With more than 500 anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+) bills introduced in the United States in 2024 alone, understanding the public health impact of this legislation is essential. A recent study by researchers from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health found a clear association between discriminatory legislation at the state and county levels and poorer Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention outcomes among 3,300 sexual and gender minoritized youth and young adults from 2017-2022. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication that is almost 100% effective at preventing HIV. The study reveals that youth living either in states with fewer anti-LGBTQ+ policies or in counties with a Democratic majority of voters reported higher levels of PrEP use — 5% and 6% higher, respectively. These impacts expanded when looking at youth who lived in both a more progressive state and county, with a 10% increase in PrEP use for this population