation facing them. 

5. South Carolina (Tie)

South Carolina’s 192,800 LGBTQ+ adults account for 4.9 percent of the state’s population. There were 32 anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed this year, according to the ACLU’s legislation tracker, with one passed into law — an extreme ban against gender-affirming care for youth, as well as requiring school staff forcibly out them to their guardians. 

5. North Dakota (Tie)

North Dakota’s LGBTQ+ population also accounts or 4.9 percent of its overall population, but their queer community is fewer in number, with 28,400 members. There were no anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed this year in the state, which pushed 17 anti-LGBTQ+ bills last year, 10 of which became law.

4. Iowa

Iowa‘s 113,600 LGBTQ+ adults account for 4.7 percent of the population. 37 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been considered in the state in 2024, four of which passed — including religious exemptions for discrimination.

3. Alabama

Alabama has 173,000 LGBTQ+ people, making up 4.6 percent of the population. Four anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been proposed in the state this year one of which passed that forces universities to implement trans bathroom bans.

2. North Carolina

North Carolina‘s LGBTQ+ population accounts for 4.4 percent of the state’s population, with 353,100 people. There were six anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed in the state, none of which have yet been defeated or advanced.

1. Mississippi (Tie)

Mississippi’s 93,300 LGBTQ+ adults account for 4.1 percent of the population. There were 23 anti-LGBTQ+ bills been proposed in the state this year, four of which passed. The laws include a ban against trans people using the public facilities that align with their identities, and a legal redefinition of gender that incorrectly conflates it to biological sex.

1. West Virginia (Tie)

West Virginia’s LGBTQ+ community also accounts for 4.1 percent of the population, but their 60,000 queer adults are less in number than Mississippi. West Virginia has considered 33 anti-LGBTQ+ bills this year, one of which passed — enacting barriers to accurate legal identification.

Takeaways

The states with the fewest queer people are also some of the states proposing the most anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

While there is no data (yet) around mass queer exoduses from these states, some could be moving to avoid legislation. Others may not feel comfortable coming out for census data. 

And while it may not seem as if the South is a popular place for LGBTQ+ people, by raw population, the region actually has the largest percentage of queer adults. The 5.2 million LGBTQ+ people in southern states account for 36.9 percent of the queer people in the U.S. 

While we may not be the majority, LGBTQ+ people across the country have an enormous and undeniable presence wherever they call home.

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Scared for the future and LGBTQ+ rights? Here’s how to cope with the election results

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It’s going to get worse before it gets better — but we’ve been there before. 

With the results of the 2024 presidential election confirmed, members of the LGBTQ+ community are understandably distressed. Seeing as Donald Trump plans to rollback transgender rights and other protections for queer people, it’s clear why 86 percent of LGBTQ+ voters cast their ballots for Kamala Harris, and why 62 percent said they’d be “scared” for Trump to win.

Many are also alarmed that the hateful policies are seemingly what the majority of Americans have endorsed, but Dr. Michelle Forcier, a clinician with LGBTQ+ digital healthcare platform FOLX Health, believes it better to interpret the results in a different way.

“Remember too that despite, yes, Trump won, he really does not represent, in any way, shape or form, a very large number of U.S. citizens,” Forcier tells The Advocate. “We know that unfortunately, many people voted on a single issue, say immigration, the economy, inflation. Many persons decided to vote for someone who represents themselves as a business man, not a politician.”

“While many of these persons may buy into his words and action regarding racism, sexism, ableism, and trans and homophobia, many persons actually do not. They voted on a single issue, and our community is again collateral. Remember his win represents a very skewed and myopic focus for many — but not all — of the voting public. And we can learn from this win and our community can come back stronger.”

There’s room for despair, Forcier says, but there are ways to help get rid of it, too. Here are some of her tips on how to move forward. 

Focus on the little things

One of the most important things to do over the next four years is to “take each moment one moment at a time” and “take each day one day at a time,” Forcier says. Focus on the little things around you that bring you joy: your family, friends, pets, favorite shows, hobbies — whatever it may be. 

