Two States, Two Wildly and Widely Different Stories in Working with LGBTQIA2S+ People.

As I get used to my “new home state” of New Mexico, I’m trying to read all that I can about the local and state news. Last Friday, March 24, 2023, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed two bills that strengthened protections for LGBTQIA2S+ people. The first was House Bill 207, expanding the state’s Human Rights act, clarifying and expanding and making the Human Rights Act broader in including sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disabilities. State Rep. Kristina Ortiz, D-Taos, said that this bill closed loopholes and makes the Human Rights Act a better laws, especially protecting LGBTQIA2S+ people. The other bill was House Bill 31, removing requirements for legal name changes, which used to be published in newspapers, making it public to the whole wide world. Oregon still does this. By removing this out-of-date publishing requirement, New Mexicans have a little bit more privacy and are able to safely move on with their lives. Both bills take effect June 16, 2023.

For more on this bill, here’s a link: https://www.sfreporter.com/news/morningword/2023/03/27/nm-gov-signs-laws-fortifying-lgbtq-protections/

Meanwhile, the state legislature of Idaho and Governor have taken a totally different direction and are not looking towards protecting or expanding protections for LGBTQIA2S+ but targeting especially transgender young people. Senate Bill 100, which was signed by Governor Little on March 25, 2023, is a “bathroom bill,” made famous in the state of North Carolina, which finally got rid of the bathroom bill. In essence, one has to go to the bathroom or shower area as a young person depending on the gender you were assigned at birth. Similar laws were signed last week in Iowa and Arkansas. 

For more information on this new law, click here: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/25/politics/idaho-bathroom-bill-brad-little-transgender-youth/index.html

There is also another law in Idaho that is making it impossible for any transgender person to get the gender affirming care and treatment one needs at the appropriate time in one’s life as one transitions. That law is not ready--yet--for the Governor to sign.

Currently, according to the ACLU, there are over 120 laws being passed in largely-Republican state legislatures restricting the rights of LGBTQIA2S+ people. 

The dramatic difference between NM and ID was breathtaking. One wonders how one state can be so affirming and Christ-like in protecting LGBTQIA2S+ people, while the other states work hard to hurt especially transgender people, let alone drag queens.

And the Church? I keep looking for some response and find none in terms of either supporting positive bills, or condemning and working hard to thwart such hateful bills.

This is the time for justice work. Or as Micah 6:8 reminds us, we are called to do justice, practicing loving kindness, and walk humbly with God, with emphasis on the first part of this passage.

May it be so.

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