Action Alert
On Monday, half a dozen anti-LGBTQ+ bills cleared their final vote in the legislature. Among these was SB 1001 — the first bill of the session — which threatens to rob trans and non-binary kids of life-saving affirmation and support. Governor Hobbs has already publicly pledged to veto SB 1001, but as it and other anti-LGBTQ+ bills are sent to her desk over the next week, it’s important to use your voice to make the case for more thoughtful, empathetic, and people-centered policymaking.
Three things you can do today
Call Governor Hobbs at (602) 542-4331 to thank her for being an ally and to ask her to veto all anti-LGBTQ+ bills, including SB 1001 and SB 1040 — an anti-trans bathroom ban.
Share this post to social media (or write your own post!) to let your friends and followers know that anti-trans bills are not normal, and definitely not okay.
Talk with your friends and family about what’s happening in the legislature. One of the biggest harms these bills create is to turn queer and trans people into a subject of popular debate, so it’s important to intervene in those conversations to remind people that we’re people too.
Civic Advocacy
With the state budget wrapped up, the legislature met last Monday for a marathon floor session, voting on well over 100 bills in a single day. While in other years it might have been typical to adjourn sine die (meaning a vote to end the session until next year, unless called back for a special session by the Governor), the legislature voted instead to adjourn until June 12. It’s likely that they’ll use this time to negotiate outstanding concerns, and then move the final products of those negotiations quickly upon their return next month. The biggest procedural advantage this decision gives Republican leadership in the legislature is that they won’t have to rely on the Governor to call special sessions on any topics they might want to address.
Among the many bills that received floor votes on Monday was every remaining anti-LGBTQ+ bill introduced this year. Check out last week’s update for a full run down. Nearly all of those bills passed, including pronoun and bathroom bans for trans kids at school and four different drag panic bills. Notably, SB 1323 and SB 1694, two bills sponsored by Senator Hoffmann (which threatened teachers and banned inclusive policies, respectively) failed, with Representative Cook voting against both. A problematic internet privacy bill, SB 1503, failed to even receive a vote, despite being scheduled with the rest.
Political Power
Coming off of a major victory for their voter education and get out the vote work in Tempe, it’s a great moment to celebrate our friends at Arizona AANHPI for Equity!
Their Vision
“We envision an Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community that is working together to shape its future as a part of the broader racial justice movement and advance our community towards a common purpose of well-being for all.”
How to Support AZ AANHPI for Equity
Make a donation! Community power building needs direct support.
Sign up to volunteer. They have a lot of great campaigns to plug into!
Media & Events
We’ve got three great events coming up this week before we head into Pride Month, and there’s a little something for everyone, from conversations with experts, to fitness with friends, to designing your own model legislation. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to get involved in queer community organizing, this is your week.
Ask Smart People Smart Questions: Substance Use
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm May 24, 2023 | register
With each installment of Ask Smart People Smart Questions, Equality Arizona convenes a panel of experts to talk about the bigger picture of the big issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community in Arizona. With LGBTQ+ people more likely to experience mental health issues, homelessness, and harassment, our community reports rates of substance use and abuse at roughly twice that of the overall adult population. Over the course of an hour, we’ll cover four big questions about substance use and policy solutions with the goal of adding important context to the conversation.
Location: Tempe Library Ironwood Classroom
Queer People Fit: Walking / Running
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm May 25, 2023 | register
Join Equality Arizona and FrontRunners & FrontWalkers Phoenix at Tempe Town Lake for Queer People Fit, our ongoing outdoor event series designed to give LGBTQ+ people a space to come together to build community and to find a sense of belonging.
Location: Tempe Town Lake
Civic Advocacy Jam
12:30 pm - 2:00 pm May 27, 2023 | register
Join us on May 27 for another Civic Advocacy Jam! Queer voices deserve a place in the policy-making process that goes beyond the debate over our basic rights, which is why we’ve designed this ongoing series to give you the tools to craft legislation, draft viable bills, and engage in the policy-making process as an active contributor.
Location: Tempe Public Library