“We make space to grieve, and then work through our grief. We make room for hope, since that will help us envision how we move forward,” Forcier says. “We make room for confidence in our strength and abilities, and commitment to a future that is centered on equity and justice.”

Take care of your physical health

Because “we are here” and “we are not going anywhere,” Forcier says “we all need to plan for the long game. And the long game means we need to be whole, healthy, and centered in our best and most authentic selves.”

This means eating healthy, exercising, and sleeping well. It also includes maintaining your social circle and making new connections in your community — not self-isolating. 

“We can get good sleep. We can exercise and make sure our nutrition is supporting our bodies and hearts. We connect and reach out to support, get supported, and create support for family, friends, and community,” Forcier continues. “We stay committed to our idea of what is right and just. We are not going anywhere.”

Stay off social media

For some, it may be cathartic to speak with others online or consume political content. For others, it could make the situation even more distressing. It’s not wrong to want to distract yourself at this moment. 

“It is ok to not be all over the internet right now,” Forcier emphasizes. “Ask yourself — what am I looking for? Is the web creating good feelings of support or anxiety? And finally, ask yourself if you might turn off the computer or phone, and focus on the life and friends and family right there with you.”

Spend time around community

You may be able to find comfort in the people around you, or even just the knowledge that many others are feeling like you are right now. Forcier says to “tap into people and communities that make you feel safe and supported.”

“If those communities are online, your faith based community, a sports or activity group … whatever, whoever is safe and caring is who we need to be with right now,” she says.

Don’t do everything today

There will be calls to action, to mobilize, and to organize in the days ahead. It is not wrong for you to not be feeling up to it now. While using the means you have to fight back can help you to feel empowered, and you should not linger in despair, you do not have to do everything today.

“We don’t need to expose ourselves to false news, false narratives, and the hate that is out there. We can take that step back and say, for now, I need time and space to regroup,” Forcier says. “There will be time where many of us will reassess, venture forth and in direct and indirect ways, start taking on the people and systems that oppress us — but that does not have to be today or right now.”

Keep building hope

Hope is not a feeling that comes and goes — it is an ideal you must keep building day after day. As Forcier notes: “This is another 4 year political cycle. We can take from the experience and we can make of the experience what we will of it.” 

“Will this be a chance to really explore racism, sexism, trans and homophobia in a meaningful way?” she asks. “Will we have opportunity to work harder, more explicitly to call discrimination and hate what it is? Will we not let them subjugate us, not let them squash our spirit — but raise our voices and our hearts so that love conquers hate?”

“I believe that love and compassion is stronger than ignorance, hate, and bias. I believe we have our work cut out for us, and while I wish we did not, it is what it is,” Forcier continues. “We are strong, smart, capable, and if nothing else, resilient. We will get through this false story line based on lies, hate, and power — and the queer community will still be there, and in all likelihood, even stronger.”

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Intersex youth have worse mental health, and ‘harmful’ nonconsensual surgeries may play a part

Intersex young people struggle with their mental health at higher rates than their peers, and how they’re treated by their families and doctors seems to play a part. 

Over half of intersex LGBTQ+ youth (55 percent) reported seriously considering suicide in the past year, according to a new report from the Trevor Project, compared to 39 percent of endosex LGBTQ+ youth — those who do not have an intersex condition. 

There are several factors that could be contributing to this disparity, says lead author Jonah DeChants, including a “combination of stigma and misplaced shame and embarrassment among individuals and researchers as well.”

“Historically, intersex identities have been unfortunately very much stigmatized,” DeChants tells The Advocate. “Some of that stigmatization came from poorly informed but well-intentioned families and medical providers who felt like in order for their child to have a ‘normal life,’ it was better for them to not know or to not talk about their intersex identity with other people, just like other LGBTQ identities.”

This stigma has “really contributed to a lack of funding for research, a lack of thinking to ask people about their intersex status or having sex differences,” according to DeChants, which is something his team wanted to begin rectifying. Their report surveyed 18,663 LGBTQ+ young people, some as young as 13, finding 256 who identified as both intersex and LGBTQ+ (1.4 percent). Though small in number, the disparities the group reported were vast.

