In 2023, state legislators have introduced nearly 500 pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. This is a damning and dangerous point in our nation’s history. Many of these bills target basic fundamental human rights. They seek to restrict:

  • freedom of speech
  • freedom of expression
  • public education
  • public participation
  • bodily autonomy
  • gender-affirming care

It’s been a little more than 50 years after this nation’s first gay pride parade.

The fight for LGBQIA+ and Trans and Gender-Expansive (TGX) rights is as essential as ever.

The Supreme Court affirmed the equal right for same-sex couples to marry just eight years ago in 2015. Since then, there’s been a coordinated and unrelenting backlash. Our most intrinsic right is the freedom to be. There are active forces working to erase the existence of LGBTQ+ people from our society. And that’s exactly what many of these laws seek to do.

This violent oppression and erasure won’t end with LGBQ+ and TGX people. History has taught us these laws will also inflict violence and subjugation on all people. And it will most harm those who are most vulnerable. We know those most vulnerable are people at the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and physical ability. Lives are at stake. We mourn the lives that have already been lost.

Why is a forest protection nonprofit speaking out for LGBTQ+ rights?

Dogwood Alliance wants our LGBTQ+ community to know that we are united in solidarity. The work of this movement is at the intersections. We honor and celebrate all our LGBTQ+ and Gender Expansive staff, board, partners, friends, and followers.

As an anti-racist organization we must work to dismantle anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination. Because it is all part of the same institutionalized white supremacy culture and patriarchy. Hate has no place in the movement for forests, climate, and justice. Either you are against this hate, or you’re a willing co-conspirator. Silence can speak volumes.

We proudly proclaim our support for the LGBTQ+ community. This organization was founded on a principle of speaking truth to power. We’ve spoken against racial injustice. We’ve opposed the mistreatment of immigrants. We’ve even reflected on LGBTQ+ Pride in the past. We felt it necessary to unite in solidarity and declare:

LGBTQ+ people have the right to live in safety and peace.

LGBTQ+ people have the right to thrive. The right to be treated with dignity and respect. But talk is cheap. Our statements are meaningless if we don’t back them up with action.

Dogwood Alliance recognizes that our diversity is our strength. We create policies that uplift and center those with oppressed identities. We define family in a way that supports all families. This work is ongoing and evolving. We don’t always get it right. But we’re committed to aligning our actions and our values. We’re determined to build a just future that values and protects the rights of all people. We believe that social justice and environmental justice are inseparable.

We all deserve the right to live out loud.

We’ll never stop seeking equity, justice, and liberation. We’re in this together.

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Adel Alamo

Adel is the child of Cuban political refugees and a first generation American. She fell in love with forests as a child when she learned about the interconnectedness of wetlands, water, and ecosystems. Adel builds support for our campaigns by creating compelling content and managing member engagement through data analysis and reporting. She is invested in advancing racial, economic, and environmental justice and protecting wilderness, wildlife, and clean water so communities and biodiversity can thrive. Adel dabbles in poetry, photography, and baking. She loves hiking, birdwatching, cooking, crafting, and spending time with friends and loved ones.