Why tell this story now?

The historic right to marry is now in jeopardy. In 2023, we watched as the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, removing women’s constitutional right to abortion. This reversal, made almost 50 years after the initial legislation passed, shows just how far the conservative movement will go to attack basic human rights. The rights of LGBTQ+ Americans, most especially transgender individuals, is under significant attack. The right of LGBTQ+ Americans to marry legally is next, as evidenced by the recent Idaho gay marriage challenge as well as the South Dakota same sex marriage challenge. Since January 2025 Republican lawmakers in a total of nine states have introduced proposals to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the ruling that granted same-sex couples the right to marry in the United States in 2015.

The presidential administration is led by unabashed homophobes. Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, believes that gay marriage is a “dark harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy that could doom even the strongest republic.” Justice Alito thinks gay marriage legalization should be revisited by the Supreme Court because people who believe homosexuality is a sin should not be treated as bigots. The manifesto of Project 2025, currently being enacted at an increasingly rapid pace, is placing us under attack. We must become our own cavalry and bring that to a stop.

In its destructive first months, the Trump administration has upended the structures of democracy, challenged the Constitution of the United States, and unequivocally placed our sense of equality under attack. More than ever, the time to act is now. We must stand up to this hatred with all we have. It is vital that we come together as members of the gay community, with our allies, to tell stories that celebrate our rich heritage, protect our hard-fought rights, and inspire future generations to continue the battles they will face.