Maine is a special place. But for many young Mainers, “The way life should be” is just a dream. For over 17 years, I’ve worked in nonprofit social services (including Volunteers of America, NNE and Equality Maine) ensuring that no young person in need should be denied nutrition assistance or a safe place to live just because of who they are. But that’s exactly what some extreme lawmakers in the U.S. Senate attempted to do recently with S.J. Res 42, a resolution that would have disapproved the Department of Agriculture’s memorandum on protecting LGBTQ Americans from discrimination in federally funded nutrition programs.
Thankfully, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins voted against this measure, joining with a bipartisan group of senators, and it failed. More than one-in-four LGBTQ youth experience homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives. Those who do are more likely to face food insecurity and also report increased vulnerability to depression, anxiety and self-harm.
Sen. Collins had our backs by taking a principled stand to defeat this resolution.
Michael Coon
Topsham
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