As part of our commitment to intersectional feminism and gender justice, it is imperative to uplift, protect, and invest in our LGBTQ+ community members, now and always. This year has been marked as the worst year for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in recent history. As of early May, there were 17 anti-LGBTQ+ bills already enacted into law and 250 state bills introduced in legislative bodies across the country. Amidst anti-trans sports bans for children, anti-LGBTQ+ education bills, anti-trans medical care bills, and in the context of the pandemic, LGBTQ+ youth are “experiencing a mental health crisis.” Due to extensive social isolation, unsupportive home environments, and unsafe school communities, up to 68% of LGBQT+ survey respondents between the ages of 11 and 18 experienced suicidal ideation in the last year. Further, we cannot even begin to express our distress at the record number of lives lost to anti-trans violence in 2020 and 2021. One way we can work to address this and create change locally, is to invest in the important work of our partners at the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico (TGRCNM). Their work addresses misinformation, isolation, and discrimination by cultivating connection, understanding, and opportunities for our local transgender, gender nonconforming, and non-binary community members. Those most impacted by injustice hold the most meaningful solutions to issues impacting them. We invite you to invest in TGRCNM today. You can also engage your community around a transgender awareness training with TGRCNM here or with Solace Crisis Treatment Center here.
For a free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week service that provides suicidal persons or those around them with support, dial Trans Lifeline (877-565-8860), or 1-866-HELP-1-NM in New Mexico or 1-800-SUICIDE nationally.