Governor Maura Healey emphasizes a straightforward approach to preserving Pride in the face of election-year hate

This blog is originally appeared at LGBTQ Nation.

As a lesbian governor who took on the Trump administration nearly 100 times in court, Maura Healey understands that now is not the time to step away from the fight.

The Alabama Supreme Court’s decision granting embryos the same legal rights as children has sent a jolt through the LGBTQ+ community, threatening access to IVF and jeopardizing the future of queer family-building. LGBTQ+ couples, who often rely on fertility treatments like IVF to grow their families, already navigate steep financial, legal, and social obstacles. Now, with the GOP’s escalating opposition to LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, hostility toward queer families is intensifying.

Still, the LGBTQ+ community remains resilient. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, an openly gay leader, offers a clear response: “Vote them out of office, and vote people who will stand with us and protect us into office.”

“I meet so many people who are using surrogacy, IVF, and other forms of assisted reproduction because of the rights and freedoms they enjoy under Massachusetts law,” Healey shared with LGBTQ Nation. “I’m proud of who I am, of the work I do every day, and of the freedoms we get to stand up for. We advance policies that foster inclusivity and protect our community, and people should take pride in that and not let the bullies and haters defeat our spirit.”

Healey’s administration is the embodiment of support and protection for LGBTQ+ rights.

Since becoming one of the country’s first out lesbian governors, Healey has led with purpose. In her first year and a half, she signed a landmark parentage act to secure legal protections for LGBTQ+ families, passed legislation ensuring IVF coverage for LGBTQ+ veterans, enacted a critical maternal health bill, issued an executive order to protect emergency abortion care, and increased funding to support LGBTQ+-owned businesses.

In addition, Healey has been a strong ally on the campaign trail for Vice President Kamala Harris, actively participating in the Democratic National Convention, speaking at Zoom rallies, and joining forces with other governors in the push for inclusive, forward-thinking leadership.

“People who believe in and want to protect civil rights and freedoms need to go vote,” Healey urged. “And they need to go vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”

Healey praised Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz as unwavering advocates for women’s rights and personal freedom. “They are champions of women and the freedom that women should have to make decisions for themselves,” she said. Healey also highlighted their dedication to LGBTQ+ rights, noting Harris’ longstanding commitment to equality and support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Healey and Harris served concurrently as attorneys general in their respective states. While Healey was actively suing then-President Donald Trump’s administration nearly 100 times, she noted that Harris was equally committed to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights.

She commended Harris for establishing a hate crimes unit dedicated to investigating anti-LGBTQ+ violence and for her efforts to eliminate the gay and trans panic defense in California. “She famously refused to defend Prop 8, which sought to outlaw same-sex marriage in the state,” Healey remarked. “Later, as a senator, she co-sponsored the Equality Act, defended the Affordable Care Act, and as vice president, she’s helped Joe Biden lead probably the most pro-equality administration in history.”

When asked about her concerns regarding a potential second term for Donald Trump, particularly in relation to bodily autonomy and family rights, Healey didn’t hesitate: “Everything.”

“It’s really, really scary,” she continued. “Trump probably led the most anti-LGBTQ administration in American history, stripping away freedoms and protections—banning transgender people from serving in the military, arguing in court that businesses should be allowed to refuse service to LGBTQ individuals, and eliminating medically necessary care for young people. Based on Project 2025 and his own statements, we know it will be even worse. They want to go after marriage equality, implement a national abortion ban, and restrict access to contraception.”

She expressed profound concern for the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth as lawmakers across the country propose hundreds of bills aimed at rolling back their rights and, in some cases, eliminating their right to exist altogether.

According to the Trevor Project, LGBTQ+ youth are over four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and in the organization’s 2024 national mental health survey, 90% of LGBTQ+ young people reported that their well-being has been negatively affected by recent political developments.

“Rates of suicide are up,” Healey said. “And since Trump overturned Roe—let’s be clear, he did overturn Roe… he followed through on that—now one in three women in America lives in a state with an abortion ban. These are very real threats we face.”

The Trump campaign has consistently sought to distance itself from the alarming vision outlined in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which presents a chilling forecast for a potential second Trump term. However, Healey emphasizes Trump’s connections to this project, cautioning the public: “Don’t believe anything that Donald Trump says” because he’ll “say anything and everything depending on where the wind is blowing.”

Yet, Healey firmly trusts Trump to execute his party’s threats against the American people. Just as he dismantled Roe v. Wade, she warns that he is fully capable of realizing the goals outlined in Project 2025, which calls for the complete elimination of LGBTQ+ rights and explicitly states that “only heterosexual, two-parent families are safe for children.”

