Friend, I needed to share this alarming email from my colleague Ross Murray. You care about the outcome of this election, and I need you to see what's happening.

Way too many queer allies don't realize that anti-LGBTQ rhetoric has infected their ballots in a critical election year. And what they don't know can seriously hurt us.

So we're getting proactive — and you should too. Give now to help us ensure that people who support the LGBTQ community GET OUT AND VOTE with their values. Now's your chance to strengthen our time-sensitive work to register, educate, and mobilize voters — and bring us closer to our $1 million goal for 2024.

We know progress isn't permanent — we often take a step back for every two steps forward — but we've never been more powerful than we are now. We can win this fight, but it's going to take all of us doing our part.

Thank you,

Allison Hasser (she/her)
Vice President, Individual Giving

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Date: Mon, April 22, 2024, at 10:11 AM
From: Ross Murray <ross@glaad.org>
To: Allison Hasser <allison@glaad.org>
Subject: We need to keep our eye on this

Hey Allison,

I'm in Oklahoma helping dedicated advocates speak with the media after the death of Nex Benedict, a trans Indigenous Oklahoma student, and I'm concerned that what I'm seeing on the ground here is what's happening across the country.

The local LGBTQ community is very strong and very resilient. There are so many allies here showing up for the LGBTQ community. And yet, Oklahoma still has the most anti-LGBTQ legislation in the US, with 54 pieces proposed. There's clearly a disconnect between this community and the state legislature.

We need allies to know how serious this election is for LGBTQ people. One of our partners runs a crisis line for LGBTQ youth and reported that calls from Oklahomans have tripled in recent weeks. Young people are terrified of being unsafe at school. So this is where GLAAD Media Institute's work to educate the public through media training and voter engagement is critical.

We need to prioritize on-the-ground work and state-specific information so it's as easy as possible to vote and share the stakes of this election for the LGBTQ community. State and local elections have the most impact on the day-to-day lives of LGBTQ Americans. And to be clear: anti-LGBTQ hate is not just limited to a handful of “conservative” states. It usually starts small, and then it snowballs. There's no place that's completely safe.

LGBTQ people live in all 50 states, and they deserve safety, protection, and the support of their community. I know you talk directly with donors, so I hope you can pass on this info. Thanks Allison!

— Ross

P.S. I have heard that one of the biggest reasons why people don't vote is that nobody asked them to, and they didn't have all the info to do it! So getting the word out about our work is essential right now. If there's anything else I can share, please let me know.

Ross Murray
Vice President, GLAAD Media Institute
Pronouns: He/Him
ross@glaad.org
www.glaad.org