Congresswoman Andrea Salinas, the new vice chair of the Equality Caucus, spoke with Blade for Protection of LGBTQ Americans to discuss the fight ahead.
Mr. Salinas is no stranger to government service. The daughter of Mexican immigrants, she graduated from the University of California, Berkeley and quickly became a valued member of several Democratic offices, including working as a legislative aide to Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) and Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.). From there, she served six years in the Oregon House of Representatives before being elected to Congress representing areas south of Salem and parts of south Portland. In her new role with the Equality Caucus, Salinas vows to promote protections for LGBTQ Americans in every room she enters.
The Washington Blade spoke with Salinas last week following her leadership announcement about what the role means to her, why she feels it is her duty as a straight woman to fight for LGBTQ protections, and how she sees the current state of the country.
When asked why she decided to take on a leadership role within the Equality Caucus, Salinas explained that while she was already committed to the job, the timing of the caucus’s activities, coupled with what she described as the growing threat posed by the Trump-Vance administration, made this moment feel particularly urgent.
“In fact, I was asked to take on this role because of the work I’ve already done. I wasn’t looking for a title. The Congressional Equality Caucus approached me, and I was honored to do it,” the Oregon lawmaker told the Blade. “I have been a lifelong advocate, first as a mother and then as a lawmaker. Now that Trump is back in office and the shackles are off, children are vulnerable and under attack. We need advocates. Title or no title, I was going to do this job anyway.”
Those efforts include an LGBTQ-related education policy passed during his time in the Oregon House of Representatives that requires the Oregon Department of Education to train teachers on how to better support LGBTQ students. She also supported legislation aimed at preventing LGBTQ-related bullying and harassment, while using her platform to ensure educators have the skills necessary to address trauma in the classroom. Mr. Salinas also played a role in promoting and defending Oregon’s 2013 ban on conversion therapy.
Salinas said her personal motivation to advance and protect LGBTQ rights is rooted in her daughter Amelia’s experience.
“My daughter is queer and has known who she is since she was a child,” Salinas said. “She has a very masculine personality. I’ve had to advocate for her throughout her life, from whispers on the sideline at soccer to her fear of going to the bathroom when she was only 3 or 4 years old. That kind of bullying and harassment stays with me as a parent. It’s part of who I am, and it became part of my ‘Mama Bear’ advocacy.” When I entered public office, it was the most natural thing in the world to continue that fight. ”
That “Mama Bear” advocacy now extends far beyond her own family, she said.
“Children are vulnerable right now across this country, and President Trump is attacking them,” she said. “After the 2024 election, my daughter was devastated. She said, ‘They’re going to come after us,’ and she was right. That fear is real, especially for transgender youth. Civil rights should be expanded, not stripped away from certain communities, which is why this fight feels so urgent.”
Since returning to the White House in 2024, the Trump administration has moved to roll back anti-discrimination protections, particularly those affecting transgender people. These efforts include banning transgender people from openly serving in the military, blocking access to gender-affirming medical care in federal health programs, challenging state laws that protect transgender students on religious grounds, and arguing that the Constitution gives employers the right to discriminate against LGBTQ people based on their religious beliefs, even in states with anti-discrimination laws.
For Salinas, the Equality Caucus’ most urgent task under the Trump-Vance administration is advancing the Equality Act, which she calls a long-sought but non-negotiable priority.
The Equality Act would add explicit protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity to federal law. Despite being debated on Capitol Hill for more than 50 years, no version of the bill has yet passed into law.
“We must continue to advance the Equality Act, but there is no way around it. No one should be discriminated against in housing, employment, credit or health care because of who they are,” Salinas said. “Republicans are using LGBTQ identity as a political wedge because they think it’s an expedient, and that’s unacceptable. Sexual orientation or gender identity doesn’t matter to someone in terms of opportunity, but we’re still here and we have to fight for those basic principles.”
Salinas added that advancing legislation like the Equality Act requires a commitment to compassion and education, even if that compassion is not reciprocated.
“We have to meet everyone where they are, Democrats, Republicans, independents. Until you get to know the family or understand someone’s lived experience, it can feel abstract and overwhelming,” she said. “Education, compassion and empathy are essential to moving the dial. When people understand this is about human rights, not politics, the conversation begins to change. That’s how we build broader support.”
She also emphasized the need for a federal transgender bill of rights. It provides clear protections for transgender Americans in what she describes as an increasingly hostile federal environment.
“The Transgender Bill of Rights would make clear that discrimination against transgender and nonbinary people in employment, housing, credit, and health care is illegal,” Salinas said. “What is happening now with efforts to criminalize doctors who provide evidence-based treatment is unprecedented and dangerous. And we need to ban conversion therapy nationwide, as states increasingly seek to revoke these protections through the courts. These protections are meant to allow people to live with safety and dignity. That should not be up for debate.”
Mental health is another central focus of Salinas’ research. She said ensuring children, especially LGBTQ youth, have access to support is critical to their long-term well-being.
After the Trump administration removed LGBTQ-specific options from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Salinas said her reaction was one of anger.
“I had a stroke when President Trump eliminated the 988 Press Three option for LGBTQ youth,” she said. “This is one of the simplest and most upscale ways to save lives, but it felt arbitrary, cruel, and inhumane. We know that the risk of suicide for transgender youth is much higher than for non-LGBTQ children. Connecting them with someone who understands their experience can save lives. This should be bipartisan, and I will continue to work to restore it.”
“You can’t be what you can’t see…” she added, reflecting on the small number of LGBTQ leaders who have walked, and continue to work, on Capitol Hill to protect their communities. “When Sarah McBride was elected, my daughter met her and came out beaming…joyful, full of hope, and excited about the future. Such expressions change lives. Electing LGBTQ leaders changes the trajectory of people across the country. Grassroots organizing and the power of elections go hand in hand, and we need both.”
Drawing on his experience in both the Oregon House and the U.S. House of Representatives, Salinas said that while more people may be able to participate in one arena, change often starts locally, especially when it comes to combating anti-LGBTQ attacks.
“I’ve seen how misinformation fuels fear at the local level, whether it’s a school board fight or a bathroom debate based on unsubstantiated claims. There is no data to support these fear tactics,” she said, echoing her past work at the Oregon Department of Education. “What really helps is the facts, education, and teacher training to better support LGBTQ students. I passed legislation in Oregon that gives educators real tools to prevent bullying and harassment. This type of work is as important as anything we do in Congress.”
Despite having just been appointed vice chair of the Equality Caucus, the Blade asked Salinas what kind of legacy she wants to leave behind, especially when it comes to LGBTQ advocacy.
“I want to make sure that people can truly live without fear from their government or their neighbors. That means passing real laws like the Equality Act and the Transgender Bill of Rights so that protections no longer depend on who is in power. Civil and human rights are meant to expand, not shrink.”
“I’ve been doing this work since I became a mother, and I will continue to do this work for as long as it takes. My daughter deserves it, and so does every LGBTQ person in this country.”
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
