States across America have recently introduced heinous legislation that ostracizes, demonizes, and discriminates against LGBTQ+ folks. From Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill to Alabama’s criminalization of gender-affirming care, it is becoming increasingly clear that protections for the queer community will be either upheld or denied on a state-by-state basis. As you State Senator, I will:

1. Advocate for equal access to housing, education, medical care, and other public services

   • LGBTQ+ folks should not have to choose between being who they are and having access to fundamental services and life necessities. It is beyond time that we secure these rights and ensure equal treatment under the law.

   • House Bill 300 - The Fairness Act: Protects LGBTQ+ people in these arenas and outlaws any form of discrimination based on who someone is or who they love.

2. Promote comprehensive sex education that affirms queer identities from day one in the classroom

   • For too long, abstinence-only-until-marriage sex education has dominated the curriculum in classrooms across the Commonwealth, failing to recognize the specific needs/desires of those who are not in heterosexual partnerships, those who identify outside of the rigid gender binary, or those who simply wish to engage in sex without the intent to reproduce.

   • Lowering rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions among LGBTQ+ youth begins with including and uplifting identities in academic settings. We owe it to our youth to ensure that they receive a proper education and feel seen and understood.

   • House Bill 1586: Requires all schools to provide inclusive, medically accurate,and evidence-based sex education that must provide instructions on contraceptives, abstinence, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), affirmative consent, gender and sexuality learning, and resources for sexual and reproductive health care.

3. Safeguard mental health of queer people and ensuring equitable access to services

1. • Lesbian, gay, and bisexual folks are more than twice as likely as heterosexual people to experience a mental health condition. Transgender individuals are nearly four times as likely to develop a mental health condition as cisgender individuals. We must ensure equitable access to mental health professionals, including counselors, therapists, and psychiatrists. And we must ensure that any and all legislation that seeks to further harm this community is prevented from moving forward.

4. Vehemently oppose any and all legislation that attempts to discriminate against transgender folks

1. • I will vote against bills such as House Bill 972 ("Fairness in Women's Sports Act”), which despicably requires transgender athletes to play on a sports team in accordance with their sex assigned at birth instead of their gender identity. I will vote against any and all other bills that reflect the hideousness of other legislation being passed in other states recently as well.