The 2024 LGBTQ Year In Review
As we prepare for a new year and a new administration, Uncloseted shares the trials and triumphs for the LGBTQ community in a year where transgender people faced unprecedented political attacks
2024 has proven to be another turbulent year for LGBTQ communities in the U.S. and around the globe. In the last 12 months, transgender Americans and queer kids have been the targets of relentless attacks that have come in the form of hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills, transphobic rhetoric by politicians, and threats from far-right influencers and average Joe’s on social media.
Despite this, there was great progress: more young people are feeling confident enough to come out and more denominations of Christianity are allowing gay marriage.
Here are the most noteworthy moments and events that shaped 2024.
Jan. 23 — Nearly 30% of Gen Z adults identify as LGBTQ
A report by the Public Religion Research Institute finds that more than 1 in 4 Gen Z adults in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ, dwarfing the percentages of queer-identifying Americans in older age groups.
Feb. 8 —Nex Benedict dies
Nex Benedict, a nonbinary 16-year-old from Oklahoma, dies the day after being beaten unconscious by fellow students in their high school’s girls’ bathroom. A partial autopsy report by the state’s Chief Medical Examiner suggests the cause of their death was suicide.
Later in 2024, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education that began after Benedict’s death found that Owasso Public Schools had repeatedly failed to respond to sexual harassment allegations over three years.
Benedict lived in Oklahoma, a state that introduced 55 anti-LGBTQ bills in 2024.
March 22 — Russia and the LGBT Movement
Russia adds the “LGBT movement” to its list of terrorist and extremist organizations. This is the latest move in a years-long campaign of restrictive anti-LGBTQ laws spearheaded by the Putin Regime.
April 3 — Uganda upholds the Anti-Homosexuality Act
Uganda’s Constitutional Court upholds the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, which “prohibits any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex” as well as “the promotion or recognition of sexual relations between persons of the same sex.”
April 8 — Transgender rights and sports
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) bans trans women from competing in women’s sports at 241 colleges across the country. The NAIA, which oversees some 83,000 athletes competing in more than 25 sports, is believed to be the first college sports organization to take such a step.
April 10 — The Cass Review publishes
The United Kingdom’s National Health Service publishes The Cass Review, which outlines recommendations for gender identity services for minors.
The report, which is supported by both the Conservative and Labor Parties, calls for the “holistic treatment” for transgender youth and adults alike. Its findings say too little is known about hormones or puberty blockers to recommend them for trans youth.
The review’s conclusions have been criticized by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and pediatric health organizations in the U.S. and Canada, which have raised concerns about bias in the review’s methodology and recommendations.
April 19 - Biden-Harris Administration finalize the Pro-Equality Title IX Rule
Following years of advocacy by the Human Rights Campaign to help LGBTQ students combat sexual assault and harassment, the U.S. Department of Education announces it has finalized a Title IX rule that clarifies nondiscrimination protections should apply to LGBTQ people throughout educational activities and programs.
April 19 — Eight LGBTQ activists and artists are featured on Time’s “Most Influential” list
The coveted list includes actor Elliot Page, activist Nadine Smith and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
April 23 — Planet Fitness Bomb Threats
Over 50 Planet Fitness locations across the country report receiving bomb threats following a series of tweets by far-right account Libs of TikTok that targeted the gym franchise for its trans-inclusive policies.
May 1 — United Methodist Church ends anti-gay policies
The Methodist church ends its ban on officiating gay marriages and on gay people becoming clergy, the latter of which had been in place since 1984. "With the approvals and acceptance of the things today ... we're beginning to see the unwinding, unraveling, dismantling of the heterosexism, the homophobia, the hurt and the harm of the United Methodist Church," Rev. David Meredith said to United Methodist News.
June 21 — Braidwood v. Becerra: PrEP Access reported “unconstitutional”
A conservative federal appeals court in Texas finds a cornerstone of the Affordable Care Act that requires insurers to cover preventive health services like HIV prevention medication such as PrEP to be unconstitutional. The plaintiffs use religious objections to claim that providing coverage of PrEP “facilitates and encourages homosexual behavior.” The Supreme Court has not decided if it will take up the case.
