With all the promising news about marriage equality coming out of the U.S. Supreme Court, it can be easy to overlook the many other civil rights fights the LGBT community is facing all over the country.
The Human Rights Campaign has got some news on other fronts, reporting that more than 85 anti-LGBT bills have been introduced in 28 state legislatures this year. The bills fall roughly into four categories: nullification of civil right protections, anti-transgender movements, refusals by religious organizations, and promotion of so-called “conversion therapies.”
According to the HRC:
“Among the recently introduced anti-LGBT legislation is a pair of bills in Nevada that would allow individuals and businesses to use religion to challenge or opt out of laws, including laws that protect LGBT people from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. Similar legislation was also recently introduced in Montana and is still pending in Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, Texas and elsewhere.
Bills that would allow adoption agencies to use religion to discriminate against eligible parents and guardians have been newly introduced in Alabama and Florida. These new bills are similar to a series of bills moving through the Michigan legislature.
Even in states with long traditions of support for equality, anti-equality lawmakers are introducing anti-LGBT bills. Massachusetts, for example, is the latest state with a bill that would criminalize transgender people for using appropriate restrooms. Anti-transgender ‘bathroom surveillance’ bills are now pending in Florida, Texas and a handful of other states.
Collectively, this rising storm of anti-LGBT legislation underlines an increased effort to deprive LGBT Americans and other minority groups of basic protections. Across the country, HRC is joining state-based LGBT equality organizations and other allies to stanch the tide.”
The HRC provides more detailed information to help the LGBT community and its allies fight the good fight. There’s certainly plenty to be proud of at Pride celebrations this summer. But it’s good to remember how far we’ve come in some respects and all that we’ve still got to march for.
