In a world where information, data and words can be misconstrued, misunderstood and manipulated, we need to move away from the idea of free speech and instead to one of rights to speech.
Posted January 12th, 2021 for American Progress Washington, D.C. For the past four years, LGBTQ Americans have withstood a barrage of attacks on multiple fronts, perpetrated by an administration that displayed a blatant disregard for their dignity, health, safety, and basic human rights. Even on its way out the door, the Trump administration attempted to undermine nondiscrimination protections for transgender students and signal to taxpayer-funded service providers that they can refuse to serve LGBTQ people and families. Now, President-elect Joe Biden and a Democratic majority in Congress are set to inherit the mess the Trump administration created, providing LGBTQ Americans with an opportunity to see the injustices of the last administration rectified, their constitutional rights upheld, and their dignity and well-being further enshrined. This will help ensure future administrations can’t undo the hard-fought progress of past decades.