Check out these updates from Kelley Robinson highlighting key issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community in a special note for members and supporters of HRC.

Want to get these in real-time? Join our mailing list to receive these directly in your inbox! You can also follow Kelley Robinson on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Embracing Progress, Fighting Extremism

Dear Friends,

It's been an eventful and consequential week for the Human Rights Campaign and our allies. We celebrated Trans Day of Visibility with a powerful show of support from President Biden and leaders like White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Senator Raphael Warnock.

Despite efforts by extremists to sow division, transgender and non-binary visibility and allyship only continues to grow. Trans Day of Visibility was started 15 years ago by Michigan activist Rachel Crandall-Crocker and is now celebrated internationally to mark the progress we've made, while recommitting to the work still ahead to secure full equality and inclusion for all.

Growing support for the trans community was recently exemplified by the historic election of Jay M. Jones as the first transgender woman to become the Howard University Student Association President. As an alumna of our National HBCU Leadership Summit, Jay's victory is a testament to the progress we're driving on campuses across the country.

Howard's Next Student Leaders Revealed After Weeks of Campaigning

Having strong LGBTQ+ representation in student leadership roles at HBCUs is crucial for fostering more inclusive campus communities. Jay's election sends a powerful message that LGBTQ+ students belong and can thrive in every aspect of campus life. We're proud of Jay and look forward to her leadership at Howard.

We also saw crucial victories for transgender youth, as Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers vetoed two discriminatory bills that would have banned trans students from participating in sports and censored LGBTQ+ curriculum. These vetoes in a key swing state underscore the political cost of anti-LGBTQ+ extremism.

In Wisconsin, a crucial election battleground, anti-LGBTQ+ attacks are dead on arrival

As hateful anti-trans bills continue to be introduced in state legislatures across the country, these vetoes are an important reminder that discrimination against transgender youth remains deeply unpopular with the American people. We'll keep fighting alongside state and local partners to oppose these harmful bills wherever they arise.

This week also brought tragedy once again on the global stage. We mourned the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including an American, who were killed in an Israeli air attack in the Gaza Strip. World Central Kitchen, an NGO founded by Michelin-starred chef Jose Andres and his wife in 2010, provides fresh meals to areas facing conflict or natural disaster. The United Nations has warned that Gaza is on the brink of famine, and President Biden has called for an immediate ceasefire to protect civilians and provide humanitarian aid. We join the global community in condemning these horrible attacks and demand accountability for the innocent lives lost.

In Uganda, we condemned the Constitutional Court's decision to uphold the majority of the draconian "Anti-Homosexuality Act," which will only embolden further violence against LGBTQ+ Ugandans. This is a heartbreaking setback for LGBTQ+ rights in Uganda and across the region.
We stand in unwavering solidarity with LGBTQ+ Ugandans and the human rights advocates fighting tirelessly to oppose this unjust law. Working together with global partners, we will continue to support efforts to protect LGBTQ+ communities in Uganda and build a world where everyone is free to love.

In these challenging times, Bayard Rustin's words ring true: we are all called to be "angelic troublemakers." I'm grateful for your partnership in this work, and I know that together, we will continue to build a world where everyone can live freely and openly as their true selves.

Allies and Advocacy: Speaking Truth to Power

Dear Friends,

The past week highlighted both the progress we have achieved in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality and the urgency of the battles still ahead of us.

We began the week celebrating University of South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley for her principled stance of solidarity with transgender athletes in the face of criticism.

By refusing to engage with attempts to divide our community, Coach Dawn showed true leadership. Moments like these remind us that while acceptance is growing, courage is still required to stand up against efforts to roll back dignity and basic fairness. And it’s on all of us to lift and celebrate that courage when and where we can.

This week, we kicked off Equality in Action, HRC’s largest member-volunteer and board gathering of the year. During the three-day event, participants hear from speakers about the fight for LGBTQ+ equality, take part in learning and development opportunities, and network with other volunteer leaders from around the country. Attendees also take their voices to Capitol Hill, advocating for the passage of the Equality Act and urging federal lawmakers to stand up against anti-LGBTQ+ extremism taking place on both the state and federal levels.

Our Equality in Action Leadership Weekend continued with First Lady Jill Biden’s keynote address passionately urging our community to “fight like Hell” against attacks and stressing the importance of mobilizing equality voters ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Under the Biden-Harris administration, more progress has been made for LGBTQ+ Americans than ever before. But the progress of the past few years is fragile as extremists make an all-out effort to undermine equality at all levels of government.

