A new report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue shows that hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people are on the rise worldwide, fueled by discriminatory laws and hostile political speech. The report shows anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes have increased in the past five years across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe—especially targeting transgender and gender-nonconforming people.
It links the trend to political rhetoric and government actions that have escalated internationally. Among the cases cited: the Club Q mass shooting in Colorado, which killed five; the 2023 murder of a California woman who displayed a rainbow flag; and the arrest of 20 Patriot Front members planning to disrupt an Idaho Pride event. The report also noted, “These threats come from across the spectrum of ideological extremism, but frequently from groups that also pose a threat to the state and are openly opposed to democratic norms.”
In 2024, the FBI reported that out of 11,323 single-bias incidents, 17.2% were based on sexual orientation and 4.1% on gender identity. The report warns that “a series of actions have sought to exclude LGBTQ+ people and culture from public life,” through censorship, book bans, and anti-trans legislation.
