As of September, more than 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced across the United States in 2026, including 243 targeting students and teachers, 145 targeting healthcare, and 31 targeting access to identification and voting. And the year isn’t over.
What are anti-LGBTQ+ bills targeting in 2026?
According to ACLU, the bills introduced so far break down like this:
243 bills target students and teachers, ensuring our classrooms are no longer safe spaces for all children.
145 bills target access to healthcare, at a time when the federal government is actively gutting options nationwide.
31 bills target access to proper forms of identification, in states where voter ID laws are only getting stricter.
Why representation in politics matters
As a young queer kid of color, one of the places I felt most safe to express myself was my high school choir room. I had an incredible choir teacher, Mrs. Tep, who spent years building a program that welcomed kids from all backgrounds and all identities. An environment like that gave me the confidence to go out into the world, unafraid to be who I was.
In college, I studied political science and planned to go to law school. I never saw politics as a field to go into, because what I saw of the industry on CNN and C-SPAN didn’t make it look like a place for people like me.
Then I joined my first campaign, under the guidance of a favorite professor (and against my better judgment). There, I found a mentor in our field director. Like me, he was loudly and proudly a gay Asian man, and he ran a program that turned out nearly 60,000 votes in an off-year special election. His work on that campaign helped impact millions of people in the community we were running in. His presence showed me there was, in fact, a place for me in politics.
Now, with eight years of political experience under my belt, I’ve learned how to turn that experience into action. At a time when Republicans are once again using LGBTQ+ people as political targets, I’m using it to fight back against the bigotry and hate threatening our community, and to help elect the leaders I know will stand up for our hard-won freedoms.
Who we need to elect to protect LGBTQ+ rights
Our rights are under attack nationwide. Our healthcare, our protections from workplace discrimination, our ability to start a family, and so much more are being weaponized in a dangerous culture war. Here’s who we need in office to push back:
Judges who will protect doctors who provide gender-affirming care.
Secretaries of state who will lift the barriers gender non-conforming people face when exercising their right to vote.
School board members who will fight for the books that teach the next generation that love is love.
LGBTQ+ staffers and leaders in the rooms where that work is being done.
Frequently asked questions
How many anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in 2026?
As of September, more than 525 have been introduced nationwide.
What do these bills target?
The largest share target students and teachers (243), followed by healthcare access (145) and identification and voting access (31).
How can I help protect LGBTQ+ rights?
Vote in every election, including school board and judicial races. Support candidates and organizations fighting these bills, and if you’ve ever thought about working in politics, consider joining a campaign. We need more LGBTQ+ people in the room.
Ready to get involved?
If you’re ready to help elect leaders who will stand up for LGBTQ+ communities, or you’re thinking about running yourself, schedule a free consultation with Evinco Strategies. You can also read Jim Crow 2.0: Why the South Is Ground Zero for the Fight Over Black Political Power to see how these attacks fit into a bigger pattern.