WASHINGTON — On the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is celebrating the progress won for the LGBTQ community in states and across the country. At every stage, Democratic legislators have been at the forefront of the fight for equality, leading the charge for marriage equality, bans on conversion therapy, and nondiscrimination protections.
“We are proud to stand with the LGBTQ community and recommit ourselves to the fight for equality this Pride Month,” said DLCC President Jessica Post. “Generations of activists and leaders struggled to win their full freedoms as Americans and make this country a better place. While we’ve made incredible progress in recent years, we still have lots of work to do. Democrats across the country are advocating for our LGBTQ friends and neighbors as we work to safeguard the rights and dignity of every American.”
LGBTQ representation in state houses reached historic highs this year, with over 150 Democratic legislators serving openly in states across the country. There are also 19 LGBTQ Democrats in legislative leadership positions, the most in history.
Alongside strides in representation, state Democrats have also led the push for passing progressive legislation. After flipping the General Assembly blue in 2019, Virginia Democrats passed the first comprehensive antidiscrimination protections in the South.
And while the Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County represents incredible progress on LGBTQ rights, Democratic-led states already banned employment discrimination and go much further in providing protections in all public accommodations. Despite the court’s ruling, most red states still lack these basic, commonsense protections. While the fight for equality has come a long way, there’s still work to be done.
“Despite all of the incredible progress we’ve seen, Republican legislators remain steadfastly opposed to equal rights for the LGBTQ community, and even want to take us backward in many cases,” added Post. “We will continue fighting to hold them accountable and safeguard the civil rights of every American.”
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