Every single person in our country is entitled to live with dignity, free from discrimination, and with the freedom to be their authentic self. As someone who has fought for civil rights as a lawyer and democracy advocate through my work with Common Cause Massachusetts and other groups, I would be a strong champion for LGBTQ+ equality if elected to the United States Congress. I have been on the front lines of this fight, including by suing Massachusetts to comply with the Constitution by providing appropriate healthcare to trans inmates.
We need to be clear about where things stand. With the Trump Administration and MAGA Republicans launching unprecedented attacks on LGBTQ+ rights—particularly targeting transgender and gender-diverse Americans—we need leaders who will stand up forcefully against discrimination and bad-faith attempts to scapegoat our fellow citizens.
I would fight attempts to roll back protections, ban healthcare, and erase LGBTQ+ people from public life, and work to codify in law protections that cannot be stripped away by hostile courts or future administrations.
First, we need to unwind and roll back the effects of President Trump’s various executive orders targeting transgender people and LGBTQ+ protections. If elected, I would join the Equality Caucus and Transgender Equality Taskforce to partner with other colleagues on these critical priorities.
Beyond that, I will champion passage of the Equality Act to provide comprehensive federal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, education, credit, jury service, and public accommodations. I would also push for additional protections, such as federal legislation banning the harmful practice of conversion therapy for minors.
I’ll also push Congress to prioritize protecting and expanding access to gender-affirming healthcare, including for transgender youth, and stopping insurance companies that discriminate against LGBTQ+ people in connection with transition-related care.
The fight for LGBTQ+ equality is interconnected with broader struggles for racial justice, economic opportunity, and democratic rights. I’ll work to build coalitions that recognize how discrimination compounds for LGBTQ+ people of color, those with disabilities, and those facing economic hardship.
