There’s a lot of madness in the world right now – frankly, it’s hard to keep up.

While it’s tempting to just bunker down and just ignore the things that are beyond control, the rampant homophobia in the United States is becoming increasingly dangerous to LGBTQ people in the US and it is a threat to queer people everywhere. We need to be paying attention.

There’s two specific developments that have hit the headlines in the past week or so. They’re symptomatic of a much wider issue, but let’s take a look at the specifics.

Texas

In Texas, the Governor – Greg Abbot – has issued an order directing the state’s Department of Family and Protective Services to treat gender-affirming medical care as child abuse. As the basis of his order, the Governor relied on a legal opinion provided by the state’s Attorney General, Ken Paxton.

It’s the latest in a wave of anti-trans measures being introduced at state level across the US, but Texas seems to be determined to take the lead as the most transphobic state in the country.

The Governor’s order – and the Attorney-General’s opinion – is not legally binding, but it does set the tone and gives a clear green-light to transphobia and homophobia. It fuels an already toxic environment that will inevitably result in direct harm to queer people in Texas and elsewhere.

Florida

Politicians in Florida are putting their homophobia front-and-centre in schools.

Florida’s legislative lower-house has just passed a bill that bans the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in primary school classrooms.

Critics of the legislation have dubbed the bill as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. It’s reminiscent of the Section 28 provisions that were enacted in the UK and were in force from 1988 until 2000.

The Don’t Say Gay bill – which has the support of Governor Ron DeSantis – has to pass Florida’s legislative upper-house before it can be implemented, but it’s a clear statement of intent that conservative politicians are determined to roll-back the gains that have been made on LGBTQ equality.

Florida is not the only state where politicians are seeking to ban or constrain discussion of LGBTQ people in classrooms. Reporting indicates that there are around 20 states in the US where anti-gay curriculum laws are in effect.

Why is the US going full no-homo?

It’s not really clear what’s going on in the US. The country seems increasingly divided, but it’s difficult to pinpoint what’s fuelling that division beyond the obvious tension between a progressive view of the world and a conservative view of the world.

The emergence of Trump appears to have been a symptom or an indicator of something deeper.

Homophobia does seem to be a vote-winner for conservative politicians, but there’s more to it than that.

Evangelical religious organisations seem to be playing a key role, as does right-wing media outlets. so it may be as simple as fuelling and amplifying a nascent desire for a white-supremacist society that embraces ultra socially-conservative norms. Any opposing voices to that – for example, progressive politicians and liberal media outlets – don’t seem to have the impact or cut-through to counter the narrative that is being built.

In that context, LGBTQ people are an obvious and easy target. Anyone that is seen as “other” or transgressive – their existence poses a threat to the ultra socially-conservative norms that are being held up as aspirational and inherently patriotic.

Is there hope for queer people in the US?

It’s important to remember that LGBTQ people have always been here and will always be here. We’re not going anywhere.

Politicians can hate gays with their chest but homophobia doesn’t make any less of us.

It’s a little easier for those of us who have made it to adulthood – we can protest, we can organise, we can move to a friendlier part of the country if we have to.

It’s much harder if you’re a young queer person still figuring things out. State-sanctioned homophobia – of the kind being demonstrated right now by Texas and Florida – does irreparable damage and it’s damage that really never leaves you.

The homophobia that is now rampant in the US will inevitably result in direct harm to queer people.