Thread by @Esqueer_

The Federal Court in Alabama has failed to act and has allowed a FELONY ban on lifesaving gender affirming care for minors to go into effect tonight at midnight. For the first time in US history, gender affirming care has been criminalized w/ punishments up to 10 years in prison.

Doctors will now be forced to violate their ethics or be imprisoned for following the standards of care supported by every major medical org in the country. Parents could be arrested for following the advice of doctors. Trans youth will be forcefully detransitioned.

This case was overseen by Judge Liles Burke, a radical conservative Trump appointed Fed Soc judge. He was more concerned about venue than the effect this ban would have on trans youth and their families.

It cannot be overstated how radical this bill is. It requires the forced outing of trans kids by school staff to parents. This puts trans people's lives in danger if their family is transphobic. Kathryn Newhouse was just murdered by her own father this year.

Trans youth currently receiving care will be forcefully detransitioned against their will in full view of their family and friends. This will lead to a suicide crisis among trans youth in Alabama. Arkansas experienced an uptick after their ban passed despite it being enjoined.

It's not just youth in Alabama that will be affected. Univ. of Ala. Birmingham, provides gender affirming care for most of the southeast. Trans youth in Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Florida will be cut off from care.

Parents of trans youth face a difficult Sophie's choice of staying in Alabama and putting their kids' lives in danger or leaving their home to be able to obtain care for their kids. Trans kids w/o supportive parents will have little to no options.

While the court may still be able to issue a decision Monday morning before the ban go into actual practical effect, the damage is already done. Trans people will not feel safe in Alabama. The cruelty is the point.

We are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis among LGBTQ youth. Instead of providing safe and affirming services, states like Alabama have waged a cultural war on LGBTQ youth for political gain. It's heinous and they have blood on their hands.

Given how little the courts care for the rights of sexual minorites and the imminent repeal of Roe, we will see further rollbacks in LGBTQ rights. States will insert themselves into the healthcare decisions and bedrooms of LGBTQ people. So much for freedom.

We need to build alternatives for liberation b/c it is clear that courts nor ordinary political means will not save us. Things will get so much worse before they get better.

Tonight has felt like September 1st, 2021 when SB8 (Texas bounty bill) went into effect. Waiting for the court to stop blatantly unconstitutional legislation from going into effect while refreshing the court docket and they did nothing.

Important to note that Judge Liles Burke refused to answer questions in his senate confirmation questionnaire about whether the 14th amendment protects on the basis of gender and whether he would treat a transgender party to litigation with dignity and respect.

Two last things before I mute this thread. Gender affirming care for minors is not new. It's been around for over a century. This is needlessly cruel legislation from Alabama resulting from hate and fear of trans people.

Lastly, please donate to the Campaign for Southern Equality which is helping fund trans people and their families needing to leave their states with emergency grants. southernequality.org/donate/

Update from the court!

https://twitter.com/Esqueer_/status/1523456852415369216?t=qYdoDHdjBZ4gRcZfDfaXhg&s=19