Transgender Louisianans lost their ally in the governor’s seat. Now they’re girding for a fight

By SARA CLINE
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Unlike recent years when there was an LGBTQ+ ally in the Louisiana governor’s office, nothing stands in the way this year of legislation hostile to transgender people. Democratic former Gov. John Bel Edwards was able to block most such legislation in previous years through vetoes. Now conservative Republican Jeff Landry is in the governor’s chair, and the legislation is advancing rapidly. Transgender advocates in Louisiana are organizing their fight, looking to the courts, educating their communities, seeking sanctuary city policies, and recruiting residents to their cause. One advocate says “we are going to continue to fight.”