“The more we show ourselves and stand tall and proud in who we are, the opposition has a direction to point in when they want to say there’s something wrong. “Visibility is a double-edged sword,” said Madin Lopez, founder of the nonprofit ProjectQ, which gives free haircuts to unhoused LGBTQ youths in Los Angeles. They fear that the rhetoric and legislation will continue to barrel forward across the country, leading to a clawback of important protections. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Californians have watched with alarm and sadness in recent weeks as lawmakers in the Midwest and South have debated the rights of LGBTQ people within their borders.Īmong the issues: whether transgender children can play in youth sports leagues or on high school teams, whether teachers can discuss same-sex relationships in the classroom and whether parents who help their children seek gender-affirming care will be investigated for abuse.įor many, the debates feel deflating and jarring after years of apparent progress.
