Washington DC is set to become the first city in the US to ban LGBTQ+ panic defense from being used as a legitimate reason for violence against queer people, with the city council voting unanimously to do so.
LGBTQ+ panic defense uses a person’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity to legally justify acts of discrimination and violence against them; although it has been condemned by groups like the American Bar Association, 39 states currently allow criminal defendants to exploit the victim’s LGBTQ+ identity to seek a reduced sentence, including the state of Washington.