PORTLAND, Ore. — Threats against LGBTQ+ communities have been increasing in recent years, both in the northwest and across the country. Law enforcement agencies are tracking a sharp increase in hate crimes, and meanwhile the Department of Homeland Security has issued warnings about the potential for attacks on LGBTQ-friendly events. The recent Supreme Court decision has many worried about the potential for discrimination.
The effects have been seen locally as well, with everything from hate speech to homicides. But LGBTQ+ people and their allies in Portland say they're not giving up on the fight for their rights.
Basic Rights Oregon is an organization that works to ensure all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two spirit, intersex and asexual Oregonians experience equality. Basic Rights Oregon statewide engagement manager Gaby Gardiner and communications manager Blair Stenvick were guests on this week's episode of Straight Talk to discuss how the organization is pushing back against the wave of anti-gay laws and attacks that have been targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
"We started back in the '90s, and our mission has always been ... equality for LGBTQ+ Oregonians," Stenvick said. "That's changed a lot over the years — when we started, it was really to combat these pretty forcefully anti-gay ballot measures that were happening in Oregon and a lot of other states at the time. But through that, we've been advocating for LGBTQ+ equality in policy all the way through marriage, through expanding transgender health access, anti-discrimination laws, inclusive education."
According to the Human Rights Campaign, more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been signed into law in various states so far in 2023 alone — more than double the number from last year, which was itself already the worst year on record. Those laws include prohibitions on talk of gender or sexuality in schools, bans on drag performances and limits on access to gender-affirming care. The situation prompted the Human Rights Campaign to issue its first-ever state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States.
"I think that it is really disparaging, and nationwide with coalition with other organizations like ours in different states, they have a really big uphill battle," Gardiner said. "We're fortunate to be in a state that has a supportive majority for LGBTQ+ Oregonians, but we also know that that is something that could be fleeting. As we saw during the last election cycle, there was a lot of concerns about the outcome of that election, especially in the governor's race, and we see data from The Trevor Project that a majority of LGBTQ+ people are impacted by political news from what's been going on nationally."
There were some concerning bills introduced in Oregon during the most recent legislative session as well, Stenvick added, although they didn't get very far.
Gardiner and Stenvick also discussed the organization's work to support LGBTQ+ youth in the foster system, recounted its efforts to push back on campaigns to ban gay-friendly books from libraries, and talked about recent LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations around Oregon.
Straight Talk airs Friday at 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 p.m.