GLAD Law’s Ricardo Martinez on the 2024 Election Results

Statement from Ricardo Martinez, Executive Director of GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law) on the results of the 2024 election:

Many of us are reeling as we process election results that are devastating for so many in our communities and for our country. But here's what I know: Together, we are powerful, and we aren't going anywhere.

As someone who has done this work in Texas, a microcosm of the worst-case scenario many may be imagining right now, I know that strategic resistance leads to a path forward.

The fights to come may be some of the most challenging of our lives. Election results across the country, including in New England, may mean an increase in laws that seek to limit or strip away our fundamental rights and freedoms.

But GLAD Law has fought and won against tough odds for nearly 50 years. When the last Trump administration banned transgender military service members, we fought back immediately - and won. When states have attacked LGBTQ+ youth and families, we've met that challenge head-on in the courts. 

What comes next will require fighting on every front - from the courts and state legislatures, to countering the disinformation targeting our communities and ensuring LGBTQ+ people and people with HIV have the information they need to protect and exercise their rights.

We won't back down. Our commitment to ensuring LGBTQ+ people and our families are recognized, welcomed, and protected throughout our lives has never been stronger - and neither has our resolve to find new ways forward.