As rainbow flags are flown and parades are held across the United States in the month of June, I’m already thinking about November. Because while we’re in the middle of Pride Month, which calls for celebration and honoring queer history, it’s crucial to remember that we are also deep into a midterm election year, and for LGBTQ+ folks and the people who love them, the stakes are high.
But if you turn on the news, you might not even notice. Amid all of the U.S.’s domestic and global conflicts, inflation struggles, and immigration crises, the discussion of LGBTQ+ issues has taken a bit of a backseat in this year’s election discourse. But the fight for the right to exist and thrive didn’t start or stop with the passage of Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage in the United States in 2015. LGBTQ+ rights are still very much at risk, with transgender folks being the main target in recent years. From restrictions on bathroom usage to playing sports to accessing gender-affirming care, anti-trans laws and legislators have become significantly more prevalent since President Donald Trump took office in his second term — with other LGBTQ+ rights expected to follow.
With every midterm election comes the chance for major changes in Congress and across state legislatures, and this year is no different. That’s why — with state primaries either rapidly approaching or already passed, and the general election just five months away — Pride Month is the perfect time to get involved in politics (or get more involved).Â
Presidential election years tend to get all the hype, but midterms are more important now than ever, because for LGTBQ+ Americans, who ends up in their state’s legislature could make or break their right to exist in the state they call home. There are so many LGBTQ+ issues on the ballots this year. In Arizona, one bill on the ballot is about prohibiting schools and athletic associations from allowing someone to use a restroom, locker room, shower room, or other private space that is not designated for their biological sex. In Colorado and Missouri, there are bills to ban gender-affirming surgeries for minors. (Missouri’s is a constitutional amendment that would also heavily restrict abortion access). Colorado and Washington voters will see a bill or state statute about only allowing student athletes to participate in sports teams that match their biological sex on the ballot, and Nebraska and Nevada voters might see constitutional amendments of similar nature (with Washington’s also requiring an invasive sex verification process). On the flip side, Virginia’s ballot includes a bill that aims to amend its state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Similarly, Vermont has a bill that aims to amend the constitution to prohibit the denial of rights to someone based on their race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or national origin.
On a federal level, if Congress remains red, LGBTQ+ folks across the U.S. could face major setbacks. There have been calls to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges as recently as last year, and while the appeal to overturn the ruling was shot down by the Supreme Court, the fact that the conversation still exists is a threat; if Congress remains majority conservative, there will undoubtedly be an even stronger fight to pass some if not all of these laws before Trump’s second term ends.
Beyond legislation, there are also individual candidates up for election who could make or break outcomes for LGBTQ+ communities. For example, South Dakota’s current Attorney General, Marty Jackley, who has a history of supporting anti-trans legislation and stances, is running for the state’s empty Representative seat. (He’s also one of a handful of candidates Trump has endorsed for the 2026 midterm elections.) Another Trump-endorsed candidate is current Iowa congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who is now running for Senate. While she was one of the 39 House Republicans who voted in favor of the 2022 Respect for Marriage Act, which enshrined the right to same-sex marriage into federal law, she has spoken out against the Equality Act, which aimed to expand the Civil Rights Act to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and LGBTQ+-inclusive school policies.Â
But it’s not just about keeping anti-LGBTQ+ politicians out of office; it’s also about bringing more LGBTQ+ support and visibility into office. Take Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person in the U.S. House of Representatives, who is running for reelection to represent Delaware’s at-large congressional district. McBride cosponsored the Equality Act and was the former national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign. There’s also Jeremy Moss, who is the first openly LGBTQ+ person ever elected to the Michigan Senate and is running to represent Michigan’s 11th Congressional District. He has historically championed pro-LGBTQ+ legislation and stood up to Rep. Josh Schriver after he’d called for Obergefell to be overturned. On the state level, Maureen AuCoin is running for Maine’s House of Representatives and has been endorsed by the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, alongside Abi Boatman for Kansas House, Hunter Cantrell for the Minnesota House, Spencer Dixon for the Maryland House of Delegates, and Brendan Johnson for Michigan State Senate, among others.
This Pride Month, as I’m thinking about how I can best support my community, it’s Election Day that’s at the top of my mind. Electing leaders and officials that truly support the LGBTQ+ community is crucial, and I hope you’ll all join me in helping to do so. The fight for true equal rights is a long one, and the political landscape can feel heavy, but through it all, queer joy and resilience will always prevail.