Despite the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ bills that flooded state legislatures in 2022, less than 10% actually became law.
A recent report from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) found that only 29 of the 315 anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed last year passed.
The report also noted that 24 pro-equality bills became law in 2022.
It also found, unsurprisingly, that trans and non-binary people (mostly youth) were the most targeted group, with 149 bills aimed at this community. 17 bills targeting trans youth passed into law last year, HRC noted. Another trend was “Don’t Say Gay” bills, with 70 filed and seven becoming law to restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities in the classroom.
While HRC celebrated the great news that LGBTQ+ activists fighting these bills have been largely successful, HRC pointed out the devastating effects that even one anti-LGBTQ+ law can have, in addition to the mental health effects LGBTQ+ people experience by the mere proposal of so many hateful bills.
“These bills are terrible public policy, and we are also deeply cognizant of how every harmful anti-LGBTQ+ bill that is signed into law has a devastating impact on the lives and well-being of LGBTQ+ people, particularly children,” said Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Policy and Political Affairs JoDee Winterhof.
“The legislative assault and hateful rhetoric towards our community has also led to more stigma, discrimination, and ultimately, suicide and deadly violence – particularly against the transgender community. As we continue our fight for LGBTQ+ equality, this report underscores that equality is the winning side of this issue.”
“Despite the increasing number of bills filed nationwide, advocates and activists on the ground were able to beat back the majority of this legislation,” added Fran Hutchins, Executive Director of the Equality Federation Institute, in a statement. “We know the mere introduction and discussion of these bills further fuels anti-LGBTQ+ stigma nationwide, resulting in violence against our community. It’s more important than ever to focus our attention on protecting LGBTQ+ people in the states, where the work is hard, but the impact is great.”
The report also called out Alabama for passing “the most anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-transgender legislation in recent history. ”
At the tail end of its legislative session, the Alabama legislature passed a series of anti-LGBTQ+ policies, including criminalizing parents who provide gender-affirming care for their kids.
Despite their many losses in 2022, Republicans haven’t shown any signs of slowing down their vendetta against LGBTQ+ people. So far this year, more than 100 bills have been introduced in at least 25 states by Republican lawmakers to restrict trans rights, from sports and bathroom bans to hormone therapy restrictions and fines for “misusing” pronouns.
Lawmakers are also broadening proposed bans beyond trans youth.
In Oklahoma, a new bill seeks to bar all gender-affirming care for individuals up to 26 years old. The bill targets healthcare providers and says anyone who violates the rule could face felony charges and have their medical license revoked.
In North Dakota this month, a Republican lawmaker introduced legislation that would fine people $1500 for using pronouns that differed from a person’s biological sex. That bill was rejected by the state’s senate judiciary committee.