Anti-LGBTQ+ hostility is rising. We asked queer people how safe they feel.

If LGBTQ+ Americans are feeling increasingly anxious about their safety, they have good reason. The past few years have seen a marked increase in anti-LGBTQ+ hostility on the political right, with Republican lawmakers across the country passing laws intended to ban the very mention of LGBTQ+ people in schools and in some places making it nearly impossible for trans and nonbinary people to simply exist in the public sphere. Online, anti-LGBTQ+ misinformation has led to violent extremist groups protesting and disrupting queer events like Pride celebrations and drag performances.

And anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes appear to be on the rise. The most recently available FBI data shows that reported hate crimes in general are now the highest they’ve ever been since the bureau began tracking such data in 1991. Late last year, the Department of Homeland Security warned that the LGBTQ+ community remained at risk of possible copycat attacks following the deadly shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Earlier this year, the Leadership Conference Education Fund warned that political attacks perpetuating the false “groomer” narrative around LGBTQ+ people could result in hate-motivated violence against the community going into the 2024 election cycle.

Who was the first queer author you discovered that made you realize you weren’t alone? The one that made you imagine a future for yourself?

Reports of Pride flags being torn down or defaced, queer people being assaulted, and most recently the high-profile murders of O’Shea Sibley and Laura Ann Carleton — it’s a lot! Even in New York City — a gay mecca in a blue state—multiple gay bars and restaurants have been attacked in recent years.

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How safe do YOU feel?