Among intersex youth, 13 percent reported being subjected to some form of conversion therapy, in comparison to only 5 percent of their LGBTQ+ endosex peers. “That’s a really big disparity,” DeChants says, and it’s especially concerning when 43 percent of intersex youth who were subjected to conversion therapy reported a suicide attempt in the past year, compared to only 22 percent who hadn’t experienced conversion therapy.

“We can’t establish a causal relationship in the survey. It’s really a snapshot. We can’t tell which came first, the chicken or the egg, but the fact that there are more chickens and more eggs is still an important relationship to document,” he explains. “The fact that those rates are double really shows that there’s a harmful association between experiencing these things specifically among intersex young people.”

DeChants also noted the “similarities between coercive medical procedures and conversion therapy,” as 17 percent of intersex youth reported experiencing asurgical procedure that altered their anatomy or their reproductive organs to “fit normative expectations based on the gender binary.” Two-thirds of those respondents said that they had not consented to those surgeries, and the median age for such procedures was less than 1 year old. 

“We really wanted to highlight the fact that most of those folks did not consent and were not able to consent to those procedures,” DeChants said. “The nonconsensual administration of that health care very early in life is showing a detrimental impact on folks later in life.”

It’s important to keep “educating parents and doctors about the potential harm of these nonconsensual early in life procedures and trying to change the medical protocol and the medical culture around sex differences and intersex identities,” DeChant says, pointing to the work of groups such as interACT that advocate for changes in law and policy. 

For those in the lives of intersex youth, he emphasizes that “it would be better to leave that person’s body alone until they have the ability to determine what their gender identity is or decide what medical interventions feel good for them.” 

“You do not have to have a body that fits into the gender binary in order to have a ‘normal life’ or to be a happy and healthy adult,” DeChant says.

If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline also provides resources to help with other crises, such as domestic violence situations. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.

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LGBTQ+ people are at a higher risk of ‘adverse brain health:’ study

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LGBTQ+ people are at a noticeably higher risk of “adverse brain health outcomes” in comparison to their straight and cisgender peers — and discrimination could be having an impact. 

LGBTQ+ adults are at a 15 percent higher risk of composite brain health outcomes, including dementia, strokes, and late-life depression, according to a new study published in Neurology. Transgender women in particular were found to have higher odds of having strokes.

The study examined data from 393,041 participants with available information on sexual orientation and gender identity, of whom 39,632 (10 percent) identified as some form of LGBTQ+, with 38,528 (97 percent) belonging to a sexual minority and 4,431 (11 percent) to a gender minority.

The report found that LGBTQ+ “persons had higher odds of adverse brain health outcomes,” and that “these results persisted across sexual and gender minorities separately.” It concluded that “further research should explore structural causes of inequity to advance inclusive and diverse neurologic care.”

“It is concerning to see the differences in brain health between sexual gender minority (SGM) individuals and cisgender straight people,” lead author of the study, Shufan Huo, told CNN. “At the same time, I am glad that we can raise awareness for this often overlooked group. Medicine has traditionally focused on white, male patients, but nowadays we realize that this approach does not sufficiently address the needs of our diverse population.”

Huo stressed that the findings do not indicate that simply being LGBTQ+ causes these outcomes. Instead, the trend is made possible by several factors, including discrimination, which can cause stress, depression, and anxiety. Social stigma can also lead to disparities in health care for LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly as they face restrictions on their care from state governments.

Previous reports have demonstrated how discrimination negatively impacts well-being among LGBTQ+ people, as leading cancer research organization the American Cancer Society found in its 2024 Cancer Facts and Figures report that queer people frequently experience “minority stress” in health care settings, leading to an “elevated prevalence” of cancer risk factors.

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Lesbian firefighter awarded $1.3 million from Kansas City after 21 years of harassment

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A Kansas City firefighter was the victim of harassment from her coworkers for over two decades. Now, she’s finally getting her deserved compensation. 

