What we need this Pride Month is equal access to the ballot

June 25, 2022

By: Chuck Black

Leading up to this Pride Month, I’ve found myself mulling over the quote by late Texas Governor Ann Richards: “If you are not at the table, you are probably on the menu.”

It’s unsettling to think about how true this quote has been for LGBTQ Americans recently, particularly over the past year, as we’ve endured an onslaught of hundreds of attacks from state and national lawmakers.

As a member of the LGBTQ community, I’ve known for a long time that there are parts of my identity that I have no control over – including that I am gay, white, a cisgender man, and a person living with disabilities. What I have been able to choose for myself is a deep commitment to voting rights. I’m proud to be a “power voter,” someone who has voted in every election that I’ve been eligible for since my eighteenth birthday. I also serve as a committed youth voting rights advocate for college students in states across the country.

Read more here.