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As one of the first out gay Black and Latine members of Congress, Torres continues to champion LGBTQ+ rights, advocate for marginalized communities, and push for broader representation in government.
As the 2024 general election race speeds ahead, Democratic U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, representing New York’s 15th Congressional District, is one of the most vocal and visible advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and equity in Congress. Elected in 2020 as one of the first out gay Black and Latine members of Congress, Torres has used his platform to elevate marginalized voices, fight against bigotry, and push for inclusive policies that reflect the diverse America he represents.
Torres grew up in public housing in the Bronx with a single mother, and his journey has fueled his career in public service. Since entering Congress, he has condemned the surge of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, particularly from far-right figures like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Speaker Mike Johnson. “When I hear a member like Marjorie Taylor Greene or Lauren Boebert refer to members of the LGBTQ+ community as ‘groomers,’ it’s chilling,” Torres told The Advocate in a candid interview this summer. “It feels like the rhetoric against our community is more radicalized than it’s ever been.” Yet despite this hostile political climate, Torres remains steadfast in his belief that history is on the side of equality. “The politics of homophobia has an expiration date,” he says. “The long arc of history will bend toward equality.”
A key aspect of Torres’s work in Congress is his effort to increase LGBTQ+ representation, especially for transgender voices. Torres is a persistent advocate for coalition building and ensuring that all segments of the LGBTQ+ community are represented. He emphasized that the community must remain united in its fight for equality. “We cannot allow our community to be divided against itself to be at war with itself,” Torres explained. “We have to stand as a cohesive whole. An assault on one of us is an assault on all of us, and we have to stand in full solidarity with trans Americans, who are the target of vicious scapegoating and fearmongering from the far right of American politics.”
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Torres sees representation as vital in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and supports Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride, who is running to become the first transgender member of Congress. “There is no substitute for representation from within our community. The best voices, the best representatives of the LGBTQ+ community, are LGBTQ+ people who know the LGBTQ+ experience, not as an abstraction, but as a matter of lived experience,” Torres said. As cochair of the Equality PAC, which has raised over $12 million to support LGBTQ+ candidates, Torres is committed to increasing LGBTQ+ voices in Congress. He stresses that diversity is a strength of the Democratic Party, with about 70 percent of the House Democratic Caucus made up of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ members. “We are expanding not only the quantity but the diversity of LGBTQ+ representation in the United States Congress,” he said.
Health equity, particularly in addressing the ongoing HIV epidemic, is another focus of Torres’s work. He has been a fierce advocate for expanding access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, the use of medication that significantly reduces the risk of HIV transmission. While recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 36 percent of those who could benefit from PrEP were prescribed it in 2022 — up from 23 percent in 2019 — Torres emphasizes that access remains far from equitable. The CDC reports that only 13 percent of Black people and 24 percent of Hispanic and Latine people who could benefit from PrEP are receiving it, compared to 94 percent of white individuals. “HIV is a disease of poverty, a disease of racial inequality,” Torres said, calling for more targeted funding and outreach in vulnerable communities.
In the wake of the 2022 mpox outbreak, Torres has also advocated for preparedness to prevent another public health crisis. Along with Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, the chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Torres sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra urging a coordinated federal response to address the resurgence of the virus, particularly the more virulent Clade I strain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “Mpox has a disproportionately destructive impact on the LGBTQ+ community, whose public health needs have long been ignored,” Torres and Pocan wrote. Torres has also introduced the Coordinated Agency Response Enhancement Act to ensure that lessons from past public health crises, including the 2022 mpox outbreak, are effectively integrated into future preparedness plans, particularly for vulnerable communities.
Torres also stands firmly in support of his Jewish constituents in the wake of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel. A vocal advocate for Israel, Torres has called for stronger protections for Jewish communities in New York and across the country.
In June, Torres faced backlash from ACT UP NY after the activist group removed a flag that honored him at Fire Island’s Trailblazers Park, replacing it with an image of the late transgender activist Cecilia Gentili and a banner for queer Palestinians. ACT UP NY protested the Fire Island Pines Property Owners’ Association’s decision to honor Torres, criticizing his support for Israel and calling for greater recognition of Gentili’s legacy. Torres responded, saying, “Even if you disagree with my views on issues like Israel, there’s no denying that I’m objectively a trailblazer.” Despite the controversy, Torres stood by his position and emphasized the importance of viewpoint diversity within the LGBTQ+ community.
As the 2024 election nears, Torres is focused on inspiring voters and supporting a new generation of leaders. “When you meet the likes of Sarah McBride or Julie Johnson [a lesbian Texas lawmaker running for Congress], you cannot help but feel inspired,” he said. Torres believes the Democratic Party is cultivating a new wave of progressive leaders ready to champion LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and economic equity.
As vocal as he is about issues he cares about, Torres remains mum about his future ambitions. This summer, Torres made a strategic move on social media, launching a new campaign X (formerly Twitter) account. When asked about it during the interview, Torres said, “I was a man in need of his campaign Twitter account, and so we created a campaign Twitter account. Do I hope to move up in the future? Yes. But when that will happen and what form it will take, only time will tell. Stay tuned.”
