“In 15 Minutes, My Future Changed”

February 3, 2025

By Eli Sobel

These days, the only thing I feel certain about in our country is that nothing at all is certain. As I watch the new administration swiftly and deliberately attempt to dismantle decades of hard work for social justice, the scope of what and who may soon be targeted by hateful legislation and misinformation continues to expand, especially within the LGBTQ+ community. Amid the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ attacks, it would be both easy and understandable, as an LGBTQ+ person and someone with LGBTQ+ loved ones, to feel hopeless about our future. 

But I don’t.

I recently received an email in my inbox that reminded me why we never give up defending our rights. It came from a participant of one of two free virtual legal clinics that Keshet co-sponsored with the JCC Greater Boston in the months between the election and the inauguration. These clinics, made possible by generous attorneys from the Massachusetts-based firms Wilson, Marino & Bonnevie P.C. and Danger Law, provided free opportunities for individuals and families to seek personalized legal advice from experts on topics like LGBTQ+ family law, estate planning, name changes, and guardianships. Both clinics filled up within 24 hours of being announced. The message I received from one of these clinic participants said:

“In 15 minutes, my future changed when I learned my spouse can adopt my kids as a third parent. I had no idea about this new law and we’re so excited!”

While it may feel like our LGBTQ+ futures can change for the worse with the stroke of a presidential pen, it is never so simple. Harmful legislation is almost always challenged in court and often defeated. Every anti-LGBTQ+ voice is always met by a chorus of advocates and allies defending our humanity. What can happen, in a matter of minutes, is that we can be reminded that we’re not alone. It only takes one promising interaction, one new piece of hopeful information, one fist raised in solidarity to remind us that there are people fighting for us. While not every state has the same inclusive family laws as Massachusetts, the presence of these laws, which once had to be fought for, shows us that a future of expansiveness and dignity for all is possible.

These legal clinics demonstrate the survival tools that LGBTQ+ people have historically depended on in times of crisis, like open communication, resource-sharing, and mutual aid. Our people have a history of finding our way through the cracks of oppression and growing towards the light. We owe it to each other, regardless of whether or not we identify as LGBTQ+ or another marginalized identity, to share whatever we have to offer: knowledge, services, finances, encouragement. We all hold the power to remind someone, in an instant, that there is indeed a way through times like these.

I will always remember standing beside my mother at the Women’s March in Washington  D.C. in 2017 when a queer elder in the crowd who was walking past me set her hand on my shoulder, gave me a nod of strength, and kept marching. I’d never seen her before, and I’ll never see her again. But still, eight years later, I carry the strength of her touch with me, a momentary gesture that reminded me (and continues to remind me) that no one person is alone in the fight for equality. The generosity, bravery, and solidarity of our community has allowed us to survive horrific times before, and we will continue to survive.