it’s not about kids. it’s never been about kids.
it’s not about kids. it’s never been about kids.
The avalanche of anti-trans and queer legislation is an attempted redirection from the actual harm being done to children right now.
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It would be hard to ignore the recent headlines. All across the country, at this very moment, fascist legislators and activists are pushing to advance legal and societal measures aimed at the “eradication” of trans and queer lives—as one speaker at the most recent CPAC put it—usually in the name of “protecting” children.
Attempting to even track all of the hateful legislation being proposed, advanced, and in many cases signed into law in statehouses nationwide is a massive effort. In the past week or so alone, these efforts have included (but are not limited to):
Nebraska is debating a ban on transgender healthcare for minors pushed by Republicans.
Alabama’s Republican-led House of Representatives advanced a bill banning trans athletes from college sports.
Florida’s Republican-led Senate approved a bill banning children from attending drag shows and drag events (and possibly pride parades, as the legislation is broad).
Florida’s Republican-led House of Representatives approved a bill making it illegal for trans adults to use a public restroom or changing room consistent with their gender identity.
Florida Republicans are also pushing forward a bill that would allow doctors and insurance companies the ability to legally drop patients due to a “conscience-based objection” which could allow them to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people and other currently protected groups.
Newly Republican-proposed North Carolina legislation would restrict trans middle and high school athletes.
North Dakota’s Republican governor signed a bill banning trans women from women’s college sports teams, as part of a package of anti-trans bills approved by the state legislature.
Missouri’s Republican-led House of Representatives advanced bills banning some medical procedures for trans minors.
Kansas Republicans approved bills restricting bathroom access for trans people and removing the ability to change the name or gender on drivers’ licenses. Arkansas’ Republican governor recently signed similar bathroom legislation.
The ACLU is currently tracking 452 different pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, while the Trans Legislation Tracker has logged 494 bills to date, of which 39 have already passed and 363 are active. According to the Trans Legislation Tracker, all but three states—New York, Delaware, and Vermont—have yet to see a single piece of anti-trans legislation proposed in this most recent wave of anti-queer bills.
The direct impact of this legislation is chilling enough. Taken as a whole, these are efforts to make just existing in public life much more difficult for trans and queer people. It is a coordinated effort to dehumanize queer people and remove us from public life. It is destructive for queer peoples’ mental health (especially queer and trans kids) even if you don’t live in a state where these bills are being proposed. It is honestly fucking terrifying.
If you think I’m being sensational in this assessment, here are some exact quotes from proponents of these bills and other more localized efforts to erase queer people from public life, all of them also from the past week:
Florida Republican state Rep. Webster Barnaby referred to transgender people as “mutants from another planet,” “imps,” and “demons.” (He later apologized for the demon comment, which, uh, thanks?)
Randy Fine, another Florida Republican state Rep., said “damn right we oughta” “erase” the LGBTQ community “because they have to target children.”
Former SNL cast member Victoria Jackson spoke at a Franklin, Tennessee meeting urging its City Council to deny an event permit for an upcoming Pride event and said “God hates sodomy, homosexuality, and pride.”
At the same time that all this is happening, many of the same Republican lawmakers, religious leaders, and others who support these bills are also passing, defending, and pushing legislation that actively harms children. Just a few examples from recent weeks below:
Missouri Republican state Senator Mike Moon seemingly suggested that children as young as 12 should be allowed to get married with parental permission.
Arkansas Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed Republican-backed state legislation rolling back a requirement that children under 16 get an employment certificate from the state, making it easier for child labor to go unchecked in the state.
Republicans in the Missouri House of Representatives have moved to fully defund the state’s libraries after the ACLU and library groups sued the state over its call to threaten librarians accused of offering “suggestive” materials in their libraries with jail time.
Two Tennessee Democratic lawmakers calling for stricter gun legislation in the state following a Nashville shooting that killed three children and three adults at a Christian school were expelled from the legislature by its Republican majority.
Republicans in Florida, Idaho, and Nebraska have all backed pushes to advance highly restrictive anti-abortion legislation that will force more women to give birth to children they do not want or are not prepared to properly raise.
So what the fuck do we do? Sure, there are plenty of nonprofits who will gladly take your money right now. For what it’s worth, large national groups like the Trevor Project, HRC, GLAAD, and the ACLU do not need your money, but local, on-the-ground groups in these states and cities desperately do. If you are concerned about legislation in a particular state or community, ask around or do your research (we should all know how to Google by now!) to identify an organization making a difference to queer people on the ground there. You can also support local mutual aid efforts that are helping trans and queer people meet immediate needs like making rent and feeding themselves.
If you are an ally, this is a time to speak out. Whenever you encounter this nonsense in any of its forms, push back against and call what it is: A complete and utter projection. Restate the fact that queer and trans people are not a danger to society or children. Point out that the individuals arguing that they are are almost always aligned with institutions and organizations that actually are dangerous for society and children. Do not back down, we need you.
Finally, if you are queer or trans, I think we need to be extra gentle with ourselves, and recognize the achievement that plain ole survival represents right now. Reach out if you need help, because we need you. I need you.
I recently watched an interview with queer comedy icon Margaret Cho on the Mythical Kitchen YouTube channel. During a far-ranging discussion over what Cho said her last meal would be—a discussion that now has me craving a root beer float and a saag paneer burrito—she said something I really needed to hear. Honestly it kind of blew my mind.
“You have to stand tall in your life for the people who need to see it. When you live a long time you get to see how fair life really is. The ugly become beautiful and the beautiful become ugly. The people you think had everything actually have nothing. It’s so profound, the equalization of age when we actually are here to stay for it. … I want to impress upon [young queer people] you gotta live. It’s really good. You’ll see all the people who bullied you get so unhappy. … The best thing is to get older. The best thing is to live. … You don’t know how good it gets. You’ll see.”
The whole discussion is incredible, but the above quote is taken from a bit of conversation starting around 25:30. My takeaway is this: We can’t control what legislation these Christian fascist lawmakers and their supporters bring to the table. But we can control the way we live our lives, and there is massive power in that.
Yes, we must protest and raise a stink whenever and wherever these matters arise. But for queer people ourselves, we must recognize that there is also power in survival. There is power in growing knowledge and growing old. There is power in mutual aid. There is power in visibility, power in community. We have to enjoy the little things and savor the victories, however small they may be, that come along the way. We have to keep living. For ourselves, for each other, and to live long enough to see these nasty motherfuckers get as ugly on the outside as they are on the inside.
OK, that all was a lot! Before I press publish on this, a music recommendation care of my dear friend Rachel who turned 40 today. This is a new song from Shana Cleveland, who also plays in the surf/psych rock band La Luz: