Campaign for Southern Equality

06/19/2026

Happy Juneteenth! On June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Galveston Texas were finally told they were free. Today, Black Americans celebrate freedom, and at Campaign for Southern Equality, we are taking time to honor Black people whose organizing continues to move us towards a more liberated future. Our liberation is bound in one another, and the LGBTQ+ movement in the South is shaped by Black leadership.

06/18/2026

One year ago today, the Supreme Court made a reckless decision in U.S. v Skrmetti – a decision that has allowed 27 states to maintain discriminatory bans on access to life-saving healthcare for trans youth and their families. These bans force thousands of young trans people and their families to travel long distances for medically necessary care. After the decision, our Trans Youth Emergency Project continued to expand to help young trans people access the care they need, no matter where they live. We will never stop working to ensure trans youth have access to healthcare, but we couldn't do it without your support. Learn more about TYEP and support our work: https://southernequality.org/tyep/

06/17/2026

HUGE thank you to Adam Conover for playing to benefit our Trans Youth Emergency Project on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune! We hope you will tune in--all episodes streaming now on Disney+ and Hulu.

06/17/2026

Through the Lavender South, we bring you Southern LGBTQ+ art, poetry, and prose. This week’s featured poet is Eddie Hollis Edwards. A gender non-conforming le***an poet with three kids and a spine made of fire, Eddie lives in Austin, Texas, where the heat never lets up and neither does the poetry. In her poem “And The Homosexuals” she tells a captivating story set “somewhere behind the pine curtain. For those who survived and escaped, that’s Northeast Texas.” Read Eddie’s poem and more from the Lavender South: https://southernequality.org/the-lavender-south/

06/16/2026

The Trump administration is escalating their attempts to gain access to transgender youths’ private medical records– and families are fighting back. The Department of Justice has filed administrative and now grand jury subpoenas against multiple children’s hospitals, claiming that youths’ medical records are necessary for their investigation into billing practices. All people have a right to privacy and the right to make their own medical decisions without government interference. We are grateful to the families of transgender youth and their legal representatives who are fighting back against these efforts. Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/05/politics/trump-administration-trans-minors-medical-records

06/14/2026

We are excited to highlight the work of our 2025 Back-to-School Mini Grants recipients! The Back-to-School Mini-grants provide small-scale funding and technical support to help student groups, families, and educators create safe, joyful, and community-centered environments for LGBTQ+ youth. Grant recipient SeekHealing utilized their grant to support their q***r prom “Season of Grace”, a space to dance, connect, and celebrate through drag performances, a silent disco, shared dinner, and creative space - all in the spirit of q***r joy and community care.

Learn more about our Back-to-School Mini grantees: https://southernequality.org/back-to-school-mini-grant-recipients/

06/13/2026

Happy Pride! Last year, the local restaurant Grey Hawk Bar & Gardens hosted the first Pride event in Rutherford County, NC. We believe LGBTQ+ Pride belongs everywhere, and we are excited to join this year's 2026 Pride Festival at Grey Hawk. Read their oped on the power of Pride in rural communities at https://amp.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/article316099317.html

06/13/2026

Tonight, trans musicians and artists are coming together in Austin to raise money for gender-affirming surgeries and fill in an ever-growing gap left by anti-trans policies and laws restricting healthcare. Learn more about the fundraiser and the challenges trans people in Texas are facing when it comes to accessing gender-affirming care:

Austin transgender musicians and drag performers are turning to community fundraising to help cover the soaring costs of gender-affirming care as access becomes increasingly uncertain in Texas and across the country.

06/12/2026

Bentley Hudgins could make history this November as Georgia’s first trans lawmaker. Their campaign is built on real experiences and problems in their community. Read more about Bentley’s story and plans for Georgia in the article:

In the middle of America’s intensifying backlash against trans rights, voters are set to send Bentley Hudgins to the state Capitol.

06/11/2026

Excited to see the launch of Virginians for Marriage Equality this month! In November, Virginians will be asked to affirm the freedom to marry at the ballot box – check out this piece about the launch, and be sure to follow the campaign. https://virginiamercury.com/2026/06/01/virginia-marriage-equality-amendment-campaign-launches-at-start-of-pride-month/