From ballot initiatives to repeal, to local nondiscrimination ordinances in the 1970s, through the wave of statewide measures banning marriage for same-sex couples in the 2000s, generations of LGBTQ+ people and our families know the dread of having our basic rights put to a popular vote: seeing our lives distorted by ugly, misleading campaign rhetoric; watching pundits and politicians debate how much dignity we deserve; fearing a routine disagreement with a neighbor or co-worker could influence their vote; and living with the alienation and rejection that follow a loss.
After Oregon voters approved an anti-LGBTQ+ marriage amendment in November 2004—one of 13 states to do so that year—one Portland lesbian described the alienation and isolation she felt at “the possibility that half of the state of Oregon thinks that I don’t deserve to be treated equally.” She added, “I just can’t fathom that, because I don’t see myself as a monster.”
We know the toll these campaigns take. Research from the 1990s and 2000s shows LGB adults in states with anti-LGBTQ+ ballot fights experienced significantly more minority stress and higher psychological distress than those in states without them.
Now, the targets are transgender youth, and the stakes are especially high. Ballot initiative campaigns in six states are putting their lives and well-being up for high-profile debate at a time when they are already struggling with increased anxiety, depression and suicide risk after years of state and now-intense federal assault on their basic rights.
In Maine, a measure solely funded by Midwest billionaire Richard Uihlein would bar transgender students of any age from any school sport—a core school activity where kids find friendship, teamwork, confidence and belonging—and restrict their ability to use the bathroom while at school. Meanwhile, Colorado, Missouri and Washington will have measures on the November ballot to ban school sports participation or restrict access to health care for transgender youth. In Nebraska and Nevada, anti-LGBTQ+ activists are currently gathering signatures for similar proposals.
Putting kids in the position where experience shows they will just avoid using the bathroom at school is not only cruel, it has negative consequences for their learning and health. Policies truly meant to address fairness in sports would at minimum take specific facts into consideration, such as age and level of competition and contact in a sport. A blanket rule denying transgender students access to school programs, including sports, just further stigmatizes kids who are already vulnerable to unfair treatment and opens the door to harassment of any student who doesn’t conform to gender stereotypes.
As with previous waves of anti-LGBTQ+ ballot initiatives, these aren’t isolated fights. They are a coordinated national strategy from well-funded politicians who want to roll back LGBTQ+ rights by targeting the most vulnerable members of our community. History tells us these efforts won’t stop with trans youth. They’re designed to divide Americans, chip away at the scope of anti-discrimination protections that apply more broadly and build momentum for further attacks on our community.
This moment demands engagement from the entire LGBTQ+ community and our allies. The lesson of previous ballot initiative fights is clear: when any part of our community is singled out, there is a ripple effect. Silence or complacency from any segment of our community, especially LGB people or those living in progressive states, only emboldens those who are bent on destroying the incredible progress we’ve made toward equality for all.
We owe it to the generations of queer youth coming up behind us to fight these initiatives with all we have.
So what can we do?
First, pay attention, not just to what’s happening in your state, but across New England and the country. These campaigns depend on disengagement. GLAD Law is proud to be part of the Campaign for Free and Fair Schools, the coalition that is working to defeat Maine’s anti-trans ballot question. You can learn more about the campaign—and Mainers can sign a pledge to vote against it—at gladlaw.org.
Second, support organizations and coalitions on the ground in affected states. Volunteer, amplify accurate information, and have conversations with friends and family about how these measures will hurt kids.
Third, show up. If a measure reaches your ballot, vote! Then help others do the same. If it doesn’t, your voice still matters. These campaigns are fueled by national money and messaging, and they can be countered by national solidarity.
We’ve been here before. We know the harm these campaigns cause and what it takes to defeat them: persistence, resistance, solidarity and a refusal to let fear define us. The question now is whether we’ll act on those lessons—all of us—together.
More: gladlaw.org
