I am deeply honored and humbled to present to you “Missouri’s LGBTQ+ Advocate Handbook: A Holistic Approach.” This publication holds a special place in my heart, as it represents the culmination of my journey in organizing and my lived experience as a Black woman of trans experience living in Missouri.
Missouri, like many other states, has faced its fair share of challenges when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. These challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming, but they also serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of advocacy and collective action. It was precisely this need for action that inspired me to create this guide.
Throughout the process of crafting this guide, I poured my heart and soul into every word, drawing from my personal experiences and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. It is my hope that this guide will serve as a valuable resource for you, empowering you to make a difference in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality in Missouri.
Testifying against anti-LGBTQ+ bills is not just an act of courage; it is an act of love, resilience, and a commitment to a better future for all. Remember that your voice matters, and your stories have the power to change hearts and minds. Whether you are an LGBTQ+ individual, an ally, or simply someone who believes in equality and justice, you have a vital role to play in this ongoing struggle.
Thank you for taking the time to engage with this guide. Please use it as a tool to advocate for the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ individuals in Missouri. Together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable state for all.
With deepest gratitude and solidarity,
Nyla Foster
Nyla Foster Digital Equality Organizer, PROMO
Do We Testify? WHY
In the past few years, a record number of state legislatures have introduced anti-LGBTQ+ bills, particularly targeting the transgender community.
The legislative session of Missouri in 2023 has proved to be the most perilous in recent memory with over 50 anti-LGBTQ+ bills filed and two anti-trans bills signed into law for the first time in our state’s history.
The majority of legislation attacked transgender Missourians and aimed to implement bans on talking about gender identity and sexual orientation in schools, to reclassify drag performances as pornographic, and to attack bodily autonomy and medically necessary healthcare. Now, more than ever, we need to use our voices to defend our rights and ensure that every LGBTQ+ person — of every demographic, race, ethnicity, zip code, and experience — is valued and thriving within our state.
The Importance of Local Legislative Testimony
Legislators may not have considered the perspective provided by public testimony when debating legislation, and stories from individuals have the ability to move and shape legislators’ opinions. It makes a difference when someone communicates with legislators about how something has affected their lives and families. Regardless of where you live in Missouri or how supportive your elected official may be, sending a note, sharing your experience, and meeting with your legislator can have a significant impact. Missourians elect the local government officials in whom they have the most confidence to govern effectively. When we elect leaders, we give them the authority to do whatever is necessary to carry out their duties and achieve the municipality’s goals, including the authority to make decisions that affect our human rights. Testifying in your local community is an immensely effective means of influencing policy outcomes and expressing your views on a bill. Persuasive testimony that sparks a significant debate can persuade legislators who are on the fence or lack an understanding of the issue’s impact on LGBTQ+ Missourians.
There are moments in which we must use all of our power, privilege, and influence to affect systemic and enduring change. This toolkit will be provided prior to hearing with the intention of leveraging our organization to provide direction on how to prepare for legislative testimony. We recognize that everyone has a role in liberating the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination and oppression. Testifying before your own local governments helps advance the equality movement forward and promotes the right to autonomy, dignity, and safety for all LGBTQ+ Missourians, as well as the expansion of protections for our community wherever possible.
is Testimony? WHAT
Testimony 101
A person who gives personal testimony at a public hearing (such as community groups, churches, nonprofit organizations, city council meetings, etc.) describes how changes in a law or policy will affect his or her life to decision-makers or those in authority. Every day, the laws and policies of our local governments and their agencies impact our lives in some way. Our lives improve or deteriorate as these regulations change or as new ones take effect. Fortunately, before laws and policies can be altered, citizens are frequently given the opportunity to express their support for or opposition to proposed changes at public hearings. Of course, testimony can also be given outside of public proceedings. What we say can have an impact!
