As the Trump administration rolls back protections for LGBTQ+ Americans, Outright Vermont is urging state lawmakers to safeguard the rights of queer and transgender youth in the Green Mountain State.
Executive orders signed by President Donald Trump have already and .
Alex Yahm-Halberg, a youth advocate at Outright Vermont, said the national climate has become 鈥渢errifying鈥� for gay, transgender and nonbinary kids. And he said state lawmakers should take their cue from children who are inhabiting the new landscape.
鈥淲e鈥檙e the ones looking for spaces in our communities where we can just be ourselves,鈥� Yahm-Halberg said at a press conference last week. 鈥淲e鈥檙e the ones navigating a health care system that can make it harder, not easier, to get the care that we need.鈥�
More than 30 youth leaders from across Vermont visited the Statehouse last week to advance what they鈥檙e calling the 鈥淧rotect Our Rights鈥� campaign.
Their top priorities include , which enforces anti-discrimination laws, and .
鈥淲e are calling for these solutions because the action we鈥檝e seen lawmakers take in the past has not been enough to protect us,鈥� Yahm-Halberg said. 鈥淲e are here telling you what needs to be done to keep our communities safe.鈥�
