When marriage equality passed in Argentina in 2010, LGBT activists and allies were ecstatic. On the following week, they went back to work on issues which communities that had supported them cared about, like indigenous rights. Now that's solidarity!
While few would say that with marriage equality in the United States we have reached the eschaton, many of us may feel the urge to rest saying, "It is finished" (John 19:30). But Jesus got back up after three days, which is more like a long weekend than a permanent retirement!
Before court rulings, most states that instituted marriage equality had a foundation of other basic rights and protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. But with recent federal victories, there are now many states that have a gap in these other protections. For example, in many states, you can get married on Friday, post wedding pictures on Saturday, and be fired from your work and kicked out of your apartment on Monday.
One of the best tools to see this dynamic is found on the Guardian website. They have a wonderful interactive chart of seven distinct issues concerning LGBT rights. Please give it a look to see what I mean! Some states have strong protections, and others have few. If you look at the wheel, you might notice that California, along with a few other states in the Northeast and West Coast, seem to have maximum protections set up. Does that mean there is nothing left to accomplish? Are the only fights worth having in the Midwest and South? By no means!
There are many problems our transgender siblings still face even in Southern California. Some of these are cultural and institutional, while others are matters of policy. These include their misplacement and resulting abuse in local jails or detention centers for undocumented immigrants. These injustices intersect with issues of class and race. The vast majority of transgender persons do not find themselves on magazine covers.
Faith-rooted allies can be helpful partners in working alongside transgender activists to affirm their rights and dignity. What can you do? For starters, you can sign Believe Out Loud's petition, recommitting to the work that still needs to be done. Societies aren't transformed in a day, or even a lifetime, but we can have important victories along the way that renew our energy and show us that another world is possible.
Onward,
Timothy Murphy
Executive Director