1/5 of 2023 anti-LGBTQ+ legislation filed in US was in Texas, report finds

AUSTIN (KXAN ) – For the first time since it was founded in 1980, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans, citing an unprecedented year for legislators filing bills targeting members of the LGBTQ+ community. 

“The message that we're hoping people receive is that we are in a state of crisis right now when it comes to LGBTQ people and our rights in states across the country – Texas very much being one of those states,” said Cathryn Oakley, HRC's senior director.

The HRC defines anti-LGBTQ+ bills as legislation that aims to restrict the lives of these people and their families. Some examples of this legislation include prohibiting minors from accessing hormone therapy to transition, restricting access to bathrooms for transgender people, banning books with LGBTQ+ themes and Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, per the HRC. 

The HRC said that at least 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in 2023 – up from 115 in 2015 – with 220 targeting transgender people. 

“Texas had a fifth of all of the anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in the country,” Oakley said. 

“This is absolutely a moment of crisis. We need people to get off the sidelines – we need not only the LGBTQ community, but our allies to understand the moment that we are in, how scary this is and that it is time to step up and fight back,” she continued. 

So far in 2023, more than 75 of these bills have become law, according to HRC. 

Oakley said that over the last few years and leading up to 2023, the HRC has tracked more and more of this type of legislation. She said she understands why some families have chosen to leave the states where most of these bills are filed. 

“It has never been the case that all queer folks live in California or New York,” Oakley said. “We have to fight for folks in every zip code and not leave anyone behind. That said, for families who have the ability to leave, this is a very serious consideration."

In addition to the release, the HRC included a digital guidebook to the legislation and a summary of the anti-LGBTQ+ bills.