A demonstrator holds a rainbow pride flag during the Drag March LA protest in West Hollywood, California on April 9. Photo: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency on Tuesday for LGBTQ+ people living in the U.S., the first time the organization has made such a warning in its 40-year history.
The big picture: The historic declaration comes in response to an "unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year," HRC said in a press release.
- Already this year, more than 75 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community have been signed into law, per HRC.
- HRC also released a guidebook, which includes a summary of state laws and various resources, including a guide for LGBTQ+ travelers and ways to advocate against laws targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
What they're saying: 'The multiplying threats facing millions in our community are not just perceived — they are real, tangible and dangerous," Kelley Robinson, the president of HRC, said in a statement.
- "In many cases, [the laws] are resulting in violence against LGBTQ+ people, forcing families to uproot their lives and flee their homes in search of safer states, and triggering a tidal wave of increased homophobia and transphobia that puts the safety of each and every one of us at risk."
State of play: There has been an uptick in legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community over the last several years. More than 400 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced this year, according to the ACLU.
- Lawmakers in several red states have also introduced new laws targeting transgender rights and gender-affirming care for minors.
- The historic number of bills targeting transgender people is already having a negative impact on trans youths' mental health.
Zoom in: HRC's state of emergency, coinciding with the beginning of Pride Month, comes after pride organizers in some Florida towns canceled events for the month following a slate of anti-LGTBQ+ bills signed into law.
- The NAACP also issued a formal travel advisory for Florida last month, saying the state has become "openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals."
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