1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act (IODA) from Senator Mike Lee represents a severe threat to free speech and LGBTQ+ rights in the United States. By redefining obscenity in an overly broad manner, this legislation could criminalize any depiction or discussion of sexual activity, undermining artistic expression and access to vital information about sexuality and gender. Furthermore, the IODA aligns disturbingly with the discriminatory goals outlined in the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 policy blueprint, which explicitly seeks to outlaw "the omnipresent propagation of transgender ideology" under the guise of combating pornography. Enabling such blatant transphobia through legislation is utterly unacceptable. This misguided bill poses a grave danger to the LGBTQ+ community as well as anyone seeking to engage in legal free expression regarding human sexuality. Congress must firmly reject the IODA and any effort to enshrine bigotry into law under false pretenses. Protecting marginalized groups and upholding fundamental rights must take precedence over the discriminatory agenda fueling this damaging proposal.