The City Council’s finance committee recommended without comment Tuesday that Rebecca Reynolds receive a $1.3 million settlement in response to over 21 years of mistreatment and abuse from her male coworkers and superiors. The council approved the settlement Thursday, making it the largest discrimination payout in city fire department history.

Reynolds claimed in two lawsuits that she endured decades of abuse from her male coworkers, who often targeted her for being a lesbian and for her age. Reynolds, who graduated from the fire academy at age 40, claimed that the demeaning comments even sometimes occurred in front of patients, including examples in which she was told she was “not normal” because of her sexual orientation and that she was a lesbian was because she had not had sex with the right man.

“There’s no way she would have been yelled at and treated the way she was if she were a man,” said Reynolds’ attorney, Bert Braud of the Popham Law Firm.

Reynolds has agreed to drop the two pending lawsuits, and has also agreed not to file a third case against the department over an incident in which another firefighter reportedly urinated in her office while she was on extended medical leave. 

Pleaze Robinson III was charged with first degree harassment and first degree property damage earlier this year after Reynolds came back to her office in Sept., 2023 and was met with a foul odor. She noticed some of her items were wet and attempted to clean them, only to discover a yellow substance covering her CD player, boogie board, and medic training books, all valued at around $3,000, according to the Kansas City Star.

DNA tests revealed that the liquid was urine, and that it came from Robinson. The firefighter had previously been charged with third degree assault for a road rage incident in 2019 in which he allegedly slammed a woman to the ground and punched her over 30 times.

“None of this had to happen,” Braud said. “Ms. Reynolds was let down by the KCFD chain of command, the city’s internal EEO office, and the HR department. Our community deserves better. It is our hope that the department will start doing the right thing.” 

Reynolds also will resign as part of the settlement, though that was not her decision. She said: “I have a valuable skill set that benefits my community and I leave proud of the job I did.”

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Indiana judge blocks law denying gender-affirming care to prisoners, ruling it’s likely unconstitutional

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A federal judge inIndiana has granted a preliminary injunction requiring the Indiana Department of Correction to provide gender-affirming surgery fortransgender inmate Autumn Cordellioné. 

The decision comes after Cordellioné, a trans woman currently incarcerated in a facility for men, challenged the constitutionality of Indiana’s 2023 law banning gender-affirming surgeries for prisoners.

United States District Court Judge Richard L. Young ruled on Tuesday that the state’s ban on gender-affirming surgery likely violates the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because the care is deemed necessary. The ruling mandates that the IDOC arrange for Cordellioné to receive the surgery immediately.

The case centers on a state law that prohibits the use of state resources to provide gender-affirming surgeries for incarcerated people. Cordellioné, who has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, has been undergoing hormone therapy and social transitioning but argued that surgery is medically necessary to address her ongoing distress. The court’s decision affirms what major medical associations have long argued: that surgery is essential in some cases for the treatment of severe gender dysphoria.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana represented Cordellioné in her legal battle. The organization argued that the blanket denial of gender-affirming surgery amounted to deliberate indifference to a serious medical need, as established under the Eighth Amendment and discriminated against transgenderindividuals in violation of the Equal Protection Clause. The court agreed with the ACLU’s arguments, concluding that Cordellioné’s need for gender-affirming surgery was both urgent and medically necessary.

In a statement following the court’s decision, Ken Falk, legal director of the ACLU of Indiana, emphasized the broader implications of the ruling for transgender rights. “Today marks a significant victory for transgender individuals in Indiana’s prisons. Denying evidence-based medical care to incarcerated people simply because they are transgender is unconstitutional. We are pleased that the Court agreed.”

The ruling also reinforces that states are required to provide adequate medical care to incarcerated people, a principle grounded in the U.S. Constitution.

Cordellioné, who was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2020, has faced multiple suicide attempts and incidents of self-harm due to the severity of her condition. While hormone therapy has provided some relief, Cordellioné has long argued that surgery is essential for her mental and physical well-being. Her legal team, along with experts who testified in her case, emphasized that her dysphoria could not be fully alleviated without the surgery.

