 So I think it's been pretty clear from the beginning that the Republican Party's attack on trans people was never just about the children Contrary to popular belief and at this point it seems like they've basically given up that facade all together And they're now at the stage where they're trying to legally eradicate all trans people out of existence Including adults and this is something that they have already put into effect in multiple states So on August 1st, Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed an executive order called the women's bill of rights comically enough and No, the governor is not a warrior for women's rights He actually signed the most restrictive abortion ban in the country into law earlier this year but what this so-called women's bill of rights does is it effectively erases trans people out of illegal existence and Nebraska's governor Jim Pillon just signed the same executive order in his state and as LGBTQ nation explains the order mandates the governor's own definitions of woman girl man and boy be used in the promulgation of administrative rules enforcement of administrative decisions and the adjudication of disputes among state agencies the list of definitions doesn't address transgender individuals, however in a statement accompanying the order Pillon makes it clear That's what the women's bill of rights is all about It is common sense that men do not belong in women's only spaces Pillon said as governor It is my duty to protect our kids and women's athletics Which means providing single-sex spaces for women's sports bathrooms and changing rooms So rather than having multiple laws one specifically mandating discrimination in sports and another policing the bathroom usage of trans people This just mandates discrimination across the board by effectively defining trans people out of existence and the framing of this Executive order both of these is just so cartoonishly Orwellian that I can't take it and state Senator Megan Hunt addressed this Archastically on Twitter and she also explained why this is so harmful that it's not just going to affect trans people She writes today governor Pillon famous women's right supporter signed this offensive and ridiculous proclamation Establishing a women's bill of rights He should try saying this stuff to my face when we would see who's got the biological advantage to be serious Team Pillon should be aware of all the federal funding that could be taken away from Nebraska Were his proclamation to be enforced federal funding sources for domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers have provisions Protecting trans survivors. I know governor Pillon probably hates the fact that trans people would ever be protected or safe But that's how it works today And he's putting the Braskens in danger by continuing to make this group the entire focus of his ignorant and discriminatory agenda Now that's a really good point and I'm glad that she brought it up This is another one of those instances where anti-trans policies is so broad that it could potentially end up harming cis women as well even though this is ironically called the Women's Bill of Rights and they passed this under the pretense of protecting women This happens every time right now what you're probably thinking is that these anti-trans laws They're getting more draconian as time goes on right and yeah, that is the case You're not going crazy And you'd be correct to assume that they're going to continue to get worse because what we're currently seeing is a race to the Bottom where states with the most oppressive anti LGBTQ plus laws end up sparking a sort of domino effect And we're still in that downward spiral because right now these fascist bigots feel really emboldened And we're at the point where at least one attorney general in Tennessee is openly threatening to illegally arrest pride organizers If they put on their event as Erin Reed explains on April 1st of 2023 Tennessee's anti drag law took effect banning quote male or female impersonators from performing in public spaces a US district court judge promptly blocked the law stating it was specifically designed to stifle constitutionally protected speech and ultimately ruling it unconstitutional Despite the judicial ruling a Tennessee district attorney Ryan Desmond threatened pride organizers in Blount County with arrest under the now Unconstitutional provisions arguing the ruling does not apply to his office and district So he thinks that his office can usurp the judicial system now That's not surprising for a fascist because they oftentimes do think that they are above the law and even though this isn't surprising It's still jarring to see them be so brazen Right ten years ago something like this seems inconceivable, right or rare But I told you this story you probably aren't that surprised. I don't think anyone is right But when it does come to these anti drag laws, they keep falling one by one in courts because they are very clearly Against free speech they violate the First Amendment in such a brazen way that they can't possibly stand in fact a federal judge Blocked an anti-drag law in Texas from taking effect But even though we're getting some good news out of Texas with regard to LGBTQ plus rights We're also getting really bad news in a different fight So the Texas Supreme Court is allowing the state's gender-affirming care ban for minors to take effect on Friday And any doctor who provides such care will have their medical licenses revoked by the Texas medical board Now gender-affirming care bans for trans youth This is not a new thing right 21 states have already banned gender-affirming care for anyone under 18 and since Texas is such a large State its inclusion now means that more than a third of trans youth Lives in a state with a gender-affirming care ban now I can't stress enough how absurd this is so when it comes to prepubescent children this means Social transition that is all that is entailed With gender-affirming care it means new pronouns new clothes a new name and that means that the Recommended treatment for children with gender dysphoria is literally free expression. That's it banning that violates their First Amendment right But Republicans will lie and tell you that young children who get gender-affirming care are actually getting bottom surgery And this is genital mutilation now They know it's not true But this is what they say because they think that this is compelling to normies and it is to an extent But I mean if they were so concerned about genital mutilation, where's their outrage over