One of the most effective methods to engage with an important legislative action in your city is to testify at a public hearing. The submission of testimony is a means of engaging policymakers who rely on your input for policy decisions. Legislative testimony affords Missourians the opportunity to be heard and potentially influence the outcome of committee decisions. Due to timing restrictions and cutoffs, it is recommended to prepare a two-minute speech.
How to Sign Up
Want to partake in the legislative process of your city but are unsure where to begin?
You’ll want to check your city’s website for their public list of meetings. We’ve gathered a few of those below where you can register for testimony in your area:
Remember each government, school board, etc. has its own processes and you’ll want to check their website for more information about how you can use your voice in the process.
Springfield cityview.springfieldmo.gov/category/city-council/city-council-meetings
St. Louis
www.stlouis-mo.gov/events/all-public-meetings.cfm
For testifying at the Missouri State Capitol, you do not need to sign up to testify online. You DO need to fill out a witness form for either chamber, which you can find online:
Using the link above for the House, you can also submit online written testimony. The Senate only allows for in-person testimony.
Community
Engaging the LGBTQ+ community while ensuring representation and inclusivity for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), youth, non-English speakers, and senior citizens requires a thoughtful and comprehensive approach. Here are some strategies from an organizing perspective:
Diverse Representation and Leadership:
Ensure that the organizing team is diverse and representative of the various groups you want to engage. This can include having members who belong to BIPOC communities, youth, non-English speakers, and seniors. Diverse perspectives at the leadership level will help in making informed decisions that cater to the needs of each group.
Cultural Competency Training:
Organizers and volunteers should undergo cultural competency training to understand the unique challenges, concerns, and sensitivities of each community. This training will help them communicate and engage effectively while avoiding unintentional biases.
Language Accessibility:
Provide information, materials, and communication in multiple languages to accommodate non-English speakers. This can include translating event invitations, flyers, and digital content. Additionally, consider having interpreters available at events or providing translation services for those who require it.
Engaging Youth:
To engage youth, utilize social media platforms, online forums, and digital campaigns. Create events that cater to their interests, such as workshops on LGBTQ+ rights, mental health, or creative expression. Collaborate with schools, youth organizations, and LGBTQ+ student groups to expand your reach.
Engaging Older LGBT:
Engaging older lgbt adults might involve in-person events and workshops, as many seniors might not be as digitally connected. Consider hosting informational sessions on LGBTQ+ history, health, and support services in spaces that are accessible and comfortable, while adhering to COVID-19 restrictions and best practices to ensure the safety of all participants.
Culturally Inclusive Events:
Organize events that celebrate and acknowledge the intersectionality of identities. Ensure that cultural celebrations and traditions are incorporated, creating a welcoming environment for BIPOC and nonEnglish speaking attendees.
Outreach Strategies:
Tailor your outreach strategies to each group. For instance, engage BIPOC communities through partnerships with local cultural organizations, collaborate with LGBTQ+ youth centers for involving young people, and connect with senior centers for involving seniors.
Accessible Venues and Resources:
Choose event venues that are physically accessible for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Ensure that event spaces have appropriate seating arrangements, signage, and facilities to accommodate diverse needs.
Storytelling and Representation:
Highlight stories and experiences from within each community to create relatable and resonant narratives. Representation matters and can help people feel seen, heard, and valued.
Spread the
WORD
Whether in your local or state government, we need all our voices to share why anti-LGBTQ+ policies are harmful to our community. It can be hard to figure out where to begin, but you can alert your community in various ways.
In-Person Conversations
Start with your friends and loved ones, making them aware of what’s going on and how the policies will impact you or them. Encourage them to have conversations with others and expand your own outreach to those in your circles like recreational sport leagues, parent groups, GSA organizations in schools, or your online chat community to name a couple.
