New Southern LGBTQ Research Program

As I continue my road trip down to North Carolina for the week the Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE) has announced the launch of the Southern Equality Research & Policy Center (SERPC). This is a new program focused on conducting independent research & developing policy recommendations to promote the legal & lived equality of LGBTQ people in the U.S. South. Dr. Austin H. Johnson, Director of the SERPC at the Campaign for Southern Equality stated, “More than one-third of all LGBTQ+ people in the United States are Southerners – yet there has historically been a distinct lack of research on the population. Less than ten percent of social research on LGBTQ people has been focused on those in the South & these limited data underline significant disparities in key areas of life, including in families, workplaces, schools & public life. Through the Southern Equality Research & Policy Center, we aim to center these experiences through a data-driven lens that allows us to more fully understand & ultimately, better serve – LGBTQ Southerners.” Dr. Abigail Bowen, Deputy Director of the SERPC at the Campaign for Southern Equality concluded, “The South is home to sustained legislative efforts to undermine the dignity & equality of LGBTQ people. As we continue to push back against these attacks, one vital tool must be inclusive data collection & analysis to understand the lived experience of LGBTQ Southerners. We are honored that the Southern Equality Research & Policy Center will allow us to collect & explore data specific to our community so our movement can continue to refute myths, articulate the effects of policy & secure protections for LGBTQ people across the South.” Based in Asheville, NC, the Campaign for Southern Equality promotes full LGBTQ equality across the South. Their work is rooted in commitments to equity in race, gender & class. For More Info…