Dear Future President,

I am a friend, I am a confidant , I am a supporter of LGBTQ rights and everyday people are discriminated just because of their sexual conduct and of who they truly are. I’d like you, as our president, the person we look up to the most to have a part in this change, to have a part in our society, and to help protect LGBTQ rights and to get rid of the discrimination that is built around this group of people who are just trying to live their everyday lives as regular people. Yes, this group of LGBTQ are different, but this group is to make a notice of gender equality that is still present in our world and I believe no one should feel uncomfortable about their own identity.

I have a family member who hasn’t opened up to many people about his desired identity and mentioned that he doesn’t feel comfortable because he thinks he’ll be bullied by others just because he values different things. He’s the reason why I care about the protection of LGBTQ rights because I want to see him happy with his real personality, that he doesn’t have to hide from the world and I believe no one should have to have this barrier because everyone should be able to be who they want to be If it makes a person happy.

    In North Carolina there’s a situation between transgender people and them being told they can’t use the bathroom of their sexual orientation. Their safety is not certain in North Carolina. There’s a lawsuit being held where citizens are fighting for a law banning transgender people from using restrooms that correspond to their gender identity. Trans people are asking a federal appeals court to broaden a preliminary injunction in order to protect all transgender people in the state from discrimination. In the article it says,”“H.B. 2 makes transgender North Carolinians pariahs in their own state. Courthouses, airports, libraries, public schools, highway rest stops, police departments, state hospitals, and the very halls of government itself are now unsafe for, and unwelcome to, transgender North Carolinians,” said Jon W. Davidson, national legal director at Lambda Legal” this quote proves the protection needed for LGBTQ because one can’t feel welcomed in North Carolina and has to hide their identity.

    Another article I looked at was LGBTQ Equality and Civil Rights and in the article the writer says,”from the first-ever LGBT-inclusive hate crimes law Congress passed in 2009, to executive orders prohibiting discrimination by federal contractors in 2014, to nationwide marriage equality in 2015. But many barriers remain, and LGBT Americans still face discrimination in many facets of their lives” this quote also shows evidence of a summarized timeline of issues happening with the LGBTQ group and still to this day continue to have them because our society can’t accept LGBTQ as a part of our community. In the same article the writer says,”In 28 states, for instance, same-sex couples have no legal recourse if their landlords decide to evict them from their home. In 31 states, it is still legal to fire an employee because they’re gay or transgender. In 36 states, there are no laws prohibiting discrimination against LGBT students in schools.” and this quote proves how much we haven’t done to help protect LGBTQ and shows we need to work on becoming a uniting community that respects each other for their own values.

If we’ve come this far just to fight over little things like equal rights, then we have made no progress in our world. When one can’t use the bathroom according to their gender identity. Therefore, I believe you can help encourage our people and give equality among all of the communities and to protect LGBTQ rights to prevent from discrimination in our world.

Sincerely,

Helena K.

Foster High School

Tukwila, WA