John, 

We’re barely two months into 2024, and there’s been a whirlwind of damaging legislation that has targeted LGBTQ+ people across the South. So far more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the country, with policies based on wish lists from extremist groups that target LGBTQ+ people via local legislation. We know the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation can be overwhelming and confusing, which is why we want to provide you with accurate, accessible information about the progression of anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the South.

Get up-to-date on legislation impacting LGBTQ+ equality in the South by reading our February legislative update with our wins, our losses, and legislation we’re watching. If you don’t have the space to read it right now, that’s okay – take care of yourself and we’ll catch you next month.

Here are the toplines:

• Tennessee became the first Southern state to enact an anti-LGBTQ+ bill, allowing religious and government leaders to refuse to solemnize a marriage, which could impact same-sex couples, interracial couples, and people of different faith backgrounds.

• Anti-LGBTQ+ policies are advancing in many states, including those that restrict gender-affirming care for trans people, “Don’t Say LGBTQ+” curriculum censorship policies, anti-trans bathroom bans, bills that define “sex” in a way that erases transgender and gender diverse people, bills that create barriers to accurate IDs for transgender people, and even attempts to ban the display of the rainbow flag. 

• There were also important victories: Anti-trans bills were defeated in Virginia and Georgia, and bills that would protect the freedom to marry in Virginia were sent to the governor’s desk. 

Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation fails when people like you show up, speak out, and make it impossible for legislators to ignore the consequences of their actions. I’m thankful for partners on the ground in every impacted state who work tirelessly to fight these bills – without them, I can’t imagine some of the harmful laws that would be on the books right now. Please be sure to follow LGBTQ+ organizations – including Equality Florida, Georgia Equality, Tennessee Equality Project, SC United for Justice & Equality, Equality Virginia, Fairness West Virginia, the Fairness Campaign in Kentucky, and more. 

I know all of this is deeply upsetting – so many of our rights are hanging in the balance or actively being restricted. We’ll keep doing what we can to fight these harmful laws in the courts, support partners who are working directly with those impacted on the ground, and build LGBTQ+ power across the South. 

A big focus for CSE has been supporting trans youth and their families who are navigating the bans on gender-affirming care. Through the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project (STYEP), we are here to help families find the care they need. If you’d like to help us directly support those impacted by the gender affirming care bans, donate to STYEP so we can continue to support trans youth and their families with coordination, logistics, and direct grants.

Please continue to take care of yourselves as best you can in the midst of all this tough news. I hope you seek out the supportive people in your life if you need them, and if you’re looking for some wellness resources, click here to access our wellness toolkit focused on healing and resilience.

Thanks for all that you do,

Emma Chinn
She/Her/Hers
Communications & Policy Manager
Campaign for Southern Equality