LGBTQ+ People Are Not Going Back
Last week, I proposed a mass action for today (Tuesday, December 3, 2024), in which LGBTQ+ people and allies who have platforms of any kind would publish individual creations (writings, videos, podcasts, social media posts, etc.) with the shared title “LGBTQ+ People Are Not Going Back.” While each of our creations would be in our own voices—as no single individual speaks on behalf of our entire community—we would all encourage our audiences to contact their representatives to let them know that we will not tolerate any more backsliding on LGBTQ+ rights!
The rationale for this action is thoroughly explained in my original post, so I won’t reiterate it all here. In this post, I will: 1) provide resources for you to call your representatives today (although if you’re discovering this at a later date, it’s never too late to call!) and 2) compile links to everybody’s LGBTQ+ People Are Not Going Back creations, so that we can all appreciate and boost one another’s work!
1) Contacting your representatives
If you go to the Congress.gov Find Your Members website and enter your zip code, they will provide the names and phone numbers for your congressperson and senators. If you additionally wish to contact your state legislators, you can find them via 5calls.org by entering your zip code. The specific page I linked to there provides a script produced by 5calls for opposing anti-trans legislation at the state level. Some of you might find it useful in its own right (especially with 2025 state legislative sessions around the corner) and/or as a template for this action.
Like I said, I’m not going to tell you what to say, plus it will likely differ depending on who your representatives are, your own personal political leanings, and countless other factors. But here’s what I personally plan to say to my Democratic representatives in a “safe blue” state—feel free to borrow or adapt this language if it suits your purposes:
Hello _____, my name is _____ and I’m a constituent from _____. As an LGBTQ person [or ally, or family member of, etc.], I am calling to express my dismay at the number of Democratic politicians who have proposed retreating from trans rights since the election, and the lack of Democratic pushback to speaker Johnson’s and representative Mace’s congressional and proposed federal anti-trans bathroom bans. It’s clear from states where Republicans hold a trifecta that they will not stop with restrooms, or sports, or with trans people—their goal is to roll back all LGBTQ+ rights, censor all LGBTQ+ content, and force all LGBTQ+ people out of the public sphere.
We need our Democratic representatives (like you) to vocally speak out and push back against [and filibuster, if speaking to a senator] any and all anti-LGBTQ+ policies and legislation. Democrats also need us: LGBTQ+ people comprised 8% of voters in November’s election, 86% of whom voted for Vice President Harris. So I urge you to work together with our community to fight back against this GOP anti-LGBTQ+ onslaught starting now! I promise, I will remember what you did in this moment—whether it be strongly standing up for us, or capitulating to Republicans’ anti-LGBTQ+ moral panic—when time comes for the next election cycle. Thank you for your consideration.
NOTE: 5calls.org also suggests that if you end up leaving a voice mail message, you should “leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied.” If you feel uncomfortable doing this, I perfectly understand, just sharing the recommendations I have on hand.
2) A compilation of “LGBTQ+ People Are Not Going Back” creations
What follows is a list of all the “LGBTQ+ People Are Not Going Back” creations I could find, listed alphabetically. To be clear, this list is uncurated — I haven’t had a chance to read/view them all and I don’t necessarily endorse every point that they make. They vary in medium, length, style, and in their politics (as does the LGBTQ+ community at large). But we stand united on this one front.
Abbey St. Brendan
Alex L Combs
Alex Mell-Taylor
Alessia Elisabeth Gebauer
Alyssa Ferguson
Alyssa Jean
Amae
Amethysta Herrick
Amy Kaufman Burk
Bethany Karsten (The Transfeminine Review)
Billie Hoard
Casey Whittaker
Celeste Irwin
Cinema Purgatorio
Cody Daigle-Orians
comic by andy
Dan Kipp
Danielle.Actually
Dayna A. Ellis
Decarceration
Deep Deeper Deepest
Deepa
DocViviLeandra
Dr Sarah (Geeky Feminist)
Ellie Clifford
Ellen-Adele Harper
Emily St. James
Emmie Malone
Enchantment of Eternity
Ev Nichols
Gillian Brockell
Gwen Smith
Helen Boyd
Iris Meredith
Jack Molay (Transgender World)
James Finn
Janet Logan
Jay Siegmann
Jen Cousins (Orlando Sentinel)
Jennifer Harris Dault
Jill Lloyd Flanagan
Jim Snowdon
Joelle Henneman
Jude Doyle
Julie Artz
Juniper Oxford
Justin Gibson
Kate Hinnant
Kate Sloan
Katelyn Burns (in Xtra)
Katrina Anne Willis
Kestrel M
Kevin Standlee
Levi Fuller
Lily E. Rood
Lisa Rayner Handwovens
Logan Silkwood
Madison Nield
Mary DeVries
Maureen Kelleher
Melissa Amarawardana
Melody
Michelle Paquette
Moirarts
Ms Evelyn
Nan Tepper
Nancy Jainchill
Nessiopia/The Loch Ness Monster
Nicole Dake
Noah Berlatsky
Oliver Radclyffe
Paul Crider
PITT
Qid Love
Rambling Reggie
RedBunnyFreePress
Robin (Books That Burn)
Robin Cangie
Ron Hogan
Saoirse
Sonja Black
Sophia Hottel
SpiderMonkeyTales
St John Starling
Suzi Chase
Tennessee Equality Project
The Trans Aunty
The Witch Wolf’s Den
Transgender Resistance Action Network (TRAN)
TransRescue
Tucker Lieberman
Veronica’s Second Act
What the Trans
Women’s Community Justice Association
Zoë Michelle
Zylla’s Athenaeum