But this past spring the Republican-led state legislature passed a series of controversial bills that targeted the LGBTQ community.

That’s when Kleinmahon said he started having difficult conversations with his family about leaving the home they love. When he explained to his six-year-old daughter that their family had no choice but to leave New Orleans, she said, “We do have a choice, just one of them isn’t a good one.”

The Kleinmahons join other LGBTQ families who are also facing the same choice. They say they no longer feel safe or welcomed in states that have passed laws targeting their community. Many have made the difficult decision to leave.

In 2023, more than 525 anti-LGBTQ bills were passed in 41 states, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an organization that advocates for the LGBTQ community. Of those bills, more than 220 explicitly targeted transgender people. As of June, 77 anti-LGBTQ bills had been signed into law.

    • RobotDrZaius@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      This is the wrong question. There is no age below which a gay teacher should be unable to mention their spouse, or a student their two dads.

    • bufordt@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      When I was 6, an 8 year old try to convince me to have anal sex with him.

      I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have sex education for elementary school kids. I certainly don’t think we should pretend like lgbtq+ people don’t exist until a child reaches certain age.