Media Interviews
If you feel comfortable and believe it is safe for you to do so, reach out to your local press to see if they will cover the hearing or the policy. Engaging with the media allows you to push out awareness to a much broader audience. Paint a picture for reporters by doing three things:
1. Be able to explain the policy in basic terms (what does it do?)
2. Explain the policy’s impact with a personal narrative (how does this affect you or the community?)
3. Close with a clear call to action (what do you want people to do?)
Local Organizations
There may be a local LGBTQ+ organization in your town or in a nearby larger city that can support you with resources as you organize. If you’re unsure where to turn for help, a statewide organization such as PROMO can aid you in pointing out someone or a group you should connect with.
Digital Communications
One of the most critical keys to spreading the word is reaching people where they are, particularly social media. We recommend using a free design tool like Canva to put together a simple graphic that you can share with the community in online groups, your personal pages, and send to organizations you think should be aware of what is going on. Make it easy for people to know what is happening and what you want them to do.
Build a
NETWORK
Feedback and Evaluation:
Regularly gather feedback from each community you’re engaging with. This can help you identify areas for improvement and ensure that your efforts are effective and responsive to their needs.
Collaboration and Partnerships:
Collaborate with existing organizations, community leaders, and advocacy groups that are already working with these communities. Leveraging their expertise and networks can help you reach a wider audience.
Flexibility and Adaptation:
Recognize that the needs and preferences of each community might evolve over time. Stay adaptable and open to making changes to your approach based on feedback and changing circumstances.
PREPARE
to Testify
Remember that you typically have between 3-5 minutes, so be concise and direct. Do not read your written testimony word-for-word to the committee. Instead, provide printed copies of your testimony so that committee members will have it in front of them and can refer to it later. Your written testimony should be summarized, and you should outline your remarks. Maximize your time in front of the committee by presenting only the most pertinent details.
Important Note: If you forget what to say, you can never go wrong sharing your lived experience because only you have that firsthand knowledge and authority.
01 Preparing the Night Before
Get a good night’s sleep
Charge your devices
Dress your best, but also comfortably (particularly with your shoe choices)
Eat a good meal
Know the building’s location, the meeting room, and the time of the meeting
Do your necessary research
Use what you know and have experienced, but be ready to back up your opinions with a list of facts.
Be familiar with your opponent’s arguments in case a comparison is requested.
Prepare your written testimony
In addition, provide copies of your testimony to the Legislative Assistant to the Chair or to the Committee Staff. You should have enough copies for each committee member, plus three to five additional copies for personnel.
Type on only one side of the paper for easy reading. Like other legislative documents, your written testimony should be limited to one or two pages.
02 The Day of
Be present at the beginning of the hearing
Anticipate that there will be some waiting and, depending on the size of the room, you may not get a seat inside.
If a seat is not available, typically there is an option to listen into the hearing virtually while you wait outside the room for your turn to speak.
Listening to the hearing from the start allows you to have the most up-to-date information on the legislation and hear elected officials’ stances on the issue.
An agenda will be displayed on the bulletin board located outside the hearing room. Make sure that the piece of legislation of interest is still on the agenda and has not been taken off. The regulations may not be read in the order in which they are printed on the document. When you arrive at the hearing, complete the witness registration form and turn it into the Chair’s staff. Note that witnesses are not necessarily summoned in order.
Hearing Etiquette:
If you are unsure of a committee member’s name, use “Representative,” “Council Member,” “Board Director,” or similar.
When a member poses you a question, you should respond with their title followed by their name (i.e. Chairwoman [name]) and then your answer to your question.
Thank the committee members and offer to answer any questions: “I appreciate the opportunity to testify in front of you today. I would be happy to respond to any questions.”
If you disagree with previous testimony, do not accuse the witness of lying or make personal attacks. Rather, provide your own truth. Explain why your perspective is more accurate in order to discredit the earlier information, not the person, if queried about discrepancies.
Do not reply to inappropriate remarks. Allow them to sink due to their own weight. If a committee member is disrespectful, just let it slide. Other members will disregard it and may even offer you consolation or support.
relax! The members recognize that this can be an intimidating experience; they do not anticipate a flawless presentation.
