In celebration of Pride Month, Senator Reverend Warnock was hosted by the LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, Georgia Equality

Senator Warnock, a leader in passing the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, spoke on how to combat hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community and promote further data collection and investigation at the federal, state, and local levels

Senator Warnock emphasized the urgency of passing the EQUALITY Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, education, and public spaces

Senator Warnock underscored the significant impacts that expanding Medicaid in Georgia would have in the state, especially in Black and LGBTQ+ communities

Founded in Atlanta in 1995, Georgia Equality is dedicated to advancing fairness, safety and opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities and allies throughout the state

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined Georgia Equality for a Facebook Live conversation to discuss issues that impact the LGBTQ+ community. During this conversation, Senator Warnock emphasized his commitment to fighting hate crimes, working to secure dignity and equality for all Georgians and Americans no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, and increasing healthcare coverage for the LGBTQ+ community.

**WATCH FULL VIDEO HERE**

“As we celebrate Pride Month and how far the LGBTQ+ community has come, we also rededicate ourselves to the work still left undone in order to ensure that everyone can live in a world where they can be their authentic self,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Whether it is by expanding Medicaid coverage in Georgia, passing the EQUALITY Act, promoting better data collection around hate crimes, or securing the sacred right to vote, there is still much work to be done to ensure that our country lives up to our ideals of equality.”

“We appreciate Senator Warnock for taking the time out to speak with us about issues affecting the LGBTQ community and his continued work in combating the silence, stigma, and shame” said Jeff Graham, Executive Director, Georgia Equality. “The time to stand up and fight for the advancement of safety, fairness and opportunity for the LGBTQ and allied communities is now.”

In a conversation hosted by Georgia Equality, Senator Reverend Warnock responded to questions on combatting hate crime, HIV prevention, and efforts to secure access to the ballot box from Jeff Graham, Executive Director of Georgia Equality; Justine Ingram, Georgia Equality Board Secretary and trans rights activist; Will Ramirez, Ending the Epidemic Fellow of Georgia Equality; and Alexa Bryant, Development and Communications Coordinator of Georgia Equality.

Senator Warnock emphasized his strong commitment to being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. During the conversation, Senator Warnock expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the families of the transgender and gender non-conforming people who have been killed in 2021, condemning the deadly assaults on the community. Senator Warnock stressed the need to end this violence and highlighted how bipartisan legislation that he led will help communities better collect hate crime data. Senator Warnock underscored the importance of ending the stigma around getting tested for HIV/AIDS and of expanding Medicaid in Georgia to improve health outcomes in LGBTQ+ communities. Senator Warnock reiterated the need for Congress to fulfill its duty and secure the sacred right to vote, which will ensure that all Americans–regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity– will be fully represented in Congress.

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