- LGBTQ Idahoans and allies gather at the Statehouse to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.
If proposed legislation goes into law, the bills could directly impact the LGBTQ community.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Keep our bodies out of your bills, that's the message to state lawmakers from LGBTQ Idahoans and their allies at the Idaho Statehouse. At the capitol, advocates are speaking out against proposed legislation that would directly impact the LGBTQ community.
At least a hundred protestors gathered at the Idaho Statehouse Monday protesting proposed legislation advocates say would directly impact the state's LGBTQ+ community.
Joseph Crupper says, "Today is March 4th. March 4th is all about taking our narrative back and getting our community out of the GOP's hateful bills that they're passing.”
There are several bills that target the LGBTQ community, like HB538, if HB538 becomes law Idaho teachers would not have to honor a student's preferred pronouns.
“One bill in particular that would affect me is HB538 which would make it so that teachers don't have to respect my name and pronouns that I asked them to use," says Liliana Rauner.
Another bill HB520 would prohibit trans Idahoans from receiving gender-affirming care through Medicaid.
Many, at the Statehouse, say if these bills turn into law, they might leave the state.
“I have two young kids and I would love to continue to raise them in Idaho but that is on purpose, it's a feature, not a bug but it becoming more and more likely that I'll have to leave the state to do that,” says Rowan Smith.
Rauner says, “No matter what kind of bills are being proposed we're still going to be out here and we're still going to fight because there's no amount of legislation that will put us back in hiding, we're here we're visible and we'll continue to fight.”
We asked protesters if they could say one thing to state legislatures what would it be?
"The one message I would like to give to people out there is not actually towards our legislators, but the queer youth in the state. I want them to know that they are loved and there are people out there fighting for them and even if they don't feel like they have a voice there are people out here that are trying to make sure they are kept protected,” says Joseph Crupper.