“These are promises he will fulfill,” Healey warned, drawing from her experience as a stepmother to two children. “It’s a very dangerous time right now.”

Trump and Project 2025 would undoubtedly disrupt the lives of LGBTQ+ families, but Healey highlights significant economic implications that would make their policies catastrophic.

“There’s a reason Massachusetts is ranked number one for our schools, for healthcare, and as the best place to have a baby and live if you’re a woman,” Healey stated. “Part of that is because we’re a state that has long protected civil rights and freedoms. I believe this is a critical piece of our economic competitiveness. We want colleges, universities, and businesses to have the opportunity to attract the very best talent to Massachusetts.”

“We want people to come, succeed, and thrive here—to grow families, build businesses, and develop careers. One of the ways we achieve this is by being a state that, through both government policy and the actions of our businesses and corporate stakeholders, emphasizes respect for and support of civil rights and freedoms.”

Reflecting on her time as the chief of civil rights in the attorney general’s office, Healey recounted her successful challenge against the Defense of Marriage Act, which helped lay the groundwork for nationwide marriage equality. “One of the briefs we prepared for the First Circuit, and later for the Supreme Court, was an amicus brief signed by businesses in support of equality,” she explained. “They understood the economic imperative: companies perform better when there’s greater representation on their boards and in their C-suites. This has been proven. Promoting an inclusive and open environment leads to better policies, ideas, results, and outcomes.”

Healey highlighted the importance of her state’s diverse elected officials as a key factor in the progress made to protect the rights of marginalized communities. As the nation’s first out lesbian governor, alongside Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, she and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll represent the country’s first all-woman governor/lieutenant governor team.

“I know that we’ll achieve better policies and outcomes—most importantly, for people—when we have more representation,” she stated.

However, Healey is quick to emphasize that increased government representation is just part of the equation. “We owe so much to families and advocates who have bravely shared their stories over the years,” she said. “These community members, with lived experiences, have gone to the state legislature, testified in hearings, and spoken to the media. They truly deserve the credit.”

She urged LGBTQ+ families to continue to “speak out and speak up against the lies” and the “vile misinformation” that is often spread, particularly by figures like Trump and Vance.

“If you look at the arc of history in this realm, you can see the progress made for our community. Let’s build on that. Let’s draw upon that during what I acknowledge is a really challenging time. But people need to stand together and vote for equality leaders like Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”

November 4, 2024 0

Georgia could shift away from a GOP stronghold, and these LGBTQ+ advocates are driving the change

This blog is originally appeared at LGBTQ Nation

In Georgia, where Republicans hold a trifecta with control of the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature, LGBTQ+ community leaders and political strategists are working hard to show that progressive values extend beyond Atlanta.

With about 8 million registered voters in the state, Georgia’s Secretary of State reports an increase of 121,898 active voters since the December 2022 runoff election, a critical number in a battleground state that could shape the nation’s future.

In September, the Georgia State Election Board decided that all ballots would be hand-counted, a move many see as an effort to delay or disrupt the election process. Democrats, who previously urged Gov. Brian Kemp (R) to hold an ethics hearing, filed a lawsuit to remove members of the elections board believed to be loyal to former President Donald Trump. While a judge dismissed the case in early October, a Fulton County Superior Court judge issued an injunction blocking the hand-counting rule on the first day of early voting, citing concerns over the rule’s timing and the potential for “administrative chaos.”

Georgia’s status as a battleground state has gained significant attention in recent years. Stacey Abrams’ 2018 gubernatorial campaign was seen as a test to prove that a sustained voter outreach effort by Democrats could turn the state from red to blue. In the 2020 election, Joe Biden narrowly defeated Donald Trump by 11,779 votes, securing Georgia’s Electoral College votes and reinforcing its potential influence on the national stage. This momentum was further solidified in 2022 when Sen. Raphael Warnock won his runoff against Republican Herschel Walker, affirming Georgia’s role as a true swing state.

A key factor in this shift has been the dedication of LGBTQ+ community leaders and political strategists. They have mobilized voters from diverse backgrounds across the state, proving that political power extends beyond Atlanta. Through grassroots organizing and voter engagement, they’ve built coalitions that reflect the growing diversity and progressive energy in Georgia, demonstrating their significant influence in shaping the state’s political landscape.

Georgians are championing people over politics.

At just 28 years old, Mo Pippin (they/them) is one Georgian determined to shift the state from purple to blue. In 2023, they co-founded FTR Political Strategies to enhance local election engagement and voter education.

“Here in Roswell, which is just a stone’s throw from Athens, we’re working to simplify large, often daunting federal issues into local and state matters that are relatable and relevant to people,” Pippin shared with LGBTQ Nation. “We aim to connect voters with better representatives. I firmly believe that young people are ready to engage in conversations with those who are different from us. One of our main strategies for engaging voters is canvassing—we knock on doors.”

Pippin noted that some voters have cautioned them to be cautious while canvassing in traditionally conservative areas of Roswell, suggesting that the assumption is rooted in a belief that local residents might not be welcoming and could even be hostile.

“When I look at our state government and don’t see anyone who resembles me or shares my values, it’s easy to assume that those elected through popular vote naturally represent our entire population. But that’s not true,” they explained. “Voter turnout in the state is alarmingly low due to various structural barriers. People are often overwhelmed with responsibilities like getting their kids to school, commuting to work, and ensuring their families are fed and healthy. Many simply don’t have the time or energy to engage in the political process.”

Organizations like Georgia Equality, the state’s largest and oldest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, are actively engaging, educating, and advocating for the community. Over the past year, they played a crucial role in defeating nearly 20 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in the state legislature by regularly attending hearings, votes, and meetings at the state Capitol alongside other pro-LGBTQ+ organizations. The group also mobilized the community, organizing over 5,000 individuals to call their representatives during the legislative session.

“Our priority is to ensure that no LGBTQ+ Georgian is left behind,” said Noël Heatherland (they/them), statewide organizing manager for Georgia Equality, in an interview with LGBTQ Nation. “We strive to remember and include everyone, especially those who don’t live in the Atlanta bubble, particularly during a time when civic engagement and making our voices heard is crucial.”

Heatherland, a native of Albany, Georgia, noted that the queer experience in the state’s southern region presents unique challenges and concerns. While recent reports indicate that many LGBTQ+ voters are motivated to support the Democratic Party due to issues like restrictions on women’s rights and bans on medical care for transgender youth, they are also focused on a range of issues affecting various communities.

Omarion Smart, a senior at Georgia State University and a native of Bainbridge, Georgia, shares this perspective. As the policy director for Voters of Tomorrow, a social welfare organization created for Gen Z by Gen Z, he emphasizes that housing, food security, and the cost of living are top priorities for queer voters heading to the polls this November. Heatherland adds that queer voters in Georgia are also concerned about providing quality education for their children and ensuring their safety in schools. According to the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, the LGBTQ+ population in Georgia constitutes about 4.7% of the state’s total population, with 27% of them being parents.

“The majority of Georgians share common ground on these issues,” Smart stated. “We all believe that housing should be affordable, that we deserve access to healthcare, and that Medicare and Medicaid should be expanded. Concerns about the economy, housing, the rise of anti-transgender rhetoric, and reproductive rights are all critical issues for voters in Georgia. No single issue takes precedence over the others. Yet, we have legislators who don’t represent the diverse population of our state, and it’s time for that to change.”

Smart’s concerns came to the forefront this August when Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) established the Georgia Senate Special Committee on the Protection of Women’s Sports, claiming it aims to ensure that female athletes in Georgia can compete fairly. Smart views this committee and its objectives as “disgusting.”

“It’s clear that this committee isn’t meant to genuinely address these issues,” Smart remarked. “That’s just the nature of politics in our state. Their true goal is to spread their blatant hatred without facing accountability for it.”

“The Cobb County school system has been enacting numerous book bans and implementing discriminatory policies,” strategist Pippin noted. “If she wins, control of the Cobb Board of Education would shift, putting a stop to the madness occurring there. Her district is highly competitive, and I’m fully supporting her.”

One candidate with a personal stake in the matter is JD Jordan, who is running against John Albers for Georgia Senate District 56.

“He is fighting to protect his children from harmful state policies. The incumbent is a co-sponsor of anti-trans legislation that jeopardizes healthcare access for JD’s kids,” Pippin explained. “He has five children aged 14 to 19, two of whom identify as transgender.”

Georgia Equality’s Heatherland emphasized that Albers is not friendly toward LGBTQ+ individuals or their allies and is unwilling to listen to them when they come to the Capitol to discuss issues—even if they are his constituents. The district is currently being viewed as one of the most “flippable” in the state.

“It’s one thing to advocate for LGBTQ+ children and, specifically, transgender individuals when you’re campaigning in Atlanta, where about 85% of your audience agrees with you,” Pippin added. “It’s a completely different challenge to do that in a district as red as SD56. JD is bravely fighting that battle and working to dispel the misinformation directed at the queer community. He embodies the supportive father figure many of us in the community wished we had while growing up.”

October 24, 2024 0