Baton Rouge, LA – On May 3, the Louisiana House of Representatives Education Committee struck down this state’s version of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by a seven to four vote. This decision came after a mass upsurge of students, parents, teachers, social workers and LGBTQ+ community members demanding to shut the bill down.

Baton Rouge, LA – On April 29, 20 protesters in New Orleans and Baton Rouge held two coordinated rallies to protest anti-LGBT+ legislation. High school students, teachers, parents and social workers attended. They spoke out against Louisiana’s version of the Don’t Say Gay bill, and a ban on transgender girls playing sports. The rallies took place outside of two key state legislators’ offices to push them to vote no on both pieces of legislation.

May 2, 2022

Tallahassee, FL – On Monday, April 18, Florida State University Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a march against Florida’s repressive HB1557. Led by SDS officers Isabela Casanova and Chudi Oraedu, a group of roughly 40 students marched from FSU’s Legacy Fountain to the Integration Statue, chanting “Homophobia has got to go” and “Trans lives matter.”

Arlington, TX – April 4 was a great victory for the student movement at the University of Texas at Arlington. The impeachment proceedings against Caitlyn Burge-Surles, the racist Turning Point USA leader and then-president of student government, happened with over 50 people in attendance both inside and outside the student government chambers.

Arlington, TX – On March 24, an email went out to senators of the University of Texas at Arlington student government detailing screenshots from the Turning Point USA discord server that revealed the student government President Caitlyn Burge-Surles and student government Chief of Staff Alyssa Spencer engaging in racist, transphobic and generally bigoted rhetoric.

Tallahassee, FL – Congratulations, Tallahassee. A “100” score on the 2021 Municipal Equality Index is something to be proud of.

Arlington, TX – On March 23, Progressive Student Union at the University of Texas at Arlington held a protest condemning the transphobic attacks that Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick have imposed on Texan families. Both men attempted to direct the state Department of Family and Protective Custody to consider gender reaffirming therapeutics, such as puberty blockers, hormonal treatment and other aspects of trans healthcare, to be classified as “child abuse,” thereby making both families that support their trans youth and licensed professionals who are either aware of or support said youths getting the necessary healthcare liable to charges of “child abuse” or “abetting child abuse.”

New Orleans, LA – Around 250 community members gathered at New Orleans City Hall, March 25, to forcefully voice their opposition to a string of legislation introduced by Louisiana Republicans in recent weeks. This includes bills that would restrict trans minors’ access to healthcare, their ability to participate in school sports, and could criminalize LGBTQ+ students and educators for being “out” in Louisiana schools.