Local and national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community groups are fielding a lot of concern after the results of the 2016 election.
"The rhetoric of this presidential election has been hurtful to many," Dallas Resource Center CEO Cece Cox wrote in a social media statement to members this week. "The outcome of the election is now known and many of us are afraid and uncertain."
LGBTQ community members across the country have shown expressed worry about how future policies from President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence could alter their rights or lead to discrimination for them.
Donald Trump doesn't have a reputation for discrimination against that community and even said during his campaign that transgender people should use whatever bathroom they like.
The Republican Party platform does stand against altering bathroom policies to suit transgender people though, and as the governor of Indiana, Pence signed a bill allowing businesses to refuse service to LGBT people, among other actions.
Mark Phariss, from Equality Texas, said he's concerned about the potential for more bills like that showing up at the federal and state level with this recent shift and without clear advocates in the White House.
"People need to start contacting their legislators and let them know there are voters in their district who won't tolerate this," he said.
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While many on both sides of the political aisle have made calls in recent days to give the new administration a chance, Phariss said his community can't afford to sit back and just hope for the best.
"It's really 180 degrees different," said Phariss. "Real lives are at risk."
