As my husband, Valentine, and I watched the president’s recent address to Congress, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we have reached a critical inflection point. The stark contrast in rhetoric surrounding LGBTQ+ rights — past versus present — was deeply unsettling. It prompted me to reflect on how much we have gained through the power of inclusive media and the internet — and how rapidly those gains are now being targeted for erasure by right-wing populist storytelling, misinformation and digital propaganda.
For decades, the internet and inclusive media have been lifelines for LGBTQ+ people, including myself. These platforms gave us a voice when mainstream media erased or demonized us. They allowed us to tell our stories, connect with others like us, and push for the rights and recognition we deserved. From same-sex marriage to open military service to workplace protections, the digital revolution helped us achieve monumental victories. (Hell, an AOL M4M Denver room in 1998 is how I met my husband.)
But now, that progress is under attack. The very online spaces that once propelled our visibility and rights forward are being weaponized against us. Right-wing populists, influencers and extremist politicians are using digital platforms to spread misinformation, incite fear and roll back our hard-won protections. In some cases, they’re not just fighting to stop further progress — they’re trying to erase LGBTQ+ identities altogether.
The fight for LGBTQ+ rights has always been a fight for visibility. I’m 54, and growing up, there were few representations of people like me in the media. When LGBTQ+ characters did appear, they were often tragic, villainous or the punchline of a joke. That absence made it easier for society to dismiss us. But the internet changed everything.
With the rise of chat rooms, blogs, forums and social media, LGBTQ+ people no longer had to wait for mainstream media to acknowledge us — we could tell our own stories, in our own voices, on our own terms. Platforms like AOL rooms, YouTube, Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook became lifelines, allowing us to find community, advocate for our rights, and fight against discrimination. And that visibility led to real change:
• Military service: Digital activism helped dismantle “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 2011, allowing LGBTQ+ service members to serve openly. Later, it fueled the fight against Trump-era attempts to ban transgender individuals from the military.
• Same-sex marriage: Social media campaigns and personal stories of LGBTQ+ couples helped shift public opinion, leading to Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), which made marriage equality the law of the land.
• Adoption rights: The visibility of LGBTQ+ families online helped combat the myth that same-sex couples were unfit parents, leading to broader acceptance and legal protections.
• Workplace protections: The internet amplified stories of workplace discrimination, contributing to Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), which confirmed LGBTQ+ employees are protected under the Civil Rights Act.
The internet gave us a seat at the table, and for the first time, we could drive the conversation about our own lives. But the forces that once ignored us are now focused on dismantling what we’ve built.
As LGBTQ+ inclusion and rights advanced, so too has the backlash. Conservative influencers and politicians realize they can use the same digital platforms that helped us achieve equality to fuel anti-LGBTQ+ narratives. And they’re doing it effectively — leveraging fear, misinformation and outright lies to push their agenda.
Social media is now flooded with content designed to turn public sentiment against us:
• The “groomer” lie: Some extremist conservative pundits and content creators have relentlessly pushed the false narrative that LGBTQ+ people are “grooming” children. This smear has led to an explosion of anti-LGBTQ+ laws across the country.
• The war on trans existence: Conservative influencers have weaponized misinformation about transgender athletes, gender-affirming healthcare, and pronoun usage to justify a wave of anti-trans legislation.
• Erasing LGBTQ+ existence: Some right-wing commentators argue that transgender people don’t exist or that LGBTQ+ identities are “ideologies” rather than lived realities. This rhetoric has real-world consequences, from book bans to policies forcing trans people to de-transition.
Even worse, the very platforms that once helped us thrive are now making it easier for anti-LGBTQ+ hate to spread. In recent years, social media giants have relaxed their protections for our community, giving a free pass to those who seek to harm us.
• Meta (Facebook and Instagram): Earlier this year, Meta scrapped its fact-checking program and rolled back policies against anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech. Now, the platform allows users to question LGBTQ+ identities under the guise of “political and religious discourse.” This means more harassment, more misinformation and fewer tools to fight back.
• X (formerly Twitter): Under Elon Musk, X has become a haven for anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. In 2022, the platform removed policies prohibiting misgendering and deadnaming, making it easier for transphobic harassment to thrive unchecked.
The Political Rhetoric on LGBTQ+ Rights: Then and Now
The political rhetoric surrounding LGBTQ+ rights has ratcheted over the past decade, and the contrast is both striking and troubling. Let’s consider the comments made by President Trump in his first administration, President Biden, and President Trump in his current administration.
• Trump’s first administration: While Trump’s first administration had an overall hostile policy toward LGBTQ+ rights, he did at times selectively affirm LGBTQ+ people — be it awkwardly holding up a PRIDE flag at rallies or stumbling through the letters L-G-B-T-Q-I-A+.
• The Biden administration: President Biden consistently affirmed LGBTQ+ people and supported inclusion and rights in his policies and communications — large and small — including his State of the Union addresses.
• Trump’s current administration: Now, the gloves are off. In his most recent speech to Congress, Trump made clear his intention to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, attacking “gender ideology” and pledging to dismantle protections for transgender people. His shift from clumsy inclusion to outright contempt reflects a broader strategy: appealing to the most extreme elements of his base by positioning LGBTQ+ identities as a threat.
The Fight Ahead: Visibility and Community
Now, more than ever, we need to remain visible. We need to stand strong in the face of targeting, threats, demonization and erasure because our visibility is our power. Our stories, presence and truth must be louder than ever.
Now is the time to turn to our LGBTQ+ media outlets — the ones that have always been there for us, like the Philadelphia Gay News. They are not just sources of information; they are our buoy, protector, unifier, restorer, and builder. LGBTQ+ media has played a crucial role in amplifying our voices, supporting our community and ensuring we remain seen and heard.
The fight for LGBTQ+ rights has never been just about laws — it’s always been about who gets to tell the story. And we cannot let them drown out, rewrite or erase ours.