'State of emergency' declared amid anti-LGBTQ bills in DC
Share this @internewscast.com

() — LGBTQ visibility in Washington continues to evolve as the issue polarizes American politics.

For the first time, the Human Rights Campaign, which fights for LGBTQ rights, has declared what they’re calling a “state of emergency” after a rise in anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures around the country.

According to the HRC, there have been more than 525 such bills introduced just this year.

’s Washington Bureau chief Michael Viqueira said this has become a major political issue on both the right and the left.

During the so-called Lavender Scare, which erupted during World War II, homosexuality was unjustly perceived as a national security threat, leading to the dismissal of approximately 5,000 gay and lesbian workers from federal government jobs. Moreover, many others were barred from even applying.

The prevalent belief at the time was that individuals with same-sex attraction would go to great lengths, even compromising national security, to protect their supposedly “deep, dark, terrible secret.”

Harvey Milk, California’s first openly gay elected official, continues to be remembered as a pioneer in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.

Milk’s groundbreaking advocacy in the late 1970s came just three years after the federal government began allowing gay people to serve openly in civil service. His legacy serves as a reminder of the progress made in the struggle for equality, despite the challenges faced along the way.

Democratic Vermont Rep. Becca Balint, Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign and TV anchor Thomas Roberts joined “On Balance With Leland Vittert” to discuss the evolution of LGBTQ visibility in Washington.

Roberts, who publicly came out in 2006 as one of the first news anchors to do so, acknowledges that the journey has not been without challenges.

“There wasn’t Facebook, Twitter, social media, things where presidents tweeted congratulations or anything,” Roberts said.

The impact of LGBTQ+ role models cannot be underestimated. Vermont’s Balint recounts the lack of role models during the 1980s.

“It wasn’t until my 40s,” Balint said, “when my wife said to me, you really should do the thing that you always wanted to do.”

Robinson, an advocate for transgender rights, said that opponents exploit the lack of familiarity to create fear and chaos.

“It is important to know that the story isn’t all bleak,” she said. “But what we are seeing is a massive wave of backlash to the progress that we’ve made so far.”

Watch the full report in the video player at the top of the page.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Jake Gyllenhaal Was Almost ‘Batman’ For Director Christopher Nolan

Screenwriter David S. Goyer dropped some insider information on a new episode…

Veteran Producer Paula Weinstein Exits Tribeca Enterprises To Campaign In Upcoming Elections – “It Just Feels Very Much Like A Moment”

Former studio executive and prolific producer Paula Weinstein is leaving Tribeca Enterprises,…

Lauren Boebert reveals she has 'peacefully parted ways' with frisky Beetlejuice theater guy Quinn Gallagher after groping scandal, denies having too much to drink on date and admits she 'messed up'

Lauren Boebert revealed she has ‘peacefully parted ways’ with her Aspen bar owner…

Cleveland police continue investigating disappearance of 15-year-old Keshaun Williams

The teen has been missing since June, with an Amber Alert still…

WGA & Studio CEOs End Second Day Of Talks; “Progress” Made But Deal Not Done – Update

3rd UPDATE, 9:59 PM: In a note to members that just went…

Doctors have now spent 700 hours on strike after taking their devastating walkout tally to 22 days since March

Doctors have now spent 700 hours on strike after taking their devastating…

Is the world running out of patience with Zelensky's 'blank cheque' demands? Poland stops giving arms and US gives a fraction of what Ukraine's leader asked for as he visits Canada today to win support

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is meeting Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau in…

No Deal Yet Between WGA & Studio CEOs; Weekend Negotiations Likely

The Writers Guild brass and studios CEOs were working tonight to close…

BBC Buys Hulu’s ‘Love, Victor’

The BBC has acquired all three seasons of Hulu’s Love, Victor. Set…

USPS doesn’t send unsolicited texts about undelivered packages. Those messages are scams

Have you received an unsolicited text appearing to be from the postal…

Fury over crackdown on the recycling bank 'fly-tippers': How councils are setting up cameras and issuing fines to stop people leaving items NEXT to recycling bins despite claims from locals that they are always full and are never emptied

Councils clamping down on recycling bank ‘fly-tippers’ have ignited outrage after installing…

WGA & Studio CEOs To Meet Again Friday; Guild Urges Members To Get Out On Picket Lines In Force

The WGA is heading back to the bargaining table with the CEOs…