Young’s ruling affirms that Indiana’s law represents unconstitutional discrimination based on sex. The judge cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, which determined that discrimination againstLGBTQ+ people is a form of sex discrimination.

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Jack Daniel’s and Harley-Davidson drop DEI programs after conservatives whine

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Jack Daniel’s and Harley Davidson have each announced that they are ending all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts after extremists threatened “anti-woke” boycotts.

The motorcycle company announced Monday that it would be reviewing its sponsorships and pulling out of the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) corporate equality index, while also ensuring that employee training will remain “absent of socially motivated content.”

“We are saddened by the negativity on social media over the last few weeks, designed to divide the Harley-Davidson community,” the corporation wrote. “As a company, we take this issue very seriously, and it is our responsibility to respond with clarity, action and facts.”

The whiskey maker also told its employees in an email Wednesday that it would no longer participate in initiatives like the HRC campaign, and that it would end “quantitative workforce and supplier diversity ambitions.”

“We will continue to foster an inclusive work environment where everyone is welcomed, respected, and able to bring their best self to work,” the message from executive leadership stated. “We know it will not be easy to navigate the road ahead, but please know our deep belief in, and respect for, each of you remains constant.” 

The email was shared by Robby Starbuck, a far-right conspiracy theorist and failed filmmaker who has used his over half a million followers on X, formerly Twitter, to target companies and bully them into dropping DEI, notoriously succeeding with John Deere and Tractor Supply earlier this year. He took credit for Jack Daniel’s decision, claiming it was “the next company we were set to expose.”

Starbuck also believes, among other things, that chemicals turn children LGBTQ+ and that the COVID-19 vaccine caused beloved Friends actor Matthew Perry’s death (neither are true). 

Eric Bloem, Vice President of Programs & Corporate Advocacy at the HRC, said in a statement that “decisions to cut Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives send a clear signal to employees that their employers simply don’t care about equality in the workplace.”

“Putting politics ahead of workers and consumers only hurts the same folks that these businesses rely on,” Bloem said. “Harley-Davidson’s choice to back away from the Corporate Equality Index is an impulsive decision fueled by fringe right-wing actors and MAGA extremists who believe they can bully their way into dismantling initiatives that help everyone thrive in the workplace.” 

“With nearly 30 percent of Gen Z identifying as LGBTQ+ and the community wielding $1.4 trillion in spending power, retreating from these principles undermines both consumer trust and employee success,” Bloem concluded.

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The 2024 elections are severely impacting transgender people’s mental and physical health

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The rapidly-approaching presidential election is going to have major ramifications for transgender people — and it’s weighing heavily on their minds. 

In a year where 1 in 5 trans people lost access to healthcare due to anti-LGBTQ+ laws, 58 percent have considered moving to a different state, according to a new survey from FOLX Health. With the November elections on the horizon, 67 percent are proactively making plans to change their use of gender-affirming care.

9 in 10 respondents said that they believe the presidential election will have a “major impact” on healthcare for LGBTQ+ people, with 65 percent saying it will have a “major impact” in their state. Because of this, over two-thirds are either stockpiling their medications, or delaying or expediting their treatment. 

Political discourse has affected the emotional well-being of 86 percent of respondents, led to strained familial relationships among 67 percent, and created fear for the safety of themselves and their loved ones among 67 percent. Over half (58 percent) reported the discourse leading to real-world bullying and harassment, with 58 percent also reporting online abuse related to politics. 

92 percent said that the election discourse is causing them to feel anxious, and 2 in 3 are experiencing “frequent mental distress” because of it. The rates of mental distress are particularly alarming, as in 2021, just 33 percent of trans people reported frequent poor mental health days — approximately half of those reporting distress three years later.

Despite the widespread crisis, 55 percent said they were unable to access mental health treatment, with 46 percent saying could not find a provider inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. 

