2021 OFFICIALLY BECOMES WORST YEAR IN RECENT HISTORY FOR ANTI-LGBTQ STATE LEGISLATIVE ATTACKS, AS UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF STATES ENACT RECORD-SHATTERING NUMBER OF ANTI-LGBTQ MEASURES INTO LAW: Bills that have become law so far this year range from making it illegal to provide transgender youth with life saving health care to banning transgender girls from participating in sports to erasing LGBTQ people from school curriculum to granting broad licenses to discriminate against LGBTQ people. “This crisis cannot be ignored and necessitates concrete action from all those with the ability to speak out,” said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid). “These bills are not only harmful and discriminatory, but also represent a failure in our democracy and the commitment elected officials make to protect and serve their constituents. Now is not the time for reluctance or passivity, it is time to take urgent action to protect the basic rights and humanity of LGBTQ people in America.” More from HRC.

MEDIA MATTERS, GLAAD, HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AND NARAL REACT TO FACEBOOK’S PERMANENT BAN OF LIFESITENEWS: The four organizations issued a statement noting, “Facebook’s decision to ban LifeSiteNews from its platform was a step in the right direction in its efforts to thwart the spread of misinformation -- however, this should have happened years ago.” More from HRC.

AMID WAVE OF ANTI-TRANS BILLS, TRANS REPORTERS SAY ‘TELLING OUR OWN STORIES’ IS VITAL: “I think that it’s really important for us to be telling our own stories,” says journalist Imara Jones (@imarajones), creator of TransLash Media, which approaches stories about trans people through the lens of journalism and personal narrative. More from NPR.

🤗 THIS MOTHER STRIVES TO CHANGE THE WORLD, ONE HUG AT A TIME: Sara Cunningham is a proud LGBTQ advocate and the founder of Free Mom Hugs (@freemomhugs). Her mission is to ensure that everyone has the love of a parent on their wedding day. More from New York Times.

🥼 500 QUEER SCIENTISTS CAMPAIGN RAISES THE VISIBILITY OF LGBTQ PEOPLE IN STEM FIELDS: 500 Queer Scientists (@500QueerSci) was started by two scientists at the California Academy of Sciences -- entomology curator Dr. Lauren Esposito and infectious disease biologist and science illustrator Sean Edgerton -- to help forge connections among LGBTQ+ STEM workers, who often feel isolated or alienated among their colleagues. More from Advocate.

📍 IN THE STATES

HRC RESPONDS TO MONTANA GOVERNOR GIANFORTE’S SIGNING OF OPT-IN SEX EDUCATION BILL: “SB 99 is a discriminatory bill that directly targets LGBTQ kids. This bill sets a dangerous precedent in secondary education that would not only limit access to sex education, but any curriculum regarding LGBTQ people,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “All students, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation, deserve the opportunity to learn about themselves and information critical to their health. The passage of SB 99 limits quality, fact-based education in Montana, and students will face the consequences of lawmakers who are looking to score cheap political points.” More from HRC.

TEXAS PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE PASSES ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BILL SB 29: “Advancing this bill -- knowing full well it harms Texas children -- is unconscionable. Bills like SB 29 are opposed by educators, sports organizations and medical professionals,” said HRC Texas State Director Rebecca Marques (@_RebeccaMarques). “Every session, Texas lawmakers recycle the same discriminatory playbook to generate fear, and every session, Texans across the state face the consequences. We saw this play out in 2017 when threats of the infamous anti-LGTBQ bathroom bill cost businesses important revenue and damaged the state’s reputation on a national scale.” More from HRC.

🌍 GLOBAL EQUALITY

CROATIAN COURT BACKS SAME-SEX ADOPTION IN NEW LGBTQ WIN: Last week, Ivo Šegota and Mladen Kožić made history when a Croatian court ruled that same-sex partners can now adopt children, backing the same-sex couple in their five-year fight for the right to family life. More from Reuters.