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Protect our LGBTQ+ Community

Human rights are not negotiable.

Violence against the LGBTQ+ community must be addressed by Council.  We know that LGBTQ+ people face substantial discrimination in the workplace.  We know that LGBTQ+ youth make up a disproportionate amount of our homeless youth population, especially our Trans* friends.  We know that transgender people are some of the bravest people in our nation.  And no one should have to be brave just to be themselves. 

 DC has strong LGBTQ+ related legal and regulatory protections: 

  • Right to marry regardless of gender, gender identification or sexual orientation

  • Employment and housing discrimination protections, dutifully enforced by the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights.

  • Right to have vital records (including birth certificate) reflect current gender identification, regardless of gender identification at birth

  • Continuing education requirements for licensed health professionals

Though the District is progressive in a lot of ways, we have a long way to go to protect our LGBTQ+ community. 

 

Below are just some of the alarming statistics facing the LGBTQ+ community in DC:  

  • 19% of the LGBTQ+ community is food insecure and 18% have an income of less than $24,000 

  • 10.7% of District of Columbia adults identified as either lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender

  • LGBTQ+ adults were more likely than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts to report 15-30 days of mental health not being good, which includes stress, depression, et cetera

  • LGBTQ+ adults were more likely than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts to test positive for HIV

  • LGBTQ+ adults were more likely than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts to be diagnosed with asthma and depression.

I will be a strong ally on Council and will look to support the LGBTQ+ community by:  

  • Making constituent services for LGBTQ+ folks a cornerstone in my office. People can come to a safe space, talk, and find access to resources they need. 

  • Fighting to create more low- and no-barrier shelters for those in the LGBTQ+ community who are unhoused. This will include senior-specific shelters and youth-specific shelters.

  • Everyone should be able to walk down the street without the fear of violence against them for who they are. 

  • Reinstituting the Transgender and Gender Identity Respect program – an awareness program you may remember from busses and bus shelters about a decade ago – we need to center LGBTQ voices in our community to demonstrate to our neighbors and our youth that dignity and respect are central to who we are as a city. 

  • Increasing education in our schools about LGBTQ+ issues: 

    • We need to expand our efforts to educate our children against even using the language that is used to justify acts of violence.  We need to teach our youth starting at a young age about dignity and respect for all. We need LGBTQ+ rights taught in our schools. I would like to see DCPS partner with the DC Center and other organizations to ensure we work to protect our LGBTQ+ youth and work to prevent prejudice in our youth.  

    • Our teachers need to go through cultural competency and implicit bias training to make sure our schools are a safe place for all youth.

  • Ensuring that our Seniors can age with pride. I would like to see the Mayor’s Office on LGBTQ+ Affairs have a full-time healthcare coordinator to address health access issues among our LGBTQ+ seniors.

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