However, mental health concerns have slightly improved since President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race, with the respondents reporting lower rates of frustration (86 percent now compared to 95 percent previously), lower rates of uninterest (11 percent vs. 21 percent), and higher rates of enthusiasm (32 percent) and hopefulness (48 percent). Over 1 in 4 (28 percent) believe thatKamala Harris “very much so” addresses the concerns of the LGBTQ+ community.

“As we approach the 2024 election, it is essential to mobilize and empower the LGBTQ+ community to make their voices heard at the poll,” the report reads. “By fostering awareness and engagement, we can drive meaningful change and address the needs and concerns of the LGBTQ+ community.”

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Did you know most anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has failed? ‘We’re getting these wins’

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Pride Month may be over, but there’s still a lot of victories for the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate. 

Out of the over 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in 2023, only 80 were passed into law, documented by organizations like the Trevor Project and the American Civil Liberties Union. Just halfway through 2024, just 41 of the 527 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced have passed into law. 

While those numbers may still seem daunting, it’s important to note the low success rate of legislators attempting to pass these laws — or rather, the high success rate of the queer activists working to block them. Furthermore, there are several states that have passed laws protecting LGBTQ+ rights in education and health care so far this year.

“We as a community have been successful in really sharing our experiences and stories with our representatives and local media,” Gabby Doyle, Senior Manager of State Advocacy at the Trevor Project, told The Advocate. “We’re able to really turn out, and I think advocates have been really successful at ensuring that our voices, our stories, have been really visible, and ensure that folks know that we are here and that we will not quietly let these pieces of legislation pass.”

Just this year, Washington and Minnesota have voted to enact inclusive curriculum covering LGBTQ+ history and identity, and Colorado has approved protections for LGBTQ+ students ensuring their identities will be validated and not shared without their permission. Maine, Maryland, and Rhode Island have each also passed shield laws protecting youth’s access to gender-affirming care. 

A clear divide is present in the United States, as it it largely blue states passing legislation to protect LGBTQ+ people, whereas red states are generally the ones restricting queer rights. Doyle said that is “unfortunate that there are states where these anti LGBTQ bills are successful because of the primary makeup of what the legislature looks like.”

“LGBTQ young people, wherever they live, regardless of the political climate, deserve to be supported and affirmed and live in a community that recognizes and celebrates LGBTQ identity,” she continued.

However, Doyle noted that red states have become increasingly unsuccessful in passing such laws — Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota all ended their legislative sessions this year without passing any anti-LGBTQ+ bills. Doyle credits this to the hard work of advocates in the states, as well as the public’s decreasing interest in the topics.

“Even in states where the political makeup may be more conservative, we know that there’s vibrant, beautiful, queer communities. In every single state, we know that there’s going to be advocates there,” she said, adding, “It does signal what is and isn’t a winning issue.”

Despite the unbalance, it is still the negative stories that seem to get more attention than the positive developments. While Doyle believes it is crucial to understand and pay attention to the legislation impacting the community, she recognized that “it’s really easy to feel overwhelmed by just the volume of anti LGBTQ legislation, let alone knowing what bills have been enacted.”

“In our national survey for this year, an overwhelming 90 percent of LGBTQ young people reported being negatively impacted by the discussion of recent politics,” Doyle said. “So in the inverse is true also, when they see that proactive in affirming legislation is able to be passed, it has a positive impact on their mental health.”

Sometimes a step back is necessary, Doyle said, to ground yourself and connect with your community “regardless of what the state tries or what the states enacts in a discriminatory fashion.”

“They can’t take away that joint community,” she said. “It’s so essential for us to really focus on ourselves and our mental health. We need to take care of ourselves first, especially when we know we are in this for the long haul. I’m in this for the long haul. And if I’m not nourishing myself and ensuring that I find peace and happiness with my community, I won’t be able to continue to do this.”

To Doyle, it’s important not just to remember the victories, but to also actively celebrate them, as they are worth taking pride in.

“We need to understand what’s at stake, but we also need to really pause and celebrate what we have achieved, because the LGBTQ community has played such a huge role in advancing these wins and advocating for their own communities to make them a reality,” she said. “And because of these wins, LGBTQ young people across the country will be safer and more affirmed.”

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