More than 150 violent and hateful incidents have targeted LGBTQ-affirming faith communities across the United States since June 2022 — and new data from GLAAD’s ALERT Desk shows that the number is still climbing. The report, released Tuesday, paints a chilling picture of how extremists are attacking not only queer people, but also the churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples that welcome them. These incidents include death threats, vandalism, arson attempts, physical assaults, and bomb threats. In just the last year, the number of documented attacks jumped from 60 to 151.
Among those attacked is Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal leader in Washington, D.C. After she called for mercy toward LGBTQ people and immigrants during a National Prayer Service sermon, then-President Donald Trump demanded an apology. But Budde refused. She later shared that she received death threats and what she called “death wishes.” Still, she said queer communities responded with gratitude and strength. In New Jersey, the First Congregational United Church of Christ was threatened with being burned down after false claims from Moms for Liberty. Connecticut’s Immanuel Congregational Church was vandalized days before its Pride event. In Michigan, a man was arrested last year for plotting mass violence against queer people and inclusive religious spaces. As right-wing rhetoric escalates, GLAAD urges anyone who witnesses anti-LGBTQ threats to report them to their ALERT Desk. Because in this political climate, religious freedom is protected — until it stands with queer people.
