There is a very aggressive effort in the UK and the US to end care for trans youth. The escalation is leading to high profile litigation and legislation that will lead to care being cut off in extremely dangerous ways.
We have a responsibility to counteract these narratives in every way that we can. That means building support for trans existence generally, validating trans youth every day, and working to minimize medical gatekeeping for everyone.
I need people to understand how terrifying and sad and scary what is happening in the UK is for trans young people there and for trans people around the world. Please read and raise all the alarms that you can.
Yesterday a court ruled that trans youth under 16 and possibly all trans minors likely cannot consent to gender-affirming care even where they (1) request the care; (2) have the support of their parents or guardians; and (3) their doctor deems it necessary.
Though the decision will be appealed, as a result of the court ruling puberty suppression care that young people have been receiving and care that they have been waiting for potentially for years has begun to be cut-off and appointments cancelled.
Yesterday I asked a guy in an SUV to move his car because it was blocking the garage and my kid and her mom were trying to drive-in and I was on the sidewalk. I was calm and in a good mood after a nice weekend. The guy lost it. He stared at me with so much rage.
He wouldn’t move the car. I asked him again and he told me not to start talking like I was built because I am not and he was about to get out of the car and “slap me on me face, faggot”. I didn’t respond. He looked me in the eye and called me a faggot again and drove off.
My kid was right near by. It was the middle of the day. At the time it was mostly embarrassing. I felt that deep pang of self-hatred (and a tiny bit of gender validation for being called a faggot - since yes, accurate).
One thing that always troubles me about #TDoR2020 is how the focus on the individually-perpetrated acts of violence can obscure the systemically facilitated death of so many trans people each year.
For example, though our beloved Lorena Borjas wasn't murdered by an individual, she was murdered by the state. She was killed by our collective neglect and failure to ensure that our community was supported as COVID ravaged neighborhoods in Queens.
It is through laws and policies that take away people's chances for survival that so many trans people die each year - most of them Black and Brown. There are things we can do beyond remembrance, beyond naming the dead - though this is important too.
We are approaching the start of 2021 state legislative sessions and are already seeing pre-filed bills that would criminalize the provision of health care to trans young people. These are incredibly dangerous and we need to start mobilizing now.
These bills are part of a coordinated assault on trans youth fueled by misinformation and a goal of stopping people from being trans. It is impossible to stop us from being who we are except by killing us, which is in essence what these could accomplish.
One bill that was pre-filed in Alabama (HB1) would make it a felony to provide care to trans youth or refer a trans young person for care in support of gender affirmation. alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/ALISON/Searcha…
I will be live tweeting starting in a few minutes. Follow here. Background on Fulton below. SCOTUS arguments are livestreamed here: c-span.org/video/?471183-….
Argument is underway. CSS is claiming that applying non-discrimination law is interfering with agency's religious practice. Total distortion of what is happening.
Breyer asking what is the religious objection to just evaluating the families without taking into account whether family is same or different sex couple. CSS claiming it cannot make statements validating LGBTQ families because it would violate their religious beliefs.
At 10 AM the Supreme Court, with a Justice Barrett, will be hearing oral argument in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. I will be live tweeting the argument but here is some critical background. The stakes are exceedingly high.
The case involves whether the City of Philadelphia can be forced by the Constitution to provide government contracts to faith-based organizations that provide government services in a discriminatory manner. In other words, does the Constitution mandate gov't discrimination.
The specifics involve a Catholic Social Services agency that discriminates against LGBTQ families in foster and adoption services. The question is whether the City of Philadelphia *must* continue its contract with the agency despite the discrimination.