By Kylie Valluzzi-Granite State News Collaborative

LGBTQ+ rights are often seen as a national issue, with debates over federal protections and Supreme Court rulings dominating the conversation.

But in New Hampshire, local governments also play a critical role in shaping the everyday experiences of LGBTQ+ residents. One clear example is how local school boards handle policies around transgender student rights.

In 2021, the Manchester School District updated its policies to protect transgender students’ rights, allowing them to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. The policy also requires school staff to use students' preferred names and pronouns. 

This decision by the local school board made Manchester one of the first districts in New Hampshire to adopt comprehensive protections for transgender students, helping to ensure that those students are treated with dignity and respect in schools.

“There has never been a more critical time in our schools, local communities, and our state for queer and trans youth," said Heidi Carrington Heath, executive director of Seacoast Outright, an LGBTQ+ youth advocacy group based on the Seacoast. "Statistics tell us that our LGBTQ+ youth in New Hampshire are faring worse than their national counterparts by significant margins. Those statistics are magnified by policies that seek to prevent them from accessing adequate support at school, in our communities, and more.”

However, the Manchester decision wasn’t without controversy. One parent filed a lawsuit against the district, claiming the school system was violating her parental rights by shielding that her child was using a different name and pronouns while at school.

But the N.H. Supreme Court stood by the Manchester School District’s policies, ruling that the “policy places no limits on the plaintiff’s ability to parent her child as she sees fit.”

Federal rulings provide some protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, such as the U.S. Supreme Court’s in Bostock v. Clayton County, which protects LGBTQ+ employees from workplace discrimination. But local governments often make decisions that have a more immediate impact on people's daily lives; school boards, city councils and local lawmakers decide how to apply or expand these protections at the community level.

"Our state and local elections are vital to the safety and thriving of LGBTQ+ people in New Hampshire, particularly our youth," said Heath. “There is an extraordinary cost to our young people when they have to hear those in positions of power who are charged with protecting them debating their wholeness and personhood on a regular basis.” 

In addition to feeling accepted, local decision-making can have a profound effect on whether LGBTQ+ youth feel safe, supported and included in their communities as well, she said.

The Manchester School District’s policy shows how local actions can either advance or stall LGBTQ+ rights. In some parts of New Hampshire, local governments have been slower to adopt such policies, leaving LGBTQ+ individuals without clear protections in schools, housing or public spaces. 

This underscores the importance of local elections when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. School board members, select board members, city councilors and other local leaders have the power to make decisions that shape the everyday lives of the LGBTQ+ community. Their policies can determine whether schools are inclusive, public spaces are welcoming and housing is accessible.

“Policy and policymakers can play an essential role in enacting protections that allow our kids access to the spaces and places they need to thrive,” said Heath.

These articles are being shared by partners in the Granite State News Collaborative and the Know Your Vote youth voter guide. The Know Your Vote youth voter guide  project was designed, reported and produced by student and young professional journalists from The Clock,The Concord Monitor, The Equinox, Granite State News Collaborative, Keene State College, The Laconia Daily Sun, The Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, Nashua Ink Link and The Presidency and the Press program at Franklin Pierce University. You can see the full guide at  www.collaborativenh.org/know-your-vote.