PrEP has been integral to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
June 28 — Tractor Supply ends DEI, other companies follow
Tractor Supply ends its efforts and programs aimed at diversity, equity, and inclusion. The company says it will stop sponsoring pride endorsements and stop sending data to the Human Rights Campaign. Other major companies like Ford, Walmart, John-Deere, Harley-Davidson, Brown-Foreman Corp, and Molson Coors follow suit.
July 15 — Anti-LGBTQ rhetoric plays a large role at the RNC
On the first night of the Republican National Convention, speakers lean into anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. “Let me state this clearly: There are only two genders,” far-right Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene says in her speech.
Rep. John James criticizes trans women’s participation in women’s sports, and Sen. Ron Johnson remarks, “[The Democrats] fringe agenda includes … the sexualization and indoctrination of our children.”
July 22 — HIV progress
A new report by UNAIDS finds that HIV rates have fallen globally by 39% since 2010 and more than 75% of the 39.9 million people with HIV are receiving treatment. Global efforts to combat HIV and AIDS continue to make slow, steady progress. UNAIDS predicts AIDS could cease to be a public health threat by 2030.
July 27 — JD Vance’s political pivot
Sofia Nelson, a former transgender classmate of Vice President-elect JD Vance, releases emails of past experiences between she and Vance that differ greatly from Vance’s embrace of Trump and the GOP’s anti-trans rhetoric.
“I recognize now that this may not accurately reflect how you think of yourself, and for that I am really sorry,” Vance wrote in an email, apologizing for calling her a lesbian instead of transgender in his book. “I hope you’re not offended, but if you are, I’m sorry! Love you, JD.”
Nelson forgave him at the time, but released the email exchange to The New York Times in response to Vance’s conflicting policies toward the trans community.
“He achieved great success and became very rich by being a Never Trumper who explained the white working class to the liberal elite,” Nelson said, referring to Mr. Vance’s successful 2016 book. “Now he’s amassing even more power by expressing the exact opposite.”
Aug. 1 — New Title IX rules
As Title IX rules which include explicit protections for transgender students go into effect, 26 states issue court orders that prevent these protections from being enforced.
Aug. 2 — Controversy at the Olympics
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who is a cisgender woman, becomes the center of a heated debate about her participation in the female boxing competition at the Paris Olympics. Trump, J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk complain that Khelif has higher levels of testosterone and they falsely say she is transgender. In response, Khelif, who took home a gold medal, files a criminal complaint against Musk and Rowling over alleged “acts of aggravated cyber harassment.”
Sept. 4 — Trump lies about trans youth
Trump falsely claims that schools in the U.S. are sending students to receive gender-affirming surgeries behind the backs of parents.
Sept. 18 — Beshear bans some conversion therapy practices in Kentucky
Democratic Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky signs an executive order banning conversion therapy for minors. The ban is the result of an eight-year-long effort by the group Ban Conversion Therapy Kentucky. However, the ban does not apply to religious pastors, who administer the majority of conversion therapy in the U.S.
Sept. 19 — CNN exposes Mark Robinson’s comments on porn forum
CNN uncovers disturbing comments on a porn forum by Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina Mark Robinson, who has described LGBTQ people as “maggots” and “filth.” Despite Robinson’s history of anti-trans rhetoric, the investigation finds posts that indicate he has an affinity for transgender porn.
Sept. 24 — Thailand legalizes same-sex marriage
Thailand becomes the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize same-sex marriage after its marriage equality bill is endorsed by the monarchy.
Oct. 10 — The CDC Releases Youth Risk Report
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases a report that finds that roughly 40% of transgender and questioning students are bullied at school and approximately 26% of transgender and questioning students attempted suicide in the past year.
Nov 1 — JD Vance and “Normal Gays”
On Joe Rogan’s podcast, Vance says, “I wouldn’t be surprised if me and Trump won, just, the normal gay guy vote, because they just wanted to be left the hell alone.”
Nov. 5 — Sarah McBride Elected to House
Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride wins her election and becomes the first transgender member of Congress.
Nov. 5 — Trump Wins After Spending Big on Anti-Trans Ads
Donald Trump wins the Presidential election after he and the GOP spend more than $215 million dollars on anti-trans attack ads.
