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Top left: Governor-elect Maura Healey speaks on Nov. 8 in Mass. Bottom left: Democratic gubernatorial nominee Tina Kotek speaks with members of the media on Nov. 2 in Portland, Ore. Top left: Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gives a victory speech on Nov. 8 in Tampa, Fla. Bottom right: Republican U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker speaks at a campaign rally on Nov. 16 in McDonough, Ga. Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images; Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images; Octavio Jones/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images hide caption
Top left: Governor-elect Maura Healey speaks on Nov. 8 in Mass. Bottom left: Democratic gubernatorial nominee Tina Kotek speaks with members of the media on Nov. 2 in Portland, Ore. Top left: Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gives a victory speech on Nov. 8 in Tampa, Fla. Bottom right: Republican U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker speaks at a campaign rally on Nov. 16 in McDonough, Ga.
Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images; Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images; Octavio Jones/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesThe advocacy group Human Rights Campaign reports that in the past year, more than 300 bills targeting LGBTQ rights have been introduced by state legislatures around the U.S.
A recent NPR analysis shows that about 15% of those bills were signed into a law.
NPR's Melissa Block breaks down the current landscape of anti-LGBTQ legislation.
At the same time, a record number of openly LGBTQ candidates were elected to public office across the nation this year. We hear from two just-elected state representatives: Zooey Zephyr, the first out trans lawmaker elected to office in Montana, and New Hampshire's James Roesener, the first out trans man ever elected to a state legislature.
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This episode was produced by Brianna Scott and Vincent Acovino. It was edited by Jason DeRose and William Troop. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
