Despite a sinking feeling among the LGBTQ community across the country, Open Door Pride’s Cathy Grier says the national tenor is not keeping her down. According to Gallup’s Mood of the Nation poll, 51 percent of Americans say they are satisfied with the national attitudes toward gay and lesbian people, a drop of more than 10 percent compared to 2022 and just a few percentage points higher than the 49 percent recorded a decade ago. That number drops even more when it comes to the transgender community, where only 38 percent of respondents expressed satisfaction, though that is slightly higher than it was last year.

Grier was not shocked to hear the data, but prefers to look at the issue from a local lens. She feels the LGBTQ community in Door County has tremendous support from allies so they can be their true self.

The country’s transgender population has had at least four executive orders aimed at them in recent weeks, including Wednesday’s announcement that bans transgender women from playing in girls’ sports. It follows 27 states that have made similar bans, requiring transgender students to play on teams based on their sex assigned at birth. Grier admits she does not know what is in store for the LGBTQ community in the coming months and years, but she says she will keep showing up to support those who need it through her work with Open Door Pride and hopes others join in the effort.