By Elle Ryan, Resident in Counseling
Recently, there has been heightened tension between state governments and the LGBTQ+ population. Forty-two states have passed anti-drag and anti-transgender bills, including but not limited to Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Arizona. These bills spread misinformation and provoke threats, attacks, and discrimination against transfolk, drag-artists, their patrons and the LGBTQ+ community as whole. Transfolk, in particular, have been targeted for their gender expression and identity, significantly increasing rates of discrimination and hatred. In 2023, there was an all-time high with 87 anti-trans bills passed and in 2024, 41 anti-trans bills have passed with 328 still active.
What can you do to stop the spread of misinformation and discrimination? One way is to write a letter to your state representatives. Here is a link to the American Counseling Association, which provides a template for writing letters. Scroll down to the section on Writing Your Legislator a Letter and copy/paste the text into an email. https://www.counseling.org/advocacy/take-action.
For Virginia residents, here is a list of legislators and the districts they represent. https://www.house.gov/representatives#state-virginia.
At Counseling Connect, we care deeply about our LGBTQ+ folk and stand with them in solidarity to advocate, support, and celebrate the diversity within our communities. This Pride month, we teamed up with Moon Hollow Brewing and Community Pride in Blacksburg to bring you Counseling Connect’s Drag Extravaganza. Our Pride month kick-off event will showcase performers Jezzi Belle, Shanda Leer, Adoor Belle and Bromeo. Our goal is to increase mental health supports and awareness for the trans community. A portion of our tickets sales will be donated to Point of Pride. Point of Pride is a nonprofit organization whose mission “is to help the most vulnerable members of our community by increasing access to life-saving healthcare and wellness services” (https://www.pointofpride.org/about). The organization works to provide transfolk with gender affirming care such as surgery, hormone therapy and more!
Our Drag Extravaganza is a family friendly event held at Moon Hollow Brewing on June 9th at 12 pm EDT. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or online! Children under 12 can attend for free. We hope to see you there! Happy Pride!
Buy Tickets Here!
References:
https://www.hrc.org/magazine/2023-spring/fighting-back-against-anti-drag-
bills#:~:text=A%20slew%20of%20anti%2Ddrag,Oklahoma%2C%20North%20Dakota%20and%20Arkansas.