In recent years, we’ve witnessed an alarming rise in efforts to suppress expressions of gender identity, ban the use of pronouns in schools, and roll back protections for the LGBTQIA+ community. While some frame these moves as cultural or political battles, make no mistake: these actions are part of a broader agenda to shrink civil liberties, silence dissent, and marginalize anyone who challenges the status quo.
The LGBTQIA+ community is not the only group affected, but they are among the first targets. History shows that when authoritarian forces seek control, they begin by isolating and vilifying marginalized communities. What starts as a ban on pronouns or a restriction on gender-affirming care quickly escalates into broader attacks on racial justice, economic equity, reproductive rights, and freedom of thought.
These threats are not theoretical. They are playing out in school districts, statehouses, and courtrooms across the country. Laws are being passed that erase queer and trans identities from curricula, criminalize gender-affirming healthcare, and punish educators and parents who affirm their students’ identities. These laws pave the way for other forms of repression.
Targeting LGBTQIA+ people is a way to test the public’s tolerance for cruelty. If the public accepts restrictions on one group’s identity, it becomes easier to justify discrimination against others based on race, religion, economic status, or immigration background. It’s a playbook that relies on fear, scapegoating, and the hope that communities won’t come to each other’s defense.
It also fractures coalitions. Anti-LGBTQIA+ policies are often designed to divide movements for justice and equity. They attempt to distract from systemic failures by blaming vulnerable groups. When solidarity breaks, the power of collective action weakens.
This is not just a moral issue. It’s a democracy issue. Freedom of expression, the right to live authentically, and protection from discrimination are core to any functioning democracy. Undermining these rights for one group undermines the whole system.
The National Civil Rights Museum has actively engaged in promoting gender rights and LGBTQIA+ inclusivity through various educational programs, exhibitions, and community events. In alignment with its mission to foster dialogue and understanding, the museum has participated in events that celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community. During Pride Month, the museum has participated in festivals, offered storytelling and activities for families, and shared historical facts about gender rights through community forums, thereby creating an inclusive space for learning and celebration.
The museum’s commitment to inclusivity is evident in its exhibitions that highlight the contributions of LGBTQIA+ individuals to the civil rights movement. The Speaking Truth to Power exhibit focuses on the life of Bayard Rustin, a gay civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in organizing the 1963 March on Washington. By showcasing personal narratives, the museum educates visitors on the intersectionality of civil rights struggles.
The museum’s collaborations with local organizations like Mid-South Pride, Tri-State Black Pride, and OUTMemphis further its advocacy for gender rights. Through its initiatives, the Museum demonstrates its ongoing commitment to highlighting the diverse narratives within the civil rights movement and advocating for the rights of all individuals, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Institutions, communities, and leaders must act. That means passing inclusive policies, showing up at school board meetings, donating to LGBTQIA+ organizations, and speaking out — even when it’s unpopular. It also means recognizing that protecting queer and transgender people protects all of us. Justice isn’t a zero-sum game; it grows stronger when it’s shared.
When we defend LGBTQIA+ rights, we defend the right to tell the truth about who we are. We defend the freedom to learn, to love, to speak, and to live fully. That fight benefits everyone.
We either push back against injustice in all its forms — or we allow it to grow, unchecked, into every corner of society. The choice is ours. We choose true freedom. We choose community.
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Dr. Russ Wigginton serves as the President of the National Civil Rights Museum. He assumed this role in 2021, and has vast experience in education, fundraising, operations, and community engagement. Wigginton was the Chief Postsecondary Impact Officer for Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) from 2019-2021, where he led the organization’s work for postsecondary access, retention, and completion. He was vice president for student life and dean of students at Rhodes College in Memphis from 2017-2019, where he oversaw the college’s co-curricular experience for students.