After the Hearing:
Some committees vote immediately following a hearing. Others wait until the meeting’s conclusion. Some defer voting until the next meeting. Since all committee actions are open to the public, you may remain to observe the committee’s debate and vote even after the public comment portion of the hearing has concluded. The only time you may not be able to stay or hear the committee’s vote is if they call an “executive session,” which is typically a closed-door meeting of the committee.
You can contact the staff of the committee chair to learn how the committee voted on your bill. You may also send each committee member a personalized note summarizing your testimony and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to do so.
03 The Day After: Self-Care
Remember that building trust, respect, and meaningful connections with these communities takes time and consistent effort. Approach the engagement process with humility, a willingness to learn, and a genuine commitment to inclusivity.
Self-care involves taking care of all aspects of one’s life — appropriate nutrition, regular exercise, sufficient rest, healthy relationships, personal meaning, and perspective. Below are some tips and resources to help you reduce stress and cultivate behaviors that will nourish you during the days of your testimony.
If possible, allow yourself some time to relax. Testifying is essential, but it can be extremely challenging.
Spend time with supportive individuals. Discuss what you have been through.
Practice self-care. Do what brings you serenity and happiness.
Recognize that you had an effect. You can take pride in the fact that you did everything possible to make a difference.
Collective liberation requires recognizing that all of our struggles are intertwined and that we must collaborate to create the world we know is possible. We believe that every person is deserving of dignity and respect, and that everyone suffers under oppressive systems.
Support & Affirmation:
go where the love is
Make sure to surround yourself with people who respect your identity, gender and expression and avoid those who try to control or invalidate your feelings. Remember, your feelings and experiences are valid. Avoid getting caught up in the oppression Olympics, as they were created to divide and conquer us. Remember, cisgender and transgender LGBTQ+ Missourians are not in competition with each other. Always remember that seeking liberation is a universal desire, so it’s crucial to prioritize the protection of one another no matter what.
Understanding Your REALITY
Learning about the injustices in your community, experiencing injustice and violence, and contemplating your own role are all difficult and agonizing tasks. It can become overwhelming, which is why it is essential to set aside time and space for healing practices. This looks different for everyone, but can include:
Devoting time each week to creative pursuits and interests unrelated to social justice work.
Developing gratitude through a journaling practice or a morning/evening verbal practice. You can maintain a gratitude container and collect moments of gratitude and small victories written on pieces of paper. Approximately every six months, you can reflect on them.
Engaging in rituals that serve to ground you so that, in times of turmoil and uncertainty, you feel supported. This may include aromatherapy, meditation, preparing one homecooked meal per week from ingredients, and adult coloring.
Replenish: know when to unplug
Your mind needs time to recharge, just like your body. Resetting your mind can boost productivity upon returning to work.
Here are a few tips you can take before and after testimony days: Practice basic self care: stay hydrated, eat nutritious meals, get sufficient sleep, and engage in regular physical activity. Take space as needed. Be intentional with your time: set aside protected times during your week to not engage in social justice work. This involves discussing with friends, reading, watching, thinking critically, writing, and listening to anything related to the issue.
Take breaks from social media when necessary. Limit interaction with posts, accounts and people that do not serve you due to real triggers.
Learn to say no to requests for discussions, education, or quick chats during your free time. It’s fine to decline a request from your community by saying, “I’m currently unable to discuss ______, but I’d be happy to talk about it later.”
Leadership: become the change you seek
Encourage cognitive growth by engaging in unconventional thinking. Rather than relying on someone else to be the first trans person or person of color to venture into unexplored territory, empower yourself to take on that role. Strive to thrive and become the best version of yourself that you can possibly be. Embrace a mindset where you live freely, disregarding the world’s fixation on your race or gender identity. Remember, there is always more to you than what others may see on the surface. Embrace your unique qualities and let your true self shine.
Stand in your passion, power, and purpose! And aim for a life beyond mere survival!
