LGBTQ Democrats Support Bail Reform

Press Release
~FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE~

New York State 's LGBTQ Democratic Clubs Stand United in Urging State Legislators to Not Be Swayed by Fear-Mongers

Pre-trial detention puts lesbian , gay, bisexual , transgender, queer and gender non-conforming people
at risk. Like other marginaliZed populations , LGBTQ individuals often are disproportionately
criminalized, and unable to pay bail, forcing them to face jail time. In jail, they face horrific abuse,
assault, and even death. LGBTQ people are also held in immigration detention due to low -level
criminal convictions. To avoid jail time LGBTQ people make plea agreements which further entrap
them into further arrests and incarceration , and for LGBTQ immigrants , even deportation .

In 2019 New York State eliminated cash bail for the vast majority of charges, which keeps LGBTQ
people accused of crimes in their community with better access to competent resources for legal aid,
health care, and social services. This was an important step forward towards equal justice. True
community safety can be realized by instituting supportive services in the community , instead of
putting people in jail. Municipalities that have not fully instituted supportive services must take action
immediately.

New York is leading the way on bail reform and taking important steps forward towards a more
equitable and just pretrial process for all. We cannot allow fear-mongering and discrimination to roll
back the progress that New York has made for those most impacted by the criminal legal system:
black and brown communities , transgender communities , immigrant communities and people in the
sex trade.

We call on the New York State legislature to recognize the intersection of advancing a more just legal
system with our broader LGBT rights movement During this heightened political moment , we need
our elected leaders to stay the course and we remind them that the Stonewall rebellion was resistance
to a carceral state, which attempted to over-police our communities. The nation is watching as this
transformative bail and pretrial just ice vision is put into practice. The LGBTQ community nationwide
will benefit from New York's bold action if it is sustained.

Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City
Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club
New York City Pride and Power
Hudson Valley Stonewall Democrats
Stonewall Democrats of Western New York
Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn
Lesbian & Gay Democratic Club of Queens