No More Closets!
In their quest to become the Republic of Gilead’s capital, Out Leadership has released its 2024 equality report that shows Florida as one of the worst states where LGBTQ+ rights have deteriorated. Arkansas scored the worst; however, the state should be used to being dead last or near the very bottom in many important areas. Actually, all of the states south of the Mason-Dixon line, along with the usual, northern states, are highly unfriendly to the LGBTQ+ community, as well as women and people of color.
Out Leadership’s map shows that Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and North Dakota saw the biggest drops in equality over the past year.
The map below shows that green states are the most open for LGBTQ+ participation and red states being the most restrictive (SHOCKING!). Each state was evaluated on legal protections, political and religious attitudes, access to health care, equality in the workplace, among other criteria.
New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Vermont scored highest overall. Meanwhile, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Louisiana and Arkansas scored worst.
Much of the change was driven by anti-trans legislation, Out Leadership says. Republicans in state government have increasingly worked to pass laws to restrict which bathrooms transgender students can use, which sports teams transgender athletes can play on, and what sex they can list on their driver’s licenses, the Associated Press reports.
