In a surprising turn of events, Attorney General Jeff Sessions actually spoke out in favor of harsh persecution against those who perpetrate hate crimes.
According to LGBTQ Nation, Sessions stated that the Justice Department will “vindicate the rights of those individuals who are affected by bias motivated crimes.” This was following the first sentencing of someone convicted of a federal hate crime because they killed a transgender individual.
This has been making a lot of positive waves in the LGBTQ community, as many feared that hate crimes would go unnoticed or unpunished in Trump’s America. This was especially feared because Sessions voted against hate crime protection when he was a senator, claiming that the laws were too broad and LGBTQ people were already protected.
The news appears to be a small spot of hope in an administration that has been otherwise dismissive of LGBTQ rights. Hopefully, this signals a positive shift in the protection for trans and other queer individuals.
