John,

June marks Pride Month — a time dedicated to celebrating and uplifting those in the LGBTQ+ community.

While progress toward equality has been made, last year we saw a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills be introduced across the country. So we must recommit to fighting back against homophobia and transphobia because prejudice and discrimination still run rampant, including in our criminal legal system.

Take a moment today to learn more about the ways in which people in the LGBTQ+ community are vulnerable to wrongful conviction, and then share this article with your friends and family online.

The truth is, LGBTQ+ people are overrepresented at every stage of the criminal legal system. According to a Prison Policy Initiative report, queer and transgender people are arrested, incarcerated, and subjected to community supervision at significantly higher rates than straight and cisgender people.

Black trans people are especially vulnerable to harassment by the police. One in five trans people have reported being harassed by police, including 38% of Black trans individuals, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Homophobia and transphobia creep their way into all facets of our institutions, and it’s critical for all of us to fight against it — not only this month, but all year round.

So please, read more about how biases against the LGBTQ+ community play out in our criminal legal system and how we can work together to eradicate it.

Thank you so much for your support,

— The Innocence Project Team