by Marshall Martinez, Executive Director
NM Queer, NM Strong: Our work begins
There are no words of outrage or consolation that can abate the awfulness of facing another Trump era. For members of the queer and trans community, it is especially difficult to know that millions of Americans voted to support a government that is expressly determined to harm and, ultimately, eradicate us from society. It will take some time to process and settle into this shift in power, but we as LGBTQ New Mexicans are still in a strong position to affirm and secure our rights in a state that has demonstrated its commitment to us in policy and spirit. That is why EQNM exists, because no matter what happens with the federal government we have always known we have to protect our own communities here at home!
There are some bright spots. Many Equality Champions will be returning to the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, joined by new allies and advocates for LGBTQ communities. We cannot overstate the joy we hold for Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person elected to the U.S. Congress, representing Delaware.
We may be moving forward under attack at the federal level, but we have work to do here in New Mexico—and we are not doing this work alone. EQNM and the whole LGBTQ community have our close partners standing strong with us: Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico, ACLU, Bold Futures New Mexico, and Strong Families have always been with us!
Regardless of who is in power, LGBTQ New Mexicans know we have work to do here. There are two years left in Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s term, and we must maximize them to maintain our protections while also building toward a more just and equitable future, across all of our intersections. That looks like envisioning public safety laws to protect everyone through a humane and community-based approach, cementing and expanding abortion and gender-affirming care access, securing paid family and medical leave, and empowering our youth in education and school spaces. Our work is more critical than ever, and we are equipped to do it because we are strong here at home.
In 1993, when a handful of brave and committed New Mexicans founded what is now Equality New Mexico, they did so because they saw that systemic, cultural, and continuous discrimination and hatred fueled policies that harmed us. They knew that federal protections were decades away, and might never come at all. They were proven right when they said that New Mexican values are affirmation, acceptance, and love. They were right when they worked to pass the first non-discrimination law ten years later in 2003. We are still right today when we believe we can continue to create laws that lift up LGBTQ New Mexicans. So, we will keep fighting.
This presidential election outcome changes a few strategies, but it never changes our goal: liberation for queer and trans New Mexicans through policies that ensure LGBTQ New Mexicans have housing, healthcare, economic security, safety in public and private spaces, and—most of all!—connection and community. After decades of movement building in New Mexico, these goals are supported and championed not only by EQNM, but by thousands of New Mexicans whose connection to the movement comes from dozens of organizations across the state, all working in collaboration and mutual love for our communities.
This is our battle as we move forward from the 2024 election. As we prepare to push the federal government to protect what generations of queer and trans people secured for themselves, we must remember to lead by example. For years, New Mexico has been a lighthouse in the dark for people seeking access to abortion care, trans folks living in hostile states, and for people who just want a community that is inclusive, loving, and accepting. We will not give that up because of this presidential election. In fact, we will fight even harder to be that lighthouse, not only for New Mexicans, but as an example for the state governments across the country who want to see how it's done right!