Equality Brief: Edition 7
The Fight Isn’t Over - But We Celebrate Today
Yesterday, May 8, marked the final day of South Carolina’s legislative session.
This year, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric was louder than ever. We watched as lawmakers introduced bills targeting trans youth, restricting access to affirming healthcare, limiting our rights in schools, and attempting to erase queer and trans people from public life.
Some of those bills didn’t move forward. Others fizzled out behind closed doors. Others never made it to a hearing. That’s not because the danger is gone or because lawmakers forgot - it’s because you didn’t.
You showed up. You emailed. You testified. You shared. You rallied your friends and neighbors. And when hundreds, even thousands of us take action, lawmakers are forced to take notice - even if they don’t say it out loud.
If you didn’t get the chance to testify, that’s not a sign you were left out. It’s a sign that so many people were standing up with you that there simply wasn’t time. That’s what collective power looks like. That’s what solidarity feels like.
This year, bills stalled because of the pressure we applied together. That’s not just avoidance. That’s strategy. That’s a win.
And sometimes, when a fight ends quietly, it deserves the loudest celebration of all.
But let’s be clear: this isn’t truly the end. Budget items can carry over and be acted on even after session ends. Lawmakers have already made it clear that they plan to bring many of these same issues - and some new ones - back next year. The off-season isn’t a break from advocacy. It’s when coalitions are built, strategies are shaped, and momentum is grown.
So yes - celebrate today. Take pride in what we held back. Rest in the power of what we achieved together.
And then, we regroup. Because the next fight is already forming.
Thank you for being with us this session. Thank you for your energy, your advocacy, and your hope. We’re not done - and we’re stronger than ever.
Onward. Together.
In solidarity,
The AFFA Action Team