Nov. 6 — Harris breaks records amongst LGBTQ Voters
The LGBTQ community overwhelmingly vote in favor of Kamala Harris at 86%, compared to the 13% of queer people who voted for Trump. This marks Trump’s worst performance among the LGBTQ community.
Nov. 17 — FBI investigates wave of offensive anti-LGBTQ text messages
Following Donald Trump’s election, a wave of texts are sent instructing LGBTQ recipients to report to a “re-education camp.” These texts come after a series of racist texts were sent to Black people and crisis calls from LGBTQ youth spiked by 700% after election day.
Nov. 18 — Rep. Nancy Mace introduces trans bathroom ban in the Capitol
Weeks before transgender Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride is set to arrive in Washington, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace introduces a resolution that would prohibit any lawmakers and House employees from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson backs the bill, saying, “A man is a man and a woman is a woman, and a man cannot become a woman.”
Nov. 22 — First Openly Gay Treasury Secretary Nominee
Trump nominates hedge fund billionaire Scott Bessent to his cabinet as Treasury Secretary. If confirmed, Bessent will be the first openly gay man to hold that position and the fourth gay man to be elected to a cabinet position.
Nov. 23 — Khalid comes out
Grammy-nominated singer Khalid comes out as gay. “I got outted and the world still continues to turn,” he wrote in a tweet. “Let’s get this straight (lmao) I am not ashamed of my sexuality! In reality it ain’t nobodies business! But I am okay with me.”
Nov. 25 — Walmart pulls back on DEI efforts
Walmart confirms that it’s ending some of its diversity initiatives, removing some LGBTQ-related merchandise from its website and winding down a nonprofit that funded programs for minorities.
The nation’s largest big-box retailer joins a list of companies that caved to pressure from far-right influencers.
Dec. 4th — SCOTUS hears arguments on gender-affirming care for trans youth
SCOTUS hears oral arguments related to U.S. v. Skrmetti, a case that looks at whether a ban on gender-affirming healthcare for minors under the age of 18 would violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The case looks at healthcare treatments, including hormone therapy and puberty blockers, for transgender minors and would impose civil penalties on doctors who violate the prohibitions. Some two dozen similar laws have been enacted in recent years in Republican-led states.
Chase Strangio, an attorney for the ACLU who argued for the plaintiffs, makes history as the first openly transgender person to argue before the US Supreme Court.
Dec. 11 — UK hormone blocker ban made indefinite
The UK government indefinitely extends a ban on prescribing puberty blockers to minors. They restrict care while claiming that “all-around holistic support” is the goal of the country’s National Health Service for children’s gender service.
Dec. 12 — Trump avoids trans bathroom discussion in TIME interview
After being named TIME’s Person of the Year, Trump says he does not want to focus on which bathroom trans people can use. “I don’t want to get into the bathroom issue. Because it's a very small number of people we're talking about, and it's ripped apart our country, so they'll have to settle whatever the law finally agrees,” he said, after having aggressively attacked the trans community throughout his campaign.
Dec. 18 — U.S. Senate blocks healthcare for trans kids with parents in the military
The Senate passes the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act, including a provision to block healthcare coverage for the transgender children of service members seeking gender-affirming care. The bill has yet to be signed into law.
Dec. 18 — More than 570 Anti-LGBTQ Bills
As the year closes, the ACLU tallies 574 anti-LGBTQ bills across the U.S. from 2024 alone. 62 are advancing, 46 have passed into law, and 396 have been defeated.
Dec. 22 — Trump Speaks at AmericaFest Conference in Arizona
At the far right rally, Trump says, "With the stroke of my pen on day one we are gonna stop the transgender lunacy, and I will sign executive orders to end child sexual mutilation, get transgender out of the military and out of our elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools."
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𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗗 𝗝. 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣
𝗜𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗝𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗮 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀
“Donald John Trump, the twice-impeached, thrice-indicted 45th President of the United States, died on December 29, 2024, mere weeks before he was set to be sworn in for a catastrophic second term. His death, while tragic for those still entranced by his cult of personality, offers a much-needed reprieve for a nation and world terrorized by his existence. He was 78.” Read more…
https://open.substack.com/pub/patricemersault/p/the-obituary-of-donald-j-trump?r=4d7sow&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false