Yes On Prop 4 & Why it Matters to LGBTQ+ Youth

Every day at Outright Vermont, we connect with young people who are worried about their safety, their rights, and their futures. They see adults across the country debating their access to healthcare, education, sports, and other opportunities. They wonder whether the places where they learn, work, and build their lives will be safe for them. For LGBTQ+ young people, especially transgender youth, these are not abstract political arguments. They affect their lives right now.

That is why Proposal 4 matters.

On November 3, Vermonters will decide whether to amend our state Constitution to explicitly protect against discrimination by the state based on characteristics including race, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and national origin.

Vermont has important civil rights laws, but laws can change as political leadership changes. Proposal 4 would put these equal rights protections into our Constitution, making our commitment to equal rights more lasting. 

Think about being 15, 16, or 20 years old and trying to imagine your future. Will you find a school where you feel safe? A job where you’re treated fairly? A community where you can be yourself without fear? 

Young people should not have to live with the uncertainty of whether their rights will be protected. They should not have to be exceptional, politically powerful, or endlessly resilient to deserve safety and equal treatment. They deserve to know they belong, and that Vermont’s commitment to equality is more than a promise that can change with the next election.

Proposal 4 would send that message to LGBTQ+ young people and to everyone who has experienced discrimination: Your dignity matters. Your rights should not depend on whether others understand your identity, accept your place in the community, or whether you have the resources to fight for yourself.

And let’s remember, this is in fact about all of us. Proposal 4 would strengthen protections against discrimination for people across our communities, including people of color, people with disabilities, and anyone who has faced unequal treatment. Equality is not a limited resource. Protecting one person’s dignity does not diminish another’s; it strengthens the promise we make to everyone.

Federal law provides important civil rights protections, but Vermont can do more. We can make clear that our commitment to equality should not rise and fall with political decisions in Washington or Montpelier. For young people watching their rights debated, that kind of lasting commitment matters. Their futures should not be political bargaining chips.

The young people we meet every day deserve more than reassurance that things will get better. They deserve a state willing to put its commitment to their dignity, safety, and equal treatment into its most fundamental governing document.

Let’s make sure our Constitution reflects that promise. Vote YES on Proposal 4.