LGBTQIA+ activists have had enough. They’re calling out Democrats for supporting bills that give the government the green light to remove queer and trans content from the internet. A group of more than 2,000 LGBTQIA+ activists, creators, and artists have added their names to a letter calling out lawmakers and civil society organizations for supporting […]
LGBTQIA+ activists have had enough. They’re calling out Democrats for supporting bills that give the government the green light to remove queer and trans content from the internet.
A group of more than 2,000 LGBTQIA+ activists, creators, and artists have added their names to a letter calling out lawmakers and civil society organizations for supporting controversial bills that hand power over to the Trump administration and conservative states to force even more online censorship. Not only that, but the bill would also give the go-ahead for increased surveillance.
That’s not good for anyone.
The call-out letter urges policymakers attending Pride events to openly oppose the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a censorship bill cleverly disguised as protection for children. What it actually does is intentionally dissolve ‘the Internet’s First Amendment,’ Section 230, and empower a handful of state ‘age verification’ bills that would severely restrict access to — and increase surveillance of — websites and apps. Activists are sounding the alarm because the bills would allow federal and state governments to censor LGBTQIA+ content online at a time when queer and trans communities are already fighting for their rights and facing mounting attacks from the Trump administration.
The letter notes that over 900 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills have been introduced across the United States since January 1, 2025. It doesn’t shy away from calling out the hypocrisy of lawmakers who enjoy the fun of Pride while refusing to stand up for the very constituents Pride celebrates.
There’s no shortage of prominent signatures on the call-out letter, including Rose Montoya, Lilly Wachowski, Joel Kim Booster, Steph Frosch, Kimya Dawson, Gabe Dunn, and RJ Aguiar.
Says Joel Kim Booster (actor, comedian, producer, and writer), “We will no longer tolerate elected officials who are only allies when it is politically convenient. It doesn’t matter how many rainbow flags you put up or empty words about acceptance you preach if you push bills that would force queer youth back into the closet. Pride is about resistance, not your marketing.”
The LGBTQIA+ community is making it abundantly clear that they are done being treated like they don’t matter outside of the fun they bring to society. As KOSA remains in play, it will be important to keep an eye on which politicians pay attention to their constituents and change their tune — and who continues to signal that they’ll be supporting KOSA.
