PRIDE Edition!
We are nearing the middle of the year, and lordy has it both been a drag and flown past us. With 2022 being a midterm election year, I wanted to give everyone a quick update on some highlights and heads up to be aware of since the Republican Party has staked themselves to wringing out every bit of “conservative” legislation they can:
Voting Rights and Redistricting Let’s start with their continual efforts to enact voter suppression laws and pass secretly-drawn gerrymandered maps in order to dilute our individual and collective voting power. The North Carolina GOP have spent the last year harassing our State Supreme Court, pandering to election fraud conspiracies, and holding pivotal decision making moments about our democracy behind closed doors with their private sponsors. Meanwhile, Democrats spent their legislative session advocating for a more transparent redistricting process (Senator Natasha Marcus), asking that we follow the guidelines provided by the Voting Rights Act (Rep. Pricey Harrison), and that we strive to make the entire process as inclusive and equitable for all (Rep. Zach Hawkins).
Healthcare (Roe v. Wade) It should be no major surprise that Republicans are against people having healthcare. Since 2012, they’ve been fighting against the Affordable Care Act, refusing to expand Medicaid (even though the funds are just sitting there to be used), and are hypocritically taking away a woman’s medical bill of rights. Roe v. Wade is the first major brick to fall, in a wall that has been chipped at for years by failing conservative policies and their “family values.”
Education and LGBTQ+ Students
With a continuing disrespect of our state courts, Republican leadership is actually defunding our education system. Even though it was a proven public health success, local school boards were continually yelled at for following sound medical advice to minimize the spread and harm of Covid. Teachers were asked to jump through hoops to prove they weren’t teaching a doctoral level field of study (Critical Race Theory). The culture war continues for Lt. Governor Mark Robinson, as he works with Phil Berger on a false flag of a “Parental Bill of Rights,” while literally stirring up high school drama around youth sports. Just yesterday, the State Senate passed a similar “Don’t Say Gay” bill like we saw in Florida. I joined other advocates just yesterday to speak out against this, and hope that you will join us in fighting for our students, our educators, and our LGBTQ+ community.
Upcoming Events
Interested in hosting…an “Out & Proud” Pride Party?
Want some Pride swag to carry/pass around festivals/parades?
RSVP to our Social Media Ambassadors meeting on June 14th
LGBTQ+ Town Hall w/ DNC Chair Jamie Harrison on June 23rd
We have a lot of work to do in North Carolina this year. Our state Supreme Court is in jeporady , elect more equality and pro-choice electeds to our State Legislature, and give the US Senate another Democrat that can help pass voting rights, combat climate change, and codify abortion and LGBTQ equity into federal law. Ready to get involved and join us in registering voters, canvassing, and working those poles? Join us at our State Convention on July 30th!
Your voice matters,
J. Tyler Beall President