circumcision, right? I Mean it is an irreversible procedure done on male infants It's weird that they never talk about that and when it comes to genital mutilation. They only focus on Trans people trans kids in particular when that's not even happening. I mean when it comes to surgeries trans boys Can sometimes get top surgery when they're older Older than 16 when they've had gender dysphoria for a while But that's fairly infrequent and for the most part when it comes to gender-affirming care, especially to younger people This is just social transition until they reach the age of puberty But I mean when it comes to that age and puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy are recommended I mean if a young person shows consistent gender dysphoria, then yes, they can get hormones But this has to be approved by their doctor and parents and the reason why this is the recommended treatment is because it shows to increase their Quality of life by decreasing depression decreasing anxiety Suicidality, but I feel like it's redundant to explain this because I've explained this so many times and we've been down this path before Right by now. They all know it's the case They know that this is why this is the recommended treatment because it Alleviates the anxiety and depression that comes with gender dysphoria They know it is medically necessary because it's potentially life-saving LGBTQ plus youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide and trans youth are two to two point five times more likely to attempt suicide Compared to their cis LGBTQ plus peers These lawmakers have access to the same exact data that we all have access to and at this point It is unreasonable to assume that they're still ignorance They're not ignorant the reason why they are banning gender-affirming health care is because they want trans youth to kill themselves Their actions tell us that this is what they want and if you think that I'm being hyperbolic well, then consider it this way if it were the case that a child had cancer and Chemo therapy was the recommended treatment by the doctor and the parents approved of it, but Republicans They thought that that treatment was just a little bit too harsh It's too much of a risk and they chose to make a medical intervention and say no You can't you can't do this Now the doctors have communicated the risks to the parents. They know the risks But if they don't get that treatment They could die and if they know that that's the consequence But they still think that that medical intervention is necessary They are Willfully choosing to endanger the life of that child and this is what they're doing when it comes to trans kids, right? They know that these laws are endangering their lives But they're codifying them regardless because they are cruel and they're doing it in spite of their obvious knowledge That this could lead to them dying because they kill themselves and what's that is that even when they lose legally? They've still managed to cultivate a climate for trans people That's so toxic that 81% of trans adults have considered suicide compared to 35% of cisgender adults But here's the thing this is going to inevitably come back to bite them in the ass, right? And as cruel as they are now as emboldened as they feel now there is going to come a time When this backfires and I can say that confidently because it's already starting to happen So NBC News reports that 17 states have enacted 30 anti-LGBTQ education laws that will be in effect for the 23-24 school year and Everyone is on edge because of it parents teachers and we know this because a nationwide navigator research poll of 1,000 respondents Finds that the overwhelming majority of Americans are against the GOP's education policies So 92% including 87% of Republicans are against bookbends 84% are against general inspections for sports 71% are against teachers getting fired for supporting LGBTQ plus students including by the way 53% of Republicans and get this 66% are against prohibiting teachers from teaching age appropriate lessons about sexual orientation or gender identity in schools including history involving LGBTQ figures and that includes a plurality of Republicans at 46% and a majority of parents at 63% in other words most Americans are not stupid enough to believe that their kids will magically turn gay or trans upon hearing about the Existence of queer people they know that that's not how it works and that is fucking stupid The polls reflect that right despite the propaganda and the hyperbole that we're seeing from the right and aside from most Americans being against it There's anecdotal evidence as well suggesting that these anti-LGBTQ plus policies are already causing blowback for Republicans John Gallagher gives us some examples that are not bad for LGBTQ nation So some school districts in Virginia are openly defying Glenn Yonkin's anti LGBTQ plus policies Also in Indiana parents are annoyed that they literally have to fill out paperwork for their kids to be able to use nicknames Now I don't know about you, but when I was in school a lot of kids used nicknames My name is Michael. I go by Mike So under these rules in Indiana My parents would have to fill out a permission slip or paperwork in order for me to go by the nickname that I prefer Now this is an obvious attempt to enforce the dead naming of trans youth But it's affecting cis kids as well and it is irritating the shit out of parents Who just want their kids to be able to be called what they prefer now? John Gallagher also explains that some Republicans even want to move on former lawmakers think that they're focusing on this too much So basically the chickens are going to come home to roost at some point and they're going to reap what they so eventually But it is gonna get worse before it gets better But the thing is that it will get better. That's really important to remember It will get better and if you're a queer person watching this experiencing depression or Suicidality, I'm gonna link you to the queer lifeline down below Because even if it feels like you're alone, it's important to remember that you are not alone We are all navigating this really scary moment together and I promise you talking to someone is the best reminder That we're not alone, right? Just hearing somebody else say yeah, this is crazy is very therapeutic, right? But just remember that you are worthy your life matters and you will see these fascists each shit one day Games win stupid prizes play stupid game pride trans rights are human rights. It is necessary to push trans on the kids pride