Queer liberation is your liberation

Authoritarianism does not herald its arrival. That’s too cowardly. It goes quietly on the fringes, testing how much horror and brutality a community will tolerate, and what bystanders will tolerate happening to their fellow human beings. History shows that queer people, especially transgender people, are often the first to be targeted. This targeting is no coincidence. That’s intentional.

Protecting gay rights is not a niche concern. It is a test of the health of democracy. A society in which one group is targeted does not end there. The same people who come in the morning looking for homosexuals come in the afternoon looking for educators, journalists, voters, and public institutions. This is not a guess. This is a frequently used pattern.

All over the world, the LGBTQ+ community is under systematic attack. In Russia, the so-called “international LGBTQ movement” is considered extremist and queer identity is legally equated with terrorism. We are seeing clear echoes of that foreign influence here at home. In other countries, governments have criminalized homosexuality, removed transgender people from public life, or silenced them through intimidation. The sequence of dehumanizing rhetoric, restrictive policies, and ultimately open support for violence is familiar. When these warning signs are ignored, repression accelerates.

It may be comforting to think that this is a distant or abstract story. it’s not. In the United States, LGBTQ+ people, including transgender people, are seeking asylum abroad because they no longer feel safe in their communities. When we have to leave for our neighbors to feel safe, we have betrayed our community.

Experts at the Lemkin Institute for the Prevention of Genocide have warned that America’s trans community faces serious and growing danger. Their analysis is grounded in history. Genocide is not just mass murder. It is the systematic destruction of a group’s ability to exist safely and openly. Legal erasure, public demonization, exclusion from organizations, and tolerated harassment are all early stages of that process. The history is clear. Now is the time to act before the damage becomes irreversible.

Democratic setbacks rarely come with much fanfare. It comes from school board votes, bureaucratic rules, inaction by elected leaders, and symbolic reversals that seem small until they add up. This is how erosion becomes entrenched.

In my hometown of Salisbury, Maryland, the erosion has become visible. The city has stopped displaying Pride flags during Pride Month and removed downtown’s rainbow crosswalks. These were not neutral administrative choices. They sent a clear message to queer residents that their visibility and belonging were not welcome.

Harm occurs when communities remove symbols that affirm dignity and safety, when books that reflect queer realities are removed from schools and libraries, and when children are excluded from participation in life simply because they are different. It teaches us that difference is dangerous. And when politicians and other people in positions of responsibility fail to protect transgender children, real harm occurs: mental health crises, isolation, and even loss of life.

Pride flags, rainbow crosswalks, inclusive curricula, and supportive policies are more than just symbols. They communicate that everyone belongs and that discrimination will not be tolerated. Excluding them isolates queer people and emboldens those who see the community as an exclusive club rather than a shared responsibility.

Queer liberation is inseparable from the liberation of the broader community. It is inseparable. Living openly as queer challenges a system built on fear, rigid roles, and forced conformity. When queer people have support, everyone has support. Queer liberation victories strengthen democracy itself.

This shows us that progress is possible. Every time the pride flag continues to fly. The crosswalk remains painted each time. Every time a local ordinance protects gender identity. Every time the school affirms the dignity of its students. These are no small victories. Liberation grows through accumulation.

National politics can feel chaotic and overwhelming. Federal agencies are slow, complex, and remote. But defending democracy does not start there. It starts locally, with neighbors showing up at town halls to demand accountability and refuse to let bigotry shape policy. We don’t need extraordinary powers to protect city council or school board meetings. We need people willing to stand up. We need bystanders willing to intervene.

Now is the time to act. Silence allows erosion. Action creates momentum. The question is not whether change is possible; It’s whether you are willing to insist on it.

Queer liberation is your liberation. Protecting the most targeted among us will protect the future we all share. Every Pride flag raised, every rainbow crosswalk returned, every book left on a bookshelf, and every dignity-affirming policy sends a message far beyond the city limits. Let the world know that democracy is here.

A local victory is a global victory. And every one of them is important.

Will Fries. He is a communications strategist in Maryland and has worked on several major presidential campaigns.