Anti-LGBTQ+ attacks in the U.S.A. have increased 112% over the last two years

According to the newly launched Anti-LGBTQ Extremism Reporting Tracker (ALERT) from GLAAD, there has been a 112% rise in documented attacks on LGBTQ+ individuals across the U.S.A. GLAAD intends to utilise this tracker to deliver detailed reports and analyses on anti-LGBTQ+ hate in the U.S.A., highlighting specific communities and targets impacted.

ALERT recorded 524 such incidents from June 2022 to 2023, and 1,109 from June 2023 to 2024. These incidents include over 450 protests, 330 propaganda drops, 320 acts of vandalism, 200 bomb and mass shooting threats, 130 assaults, and 45 arson cases, resulting in at least 161 injuries and 21 deaths, as reported by GLAAD’s ALERT Desk.

According to ‘LGBTQ Nation’, the attacks also encompass over 567 assaults on transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, 360 incidents against educational institutions and libraries, 325 against Pride flags and other LGBTQ+ symbols, 160 protests and violent threats against drag performers, and 140 incidents targeting healthcare providers offering gender-affirming care and their patients.

The tracker, updated quarterly, compiles data on both criminal and non-criminal hate acts from sources like news media, partner organisations such as the Human Rights Campaign or the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism, right-wing forums on social media platforms like Gab, or communication apps like Telegram, along with incident reports submitted via GLAAD’s website. All incidents documented must occur in the U.S. and involve harassment, threats, or violence specifically targeting LGBTQ+ people.

GLAAD’s ALERT team will verify the authenticity of each incident to ensure credibility, eliminate duplicates, and filter out spam and trolling, as stated by the organisation.

“The ALERT Desk reveals a narrative not entirely captured by the FBI’s hate crime statistics because many of these incidents, like protests at Pride events, don’t meet the legal charge criteria and aren’t included in most official hate crime counts,” GLAAD mentioned in its latest report on ALERT’s findings. “Nevertheless, we need to acknowledge that the impact on local LGBTQ communities is felt regardless of legal prosecution.”

During a press call, Barbara Simon, GLAAD’s senior director of news and campaigns, emphasised that ALERT aims to contextualise anti-LGBTQ+ incidents to assist media and experts in understanding broader violence systems.

“For instance, there was a recent bomb threat against a library in Massachusetts,” Simon noted, referencing a threat against a Drag Queen Story Hour at the Somerville public library. “But it’s not solely about that library. It’s about the inclusive materials and programs they offered, the bomb squad’s involvement in sweeping the library, and how children, families, and patrons had to evacuate.”

“Our data illustrates how this incident is part of a larger systemic attack against LGBTQ people, our visibility, our equality, and our allies,” Simon continued. “It is one of 365 attacks nationwide against drag events. It’s one of 63 anti-LGBTQ attacks in Massachusetts alone, one of 15 specifically against drag in Massachusetts.”

The quarterly reports will also feature stories from individuals affected by these incidents.

For example, Dr. Jack Turban, a paediatric psychiatrist and director of the gender psychiatry program at UCSF, mentioned during the press call that bans on gender-affirming care for youth in 26 states have worsened the mental health of his young trans patients, although they reside in a state where such care is protected. Turban explained that their mental well-being has deteriorated due to the rise in anti-trans rhetoric nationwide, whose indirect effects transcend state boundaries.

“Children are hearing things like being trans is a mental illness, or being trans is detrimental, or they shouldn’t be allowed to use bathrooms aligning with their gender identity because trans people are sexual predators, or they shouldn’t be allowed to join sports teams with their peers due to potential harm,” Turban explained. “My patients know those are untrue, but hearing such messages daily across social media, news, and within their communities makes it impossible to remain unaffected.”

GLAAD highlighted that media coverage often misrepresents medical care for transgender individuals as a “debate” despite consensus from major medical associations supporting this care. Such coverage exacerbates the effect of hateful rhetoric from anti-trans politicians, protesters, and pundits.

The hostile rhetoric even impacts LGBTQ+ celebrities and their followers, like Salina EsTitties from Season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Despite living in the LGBTQ-friendly city of West Hollywood, California, EsTitties noted how she observes hateful impacts during travels to other states or when posting social media videos on LGBTQ+ topics.

“There are comments daily such as, ‘This isn’t what God intended. God created two genders. Stop adding letters. Just shoot it between the eyes and eliminate it,’” EsTitties said. “The online hate is overwhelming, and people express it openly, reflecting actual sentiments in America across the nation.”

“Being authentic with who you are outside your queer identity is already challenging,” she continued. “It's especially difficult when people label you as ‘the Devil,' or say, ‘Being that way is unacceptable.’”

Hate crimes typically surge during presidential election years. Marie Cottrell, executive director of the New Jersey-based LGBTQ+ advocacy center Out Montclair, expressed hope that heightened awareness of anti-LGBTQ+ hate incidents will empower communities to form intersectional coalitions with other demographic groups facing similar hate.

“I believe it’s crucial to be the support that the community needs,” Cottrell said during the press call. “They need to see you standing by them. Find people in your community who will support you against intolerance, build a supportive community in your town—whether by collaborating with your local LGBTQ liaison, working with the township, mayor, town council, and engaging in open conversations addressing tough questions, initiating a process of understanding and healing in your area.”

“It’s a small, yet essential step forward in fostering understanding of the community,” she stated.