By Michael Arceneaux / Bloomberg Opinion
For the first time in its 40-year history, the Human Rights Campaign has declared a “state of emergency” for LGBTQ+ Americans. Some may respond to the announcement with cynicism or indifference. What does such a declaration really do anyway?
Well, the answer is not “nothing.” And those who fixate on whether the organization is just being hyperbolic or seeking attention miss that the group’s announcement meets head-on the moment we live in.
The first thing that the HRC’s historic move does is give vulnerable communities — which have been targeted (at times violently) by elected officials, companies, celebrities, news networks, school districts and fellow voters — a guidebook for staying safe. It is available for download and includes health and safety information, summations of state-specific laws targeting LGBTQ+ Americans, “know your rights” information and other resources “designed to support LGBTQ+ travelers as well as those already living in hostile states.”
It’s a meaningful step above the travel advisory the organization issued for the state of Florida last month. While we’re on the topic of travel advisories, recall that the NAACP also issued one for Florida because the state has turned it into a place that is “hostile to Black Americans.”
In a perfect world, this type of policy would not be ignored or, more important, cripple the very people it intends to protect from harm. But we live in a world where Black and LGBTQ+ people live, work and own businesses in Florida. And those who don’t will still travel there out of necessity or for vacation.
Three Black-led organizations that fight for equality and equity in the travel and tourism industries —- Future of Black Tourism, Blacks in Travel & Tourism and the Black Travel Alliance — issued a statement pointing to the ways that the NAACP move was shortsighted:
While we recognize that the Florida NAACP Conference and the national office of the NAACP feel it is their responsibility to take a stance, where is the consideration that the travel advisory can become damaging to small Black travel and tourism businesses and underserved communities in Florida that rely heavily on tourism?
The same can be said about the LGBTQ+ community, which is why the HRC’s guidebook is instrumental in helping to realistically navigate a hostile landscape. But it’s not just this resource that makes the declaration noteworthy, which leads us to the second thing HRC’s announcement does. As a Black gay man and author, I see it as a cry for help and a call to action ahead of the 2024 presidential election because, thus far, my community is arguably being abandoned across the nation.
HRC President Kelley Robinson recently told the Associated Press that we need “people in power at every level” to fight like they’ve done since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. “When Dobbs fell, you saw a federal response to deal with the abortion crisis that we’re in,” Robinson said. “We are in a crisis of even greater scale to the health and well-being of the LGBTQ community, and we need that same sort of response.”
If you’re skeptical of the need, consider Exhibit A: In the background of growing acceptance of marriage equality and other LGBTQ+ rights found in polling, state legislators are proposing and passing laws designed to complicate the lives of queer and trans people. In its declaration, the HRC cited the passage of more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills already this year and noted that it more than doubled the amount passed last year; the worst year on record.
November 2024 may determine whether such open hostility can be replicated on a federal level. We’re already seeing signs of the possibility on the campaign trail. Republican presidential hopefuls such as Nikki Haley are using the LGBTQ+ community as a scapegoat for the nation’s problems. During her recent CNN town hall, she said: “How are we supposed to get our girls used to the fact that biological boys are in their locker room? And then they wonder why a third of our teenage girls seriously contemplated suicide last year.”
If you need even more convincing, consider Exhibit B: noticeably fewer Pride campaigns this year, and companies known for being even mildly LGBTQ-friendly seem less willing to stand up for us or are pulling support in the face of criticism. (I’m looking at you, Target, Bud Light and Los Angeles Dodgers.)
Much as some of us have poked fun at how companies rainbow-wash their merchandise and stores during the month of June — only to pull it all down right as July starts — these campaigns put money in the hands of LGBTQ+ people. They get paid for designing items, or proceeds from sales get donated to charities that help the community gain wider acceptance.
So, no, the HRC is not being hyperbolic in its warning about the political climate, the dangers it poses to LGBTQ+ people, and what must be done by everyone to change it. Does it fix everything? No, but it is certainly not a PR stunt. It is a justified plea for a more coordinated effort to fight back against a coordinated effort to strip the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.
Michael Arceneaux writes about pop culture, politics, race, sexuality, religion, class and gender. He is the author of “I Don’t Want to Die Poor” and “I Can’t Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I’ve Put My Faith in Beyoncé.”
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