Victories for LGBTQ+ Folks Abounded in the 2024 Election
It can be easy to get lost in the noise of major defeats, but there are a tremendous number of victories worth celebrating. This week is some important reminders, and some reasons to celebrate.
Hey folks! I know it's been a long week. Before we get into the good news (and believe it or not, there's a lot of that to go around!) I want to start with a profound thank you. To everyone who shared last week's newsletter, to everyone who is new here, and particularly to everyone who reached out to thank me or to see how I was doing. Thank you. Being able to give and receive so much love and support from my community has been a major source of hope in a challenging time. Thank you all, and welcome to all the folks that have joined in!
I also want to share a free resource I'm putting out into the world next week. Every year, I host an event called "Home for the holidays". We’ll be talking about strategies for support and safety, preparing for relatives that may not be particularly inclusion-minded, and talking about how on earth we’re supposed to find joy right now. The event is free, open to all identities and knowledge levels. Whether you want to show up as an ally to a specific family member, are worried for your own sanity, or just wanna level up your allyship, I would love to see you there.
This week, I'm going to share a few reminders that have been bringing me joy, sanity, clarity, and purpose. Then, I'll share the good news of the many tremendous victories that were overshadowed by last week's less-good-news.
We are not the same people that we were in 2016. We are stronger, we are better organized, we are more prepared, we are better connected, and we are more empowered to understand our role in fighting for a better world. This also applies to the organizations that support us. While 2016 left us scrambling in what we thought were unthinkable results, so many organizations are already hitting the ground running and building strong frameworks for support and resistance. We are much, much more prepared this time around.
Blue state governors are already going hard for their trans, queer, immigrant, woman, etc. citizens. They understand the threat Trump poses, and are already building support systems to react to and minimize or even prevent damage to their citizens that will create sanctuaries within the US for access to care and other resources.
Do not obey in advance. This is a line from Timothy Snyder's book: On Tyrrany. Do not roll over and accept that certain rights are gone just because he has blustered about it or stated his intentions to do certain things. Even in states with active anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, enforcement is often lax or nonexistent. We can, and should, resist attempts to erase us. Do not let them erase you, your loved ones, or your joy, just because you assume they will eventually.
The world trends up. I take great comfort in knowing that whatever Trump and his hooligans try to do, I will still have more rights, safety, community, and access to healthcare as a trans person than I would have 30 years ago. This backlash is largely a reaction to that fact--a desparate attempt to slow an unrelenting charge towards a better world for us all. Whatever obstacles they may throw our way, they are temporary. They are survivable.
I need you to stay alive. We are building a better world, and you deserve to get to see it. You're really going to let Trump outlive you? I don't think so.
Okay, now onto some good news!
Trans and queer elected officials:
There are so many major firsts that we won this year. Sarah McBride is the first transgender person elected to US congress. In Texas, Julie Johnson made history as the first out LGBTQ+ person ever elected to Congress from the South. For the first time, LGBTQ+ candidates won races for state houses in Tennessee, Kentucky, Iowa, and other states. Overall, LGBTQ+ candidates performed extremely well: of 477 candidates tracked by the LGBTQ Victory Institute, there was an 80% success rate, with victories in 40 states! For a full list of victories, check out this fantastic article from NBCOut.
People power at the ballot box:
Voters in Colorado, California, and Hawaii used ballot initiatives to further protect same-sex marriage in their states!
New York, Arizona, and Montana passed initiatives to protect access to abortion, and here in Missouri I had the honor of participating in the campaign to be the first state to overturn a TOTAL abortion ban with the power of people!
Elected Officials standing proudly with transgender people:
While a small group of democrats have made divisive public statements about transgender people holding fault for Kamala Harris's defeat, a far louder chorus of voices has taken a firm stance for inclusion. Check out Erin Reed's article about it for a deeper dive of some of the most passionate, affirming statements.
Okay, folks. That's all for this week. Whether you've been here since the beginning or are brand new to Good Queer News, I'm glad you're here. To hold the hearts of my community in my hands is a responsibility I do not take lightly, and I have every intention of continuing to fight for and report on all the good news I can. Thank you for helping me make that possible!
If you found meaning or support in this week's newsletter, don't forget to subscribe, share with a friend, or pledge a subscription if you’d like to see more from me!
Thank you so much for this good news! These statements are more powerful and helpful than anything I've read since the election. We are so lucky to have you!