More than 70 national, state and local LGBTQ+ rights and advocacy organizations released a “statement of solidarity” on Wednesday in response to this week’s election results.
“Election results at the national, state, and local levels will impact our health, safety, and rights as LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and families,” the statement said. “Despite anti-LGBTQIA2S+ efforts to divide our communities, and particularly serious attacks against transgender people and LGBTQIA2S+ youth, we have managed to take a few more steps toward equity and justice for our community. »
The letter highlighted the re-election of lesbians US Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and the election of the first transgender member of Congress, Representative-elect Sarah McBrideof Delaware.
The statement did not mention Trump by name. But he and other Republican candidates have frequently used anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in their ads, remarks and campaign platforms, particularly against transgender and non-binary people.
The statement was signed by groups including the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, GLAAD, numerous PFLAG and Equality chapters, the Transgender Law Center, Advocates for Trans Equality and the Trevor Project, a youth suicide prevention organization .
Jaymes Black, CEO of the Trevor Project, said separately in an email that his crisis line volume from LGBTQ+ youth seeking help increased by about 125% on Election Day through midday Wednesday.