HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — More than a hundred members of the community gathered Sunday at Big Spring Park in protest against multiple anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed within the Alabama legislature.
According to the state of Alabama Legislative Services Agency, HB405 would create the "What is a Woman Act," something that would require gender-based language used in Alabama code.
Allison Montgomery, who is a transgender woman, says this bill, "would legally define me as a man that would make me a female impersonator for wearing what you see me wearing right now."
HB401 would ban drag and "gender oriented materials" in K-12 public schools, public libraries, and in public places where minors are present.
Those are just two of the nine bills in the state legislature.
Miss Majesty Divine came in drag on Sunday in protest of the anti-LGBTQ+ bills.
"Me being dressed like this in six inches of padding, tights, and a wig and clown makeup isn't sexual in nature. They're trying to redefine it to make it something it's not."
The organizers of this event, called "Liberate not Legislate," say they put this together to motivate people to call and write their legislators and to encourage those within the LGBTQ+ community that they're heard.
Vera Vergara, an organizer of the "Liberate not Legislate" rally, says, "A lot of the people that would be affected by this, their voices typically aren't heard in. They are typically silenced. We want everybody to be able to have a voice and be able to be who they are."
Alex Forsythe, another organizer of the event says, "I might not be able to change everybody's mind, but I'm going to make sure that the gay kid or the trans kid that is wondering if they're ever going to feel seen or if they're ever going to be supported. They know that somebody out there is fighting for them."
Forsythe is an educator within the state and worries for their job.
"I could lose my job in the state just for being openly gay or trans. And I live my life openly. It's important for me not to lie about who I am. It's important for me to brace myself and love myself, because if I don't do that, then I'm not really living my life at all," Forsythe said.
Cassie Shiver, who MC'd, the event says she hopes more young people and people in general will feel inclined to make their voices heard.
"I feel like a lot of people are too scared to like, get out and do stuff. And I want to be an example to my friends and to people just out in the community that, yes, you can get out and do something," Shiver said.
A march protesting anti-LGBTQ and anti-trans legislation will be held in Montgomery on Tuesday.
"We're going to fight for our basic human rights and it's not something they're going to get to just strip away by redefining things and trying to legislate us out of existence," Miss Majesty Divine said.