With so much at stake, we cannot become complacent in 2024. That is why we came out early to endorse Biden-Harris and this week we joined millions of Americans in launching Out for Biden-Harris. One of our first orders of business is to recruit thousands of volunteers across the country. This coming Monday (April 15) I’ll be joining. I’m joining the Out for Biden-Harris team, NCTE Action Fund Executive Director Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, Rep. Robert Garcia, and actor Wilson Cruz for a national volunteer recruitment event. I invite you to join us in our commitment to winning in November.

As we move through spring, we know our work is cut out for us. My hope is that we will take heart knowing that together we are more powerful than we have ever been as a movement. The extremists who want to roll back the clock on progress know that the spirit of justice is unstoppable when good people stand united. Today and every day I want to thank you for all you do.

Renewing Advocacy, Celebrating Milestones

Dear Friends,

I want to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to our incredible board chairs, Elizabeth Schlesinger and Jamaul Webster, for their heartfelt message last week. It is an absolute honor to lead and serve this incredible movement alongside all of you. Our work is more critical now than ever before, as we continue to fight for justice, equality and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

Looking back on the events of the past week, we witnessed yet another stark reminder of the challenges we face in protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ students. The Oklahoma State Board of Education (OSDE) meeting was an emotionally charged gathering where individuals passionately voiced their concerns and criticisms against State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters. The message was clear and resounding: Ryan Walters must be removed from office.

During the meeting, many public speakers utilized their time to highlight Walters' abuse of power and mismanagement of public funding and his failure to protect LGBTQ+ students and ensure the safety of Oklahoma schools. HRC’s own Cathryn Oakley, Senior Director of Legal Policy, spoke to Walters’ reckless directive to Oklahoma schools to defy new federal rules meant to protect LGTBQ+ students. These voices were not alone, as comments from current and former educators and librarians were also read aloud, shedding light on ongoing attacks on inclusive classrooms, lack of leadership and resources from the OSDE, a teacher exodus and offensive rhetoric from Walters himself.

In a distressing turn of events, one parent who stood up to confront Walters was unjustly treated. Placed in handcuffs, forcibly removed from the building and arrested by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, this parent's arrest took place in front of their own children. This dramatic escalation further underscores the urgent need for change and accountability within Oklahoma's education system.

The outcry in Oklahoma reflects a broader struggle against extremism, as LGBTQ+ families refuse to allow their dignity or rights to be erased. We must find solace in the fact that we are not alone in this fight. Our collective resilience and determination will be the driving force behind our success.

That is why this week the Human Rights Campaign PAC was proud to endorse Michelle Vallejo in the race for Texas’ 15th Congressional District seat. Michelle Vallejo has been a champion for the communities of South Texas, keeping the voices of those most vulnerable a priority above all else. Her hard work, courage, and grit, led by a lifelong dedication to helping her neighbors, is exactly what we need to advance LGBTQ+ rights and protect reproductive freedoms.

In the spirit of celebrating trailblazers and barrier-breaking achievements, I am thrilled to share that we recently partnered with Politico, Google, Visa and Warner Brothers Discovery to host an evening honoring Eugene Daniels. Eugene made history as the first Black gay man to serve as President of the White House Correspondents Association, and it was an incredible privilege to recognize his groundbreaking accomplishments. As attacks on our community persist, it is vital that we continue to show up for and support individuals who break down barriers and pave the way for a more inclusive society.

Lastly, I want to take a moment to reflect on an extraordinary milestone. I am still pinching myself with disbelief — being named a Time100 honoree is something I never thought possible. To be included among the esteemed Titans of industry like Patrick Mahomes, Thasunda Brown Duckett, Donna Langley and Beth Ford is truly humbling. However, what fills me with the greatest sense of pride is the fact that this year's Time100 list was brimming with LGBTQ+ resistors and persistors. Remarkable individuals like Colman Domingo, Elliot Page, Jonathan Anderson and Rosanna Flamer-Caldera were recognized for their courage and contributions. Our presence, visibility and recognition underscore the fact that we belong in every room and every leadership position we find ourselves in.

As part of being honored, I participated in the Time100 Summit alongside Amanda Nguyen for a discussion moderated by CNN’s Abby Phillip. Check out the full panel and our discussion on what effective advocacy can accomplish in 2024 and beyond.

While we continue to navigate the path toward equality and justice, my hope is that we draw strength from the events of the past week. Together, we can create a world where every individual is treated with dignity, respect, and equality.