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Arizona LGBTQ+ leaders discuss what's at stake in the 2024 election

Messages of support for the LGBTQ+ community posted inside the Phoenix Parsons Youth Center
Nick Karmia/KJZZ
Messages of support for the LGBTQ+ community posted inside the Phoenix Parsons Youth Center

Opposing bathroom bans, anti-trans healthcare policy and “don’t say gay” bills, LGBTQ+ community members met in Phoenix to discuss what’s at stake in November for their movement.

The Phoenix Parsons Youth Center hosted a discussion led by members of the LGBTQ+ community. Participants spoke of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and expressed their support for getting pro-equality candidates into the Arizona Legislature.

Kelley Robinson is President of the Human Rights Campaign and emphasized how Arizona voters take pro-LGBTQ+ legislation seriously.

“Here in Arizona, we’ve identified 1.4 million voters that prioritize LGBTQ+ issues when deciding what to vote for,” Robinson said. “We call them equality voters. If those people turn out, we win.”

HRC declared a state of emergency last year after they identified nearly 600 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that were introduced nationwide. Robinson concluded the gathering by highlighting the importance of each attendee’s story and turning the Legislature blue.

Nick Karmia is a reporter at KJZZ.
Keller Brown was an intern at KJZZ in 2024.