The Secular Student Alliance’s Steadfast Commitment to Protecting LGBTQ+ Rights
The Secular Student Alliance stands in solidarity with national civil rights organizations and secular advocacy groups to oppose the growing attacks against LGBTQ+ Americans. With the rise of harmful legislation and rhetoric, we remain steadfast in our commitment to building a society rooted in equality, respect, and dignity for all—where public policy is based on facts, not faith.
Religious hostility remains one of the most significant challenges for LGBTQ+ individuals and is the most cited reason young Americans give for leaving religion behind. Unfortunately, LGBTQ+ Americans—especially transgender and nonbinary individuals—bear the brunt of religiously motivated stigma and misinformation. This falsehood-driven discrimination fuels anti-trans legislation, which has been shown to correlate with a rise in suicide attempts among trans youth. For these reasons and more, the LGBTQ+ community holds a vital place within our secular movement.
As a movement, there is no debating the human rights of vulnerable groups or their right to exist. At the Secular Student Alliance, we represent trans students. They are us. Standing up for some of our most vulnerable members is not just appropriate; it is essential.
As Kevin Bolling, executive director of the Secular Student Alliance, emphasizes: “The LGBTQ+ community is a vital part of our secular family, and their rights, safety, and dignity are non-negotiable. Silence in the face of such injustice would not only fail our trans members but would also undermine the values that define our organization and community. We are committed to challenging harmful ideologies—whether they stem from religious dogma or pseudoscience—that threaten these fundamental principles.”
The current wave of legislation is alarming, with proposals that include stripping legal recognition from transgender individuals, banning books featuring LGBTQ+ representation, and targeting trans youth in schools. These attacks extend to efforts to limit access to evidence-based healthcare for trans youth, defying the recommendations of major U.S. medical associations.
Whether anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry is motivated by religious dogma or antiquated pseudoscience, it does not align with our organization’s values or our vision of a society in which all people are guaranteed equality under the law and are free from discrimination in their daily lives.
The Secular Student Alliance will continue to champion the rights of our trans and nonbinary members, supporters, staff, board members, and allies. Together, we will push back against the forces of bigotry, working tirelessly to uphold a vision of a society where equality under the law and freedom from discrimination are guaranteed for all.
Today, the Secular Student Alliance joins a coalition of 16 national atheist, humanist, freethought, and other secular groups in a joint statement pledging to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.