We have less than a week until the midterm elections—and this election could have a huge impact on LGBTQ families, among others. Here’s some key information to know before heading to the polls, and a reminder of what’s at stake.
What’s at Stake: An Abbreviated List
The year saw more than 300 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced across the country, according to HRC. This includes 9 states that banned transgender youth from playing sports (bringing the total up to 18), five that censored LGBTQ topics in classrooms (for a total of six), and two that banned gender-affirming health care (for a total of three). (Data from GLAAD, Freedom for All Americans, and the Movement Advancement Project.) While many of the proposed bills didn’t pass, don’t think their supporters won’t try again.
Add to that 2,532 instances of books being banned in schools from July 2021 to June 2022, affecting 1,648 unique book titles across 138 school districts in 32 states, according to PEN America. Those districts represent 5,049 schools with nearly 4 million students.
On the federal level, in mid-October, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) and more than 30 Republican co-sponsors introduced a bill that is in effect a national “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill, banning discussion or materials on “gender identity, gender dysphoria, transgenderism, sexual orientation, or related subjects.”
Then there’s reproductive health care, including abortion rights, which are very much a queer issue. LGBTQ people who have been pregnant are more likely to have had unwanted or mistimed pregnancies and to need abortion services than cisgender heterosexual women. Access to abortion is also not just about pregnancy, but about the broader issues of personal and bodily autonomy, which lie at the very heart of queer rights. Many people have speculated that the overturning of abortion rights last June could lead to the overturning of related rights such as marriage equality and the right of consenting adults to engage in private sexual acts. It could also have implications for assisted reproduction. (Wondering how to protect yourself and your family? Check out my interview with two experts.)
These are not the only issues to impact our votes, of course. Racial justice, immigration reform, the economy, the environment, and more may be weighing on our minds. As I see it, though, personal and bodily autonomy are a foundation without which other rights are harder to access and enjoy.
Our system is not perfect. There are those who are seeking to subvert it. But voting remains at the core of this fragile democracy of ours. Go vote.
Key Voting Info
- Find your polling place and its hours.
- See if your state requires ID to vote, and if so, what.
- Find what’s on the ballot in your state.
- Learn what to do if someone tries to stop you from voting, if you’re told you’re not on the voter roll, or if you make a mistake on your ballot.
Helpful Tips
- If you can vote early in your state, do it and avoid the lines.
- If you’re voting on November 8, plan to wait in line. Dress for the weather since you may be outdoors. Bring food and water if you think you’ll need it.
- Review what’s on your ballot ahead of time to minimize time at the polling place.
- Make sure to vote all the way down the ballot.
- Help a relative, friend, or neighbor find where to vote and what to bring. Offer to drive them if you can.
- Note that Lyft is offering discounted rides to the polls (and free ones through nonprofit partners).
- If you have to bring young kids along, make sure to bring some books or toys to amuse them in line.
- If you have kids over 18, remind them to vote.