Our team was up late and then up early as we followed election results. I know a lot of you were, too.
And wow – what a profound night, with huge victories for equality, dignity, and freedom up and down the ballot.
There is a lot to absorb, but there is one fundamental throughline that we see: Voters had a stark choice, and they stood on the side of decency – on the side of those who are struggling and those who have been mercilessly targeted.
What we know – because we experience it every single day from North Carolina to Mississippi to Tennessee – is that there is actually no such place as a “blue county” or a “red county,” because there are people in every single town across the South whose lives outpace polling data and punditry. A child comes out as trans and suddenly their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, and coaches need to reckon with whether to love that child fiercely and unconditionally. Families need to figure out whether there is room at their table. And what we see is that, over time, a lot of people get there.
We have always understood our work at CSE as part of a much, much larger movement for justice, working to build a South where everyone is free to be themselves, where everyone has a chance to thrive. It’s long-game stuff about organizing everywhere, showing up again and again, being rooted in unshakeable values, and leading with empathy and love. Last night’s election results testify to what’s possible when you believe in – and invest in – the long game. But let’s be clear: regardless of the results on any particular election night, we are not going anywhere. This is our home.
There is also one key takeaway that we saw everywhere from Texas to Missouri – scapegoating trans people isn’t just morally wrong, it’s a failed political strategy.
Anti-LGBTQ+ forces tried to attack candidates with anti-transgender framing, spending nearly $400 million on ads with anti-trans messages and pushing anti-trans ballot initiatives in a handful of states. Those ads didn’t work in Texas and they didn’t work in North Carolina; voters saw right through them.
Instead, voters elected an LGBTQ-supportive majority to both the House and the Senate. Candidates from diverse backgrounds won. Candidates who were clear about who they are and what they believe, who proudly and vocally championed LGBTQ+ equality, won. Transgender candidates won, including for the first time in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Washington, and Wisconsin.
In Missouri, a ballot measure to restrict abortion access and ban gender-affirming care for trans young people failed by 10 points. In Washington, a proposal requiring schools to “out” LGBTQ+ young people is poised to fail. In Virginia, voters approved a constitutional amendment protecting the freedom to marry for all. These victories matter – they demonstrate that communities can reject fear and division and refuse to turn vulnerable young people into political targets.
Last night’s results are a seismic shift. But we can’t afford to be naive. We are heading into new territory. And the work continues.
Many trans young people are hurting this morning, after seeing their basic freedoms subjected to a public vote in their home state. Some anti-transgender ballot measures are poised to pass – including policies banning trans young people from participating in school sports in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, and Washington.
To every trans young person watching these results: Your dignity will never be determined by an election. Humanity isn’t conditional or up for a vote. You deserve to be celebrated, supported, and protected – and there is a whole growing movement of people who love you, believe in you, and will show up every day to fight for your rights and make sure you have what you need to thrive.
We know that elections are one part of a much larger movement. Today, we’re celebrating these victories, recommitting ourselves to the challenges ahead, and looking toward a future where all of us can live freely and fully.
We’re in it together, and we’re not going anywhere.
