October is LGBTQ history month, and while there are many defining moments from previous decades, it’s important to remember that the community is still facing hardships. Some events that have defined the movement’s current goals are as follows:
March 23, 2016: North Carolina Passes Anti-Trans Bathroom Bill
Under Governor Pat McCrory’s leadership, North Carolina passed House Bill Two, a law stating that individuals must use the restroom that corresponds with the gender that is listed on their birth certificate. This bill evidently targeted transgender people, and as of now has only partially been repealed.
June 12, 2016: Pulse Shooter Targets Latinx LGBTQ People
Omar Mateen opened fired at Pulse Nightclub, a gay club located in Orlando, Florida. 49 people were killed, and 58 people were injured. The night of the shooting was Latin Night at Pulse, and as a result, Latinx-LGBTQ people were disproportionately affected.
August 25th, 2017: President Trump Bans Transgender People from the Military
President Trump announced his decision to ban transgender people from the military, despite the fact that up to 10,000 transgender people are actively serving. The President did not make it clear as to what would happen to those members.
October 11, 2017: Conversion Therapy is Legal in 41 States
As of today, 41 states have yet to ban conversion therapy, a practice that aims to “cure” individuals from their sexuality or gender identity and is widely discredited. Survivors of conversion therapy were physically abused against their will. Because they were minors in states where there is no legislation concerning conversion therapy, they could not refuse the treatment.
All of these events have occurred within the past two years, serving as a reminder that the fight to end homophobia and transphobia is nowhere near over.
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