PRIDE MONTH POSTCARDS - Send to Your State Reps

Hello, everyone!

Pride Month is in a few days, June 1st. Anti-LGBT+/mogai laws are passing all over the country. Laws in one state give precedent for courts to pass them in other states. This month, make art and try to defend our neighbours.

Make 5 postcards and mail them to your state reps, your congresspeople, your senators. Message your partners to let them know you did this. You can also tell them anything that might be important to you. This is not a place for argument, though; it is about considering the concerns of others, the perspectives and life events that informed these ideas.

RECAP: - 5 postcards, sent to state officials - Index cards are fine! I put my address, theirs, and a stamp on front. - Decorate it brightly! However you like. - Message on back, so you get enough room. - Keep the message short and to the point. Practice separately if you like. - Anonymous mail gets thrown out. You MUST have your name and address. - No notecards or cards of any kind. They might contain a threat to an official. Postcards are transparent! - This is an honour system! Rate a 5 for partners who mailed theirs out. Message your partner to let them know yours were sent. There is just ONE partner per person.

Many sites will give you lists of your local and state reps. I use 5calls.org , choose a topic, and it tells me who is in charge of that. You can also type your zip code + state legislator into Google for addresses. They are publicly listed.

Yes, write even if local reps do not directly decide State law. Their opinions still hold sway and can influence others in the political + law-making sphere. Our officials are here to represent US, too! Don't let apathy and despair dissuade you. Even if you aren't "interested in politics," politics sure is interested in you. Talk to them.

These laws affect everyone, even if you are not queer, LGBTQIA, or otherwise not identifying as 'one of us.' These laws affect you. They affect my straight neighbour. They affect the grandpa I used to live next to.

For example, in Florida, the State can now investigate you if someone thinks your kid might* possibly, maybe, not be heterosexual or might be trans. It is now legally considered child abuse to "allow" that, and child abuse can be investigated by the police and Child Protective Services. Even if you are found innocent, you may have a record and society may judge you. In a Right to Work state, that can mean losing your job for "poor performance" or other forms of discrimination.

Remember that courts work on "precedence." This is why repealing "gay marriage" (you know, just... marriage?) uprooted the reason that interracial marriage was allowed. If the foundation for gay marriage is the same as interracial marriage, and gay marriage is not valid on that foundation, guess what can come in 2-3 years time? This is how laws work in the US. None are based on only themselves. <3 This is why "special issues" affect all of us. Make your opinion known to the people who matter (our lawmakers,) not just social media strangers.