Anti LGBTQ+ Bills Could Have ‘Enormous Impact’ On HBCUs And Black LGBTQ+ Community

The recent spate of legislation targeting LGBTQ identities is threatening to negate some of the progress Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have made in providing safe spaces for members of the community. Over the past decade in particular, HBCUs have made a concerted effort to address the community’s concerns, from establishing LGBTQ+ centers on campus to changing admissions policies to allow transgender students to enroll. But now some fear the new legislation could have a chilling effect on that progress. According to HRC, more than 340 anti-LGBTQ laws have been introduced in state legislatures, with 150 specifically restricting the rights of transgender people. These laws range from limiting health care for transgender people to bathroom bans to prohibiting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs on campuses. Many of these laws have been passed in states home to HBCUs, most of which are in the South. Today, 19 HBCUs have land-grant status under the 1890 Morrill Act. Those HBCUs, as well as public HBCUs, receive some state funding, though not in equal amounts as predominantly white state schools. Still, with the spread of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, non-compliance with these laws means these colleges and universities could lose their state funding.