Democracy NOW

LGBTQ+ Rights

 

  1. Democracy (little d democracy) At Stake 
    • American democracy is at stake as our values are under threat. DC Statehood will preserve these rights and our democracy. 
    • Equal representation and self-governance are two of the most basic tenants of democracy.  
    • Yet more than 700,000 residents of DC are being denied these human rights and thus the ability to fully participate in American democracy. 
    • DC statehood will return self-governance to these Americans and give them proportional representation in Congress. 

 

  1. Equal representation in Congress. 
    • For more than 200 years, the residents of Washington, DC, have been denied equal representation in Congress and the right to participate in our democracy fully.  
    • Washington, D.C., is the only national capital in the democratic world whose citizens do not have equal voting and representation rights. Source: ACLU 

 

  1. Self-Governance: Without DC Statehood, our fundamental rights are at stake. 
    • Since DC lacks statehood, our city is subject to the whims of congressional representatives from far-away states who have the final say over our local laws and our budget. 
    • Congress has repeatedly and regularly restricted access to abortion care in DC. Source: ACLU 
    • In each of the other 50 states, state representatives have full authority to protect a woman’s right to choose under state law. In fact, 21 states have taken steps to do so.  
    • However, since DC is not a state and has no state legislature, some decisions regarding abortion in DC are left to Congress, where DC residents have no voting representation. 
    • For example, The Dornan Amendment is a federal law currently in effect that prohibits congressionally-appropriated funds, such as Medicaid, from being used to pay for abortions in DC. 
    • This has real-world consequences, as many women are faced with unjust coverage bans simply because their city is not permitted control over its budget. 
    • Our LGBTQ community is also at risk, as a future Republican Congress could use Congress’ power over DC to overturn our marriage equality law and allow religiously affiliated schools in DC to discriminate against LGBTQ students. Source: Rep. Holmes Norton