Where we Won this Week
Hi there, beautiful people!
As I’m settling back in from my trip and getting back to work, it really strikes me as such a profound gift to have this platform, this community, and this activity in my week. I am so honored to be a source of hope for you, and that honor feels especially wonderful when I know that I have a MASSIVE LIST of wins to share!
I must kick it off with a story that I know is not making any national headlines but is absolutely incredible: The Missouri legislative session has officially adjourned, and out of 71 anti-trans bills proposed, 68 WERE DEFEATED. Two passed, and the final bill was not only stripped of its anti-trans teeth by brilliant advocates, it was turned into the CROWN act and now serves to protect Black students’ hairstyles in school across the state.
Defeating 98% of anti-trans bills this year was not an inevitable victory. It was fought tooth and nail, strategized, and negotiated. It was driven by countless trans folks, families, and allies coming to share their stories at the capital. By trans, queer, and ally legislators filibustering, debating, and holding the line.
This legislative session was a critical reminder: When we fight, we win. Missouri is not alone in this victory, either. Florida has adjourned their legislative session without passing ANY of their proposed anti-trans bills!
These kinds of victories highlight exactly what I’m hoping this whole project will remind us of. I’m not here to say “of course it will all be okay. Don’t worry about it.” I’m here to say “If we fight, and we fight together, and we take care of ourselves and each other, then we will win”.
Let’s get into these hard-fought wins!
Court Victories
The Supreme Court has blocked what would have been the nation’s first religious public school in Oklahoma, in a major victory for the separation of church and state, and in large thanks to the tireless champions at Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the case, and I’m personally refreshed to see a justice following any semblance of an ethical code!
Another appeals court has blocked Ron Desantis’ drag ban from going into effect, stating that it takes a “shotgun” to the freedom of speech. A huge win for trans and queer advocates across the state, and such gratitude to drag queens for being willing to take on so many of these fights on the frontlines of the “culture war”. (LGBTQNation, 5/16)
In Italy, the country’s highest court has ruled that same-sex partners of women going through IVF in order to conceive have the right to be legally recognized as their children’s parents! (Reuters, 5/22)
Legislative Victories
Washington state has signed into law a bill with sweeping protections for transgender students across the state! It protects student privacy, bans discrimination, and more. (LGBTQNation, 5/22)
Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, signed an HIV decriminalization bill into law! They are the fifth state to pass such a bill, following North Dakota (!) in March. (Washington Blade, 5/21)
Texas’ state house (though not yet their senate) has passed a law overturning a ban on “homosexual conduct”. While the ban has been unenforceable for years, repealing it sends a message of support to LGBTQ+ Texans. 12 Republicans voted in favor of the bill! (The Hill, 5/16)
Arizona’s governor, Katie Hobbs, vetoed three bills targeting trans folks and DEI on college campuses. As she did so, she shared strong language for her colleagues: “I will not sign legislation that attacks Arizonans…I encourage the legislature to focus on real issues that matter and impact people’s everyday lives.” (Truthout, 5/6)
FAFO
When Utah passed their ban on gender affirming care, they commissioned a report on the safety and science of gender affirming care. The report, which was worked on by physicians and researchers across the state, found overwhelming benefits to the health and mental health of transgender youth. Oh no! Now what fake excuse will they have to use to justify their actions? (Salt Lake Tribune, 5/23)
A high school teacher in Los Angeles, Henry Zahid, came out as trans in their second year of teaching. Despite resounding support from students and colleagues, he was fired at the end of the year. After major pushback from teachers unions, local protests, a letter-writing campaign with over 2,000 letters, and passionate addresses to the school board, Henry was reinstated! People power!! (GoodGoodGood, 5/16)
Pushing back
In both Idaho and Utah, bans have been passed on flying pride flags on government property. In gorgeous acts of malicious compliance, Boise and Salt Lake City have both made the pride flag one of their “official city flags” so that they can fly it as they wish, and send clear messages of love and allyship to their LGBTQ+ residents.
In the UK, bans on transgender soccer players are about to go into effect. In protest, a trans-inclusive football club is hosting a “Let the Dolls Play” tournament, stating: “We are reclaiming this day, with a cross-club trans-inclusive football tournament. The purpose is simply to get our community together, doing what we love, and to celebrate our trans teammates.” (LGBTQNation, 5/22)
As an act of protest and love, everyone’s favorite activist drag queen Pattie Gonia and trans organizers from the climbing group “Trans is Natural” hung the largest pride flag ever flown in a national park on Yosemite’s El Capitan.
What about the bad news?
I know there’s been a lot of scary stuff lately, and this newsletter was already getting pretty long, but I want to share two articles that have brought me a tremendous amount of peace and comfort this week.
The first was a much needed perspective shift/reminder from Tertium Quid, an amazing organization supporting trans kids and their families.
The second was by Sebastian Barr, which should not come as a surprise at all since I’ve taken to describing him as “your favorite Substack’s favorite Substack”. I like to imagine hope as something with teeth and claws and dirty knuckles. This is it.
~fin~
Okay, that’s all for now, folks! I hope this has brought you some peace, some joy, some motivation to get involved, or maybe all three!
A better world is out there. We are already building it. Stick around ‘til then, will you?
Thanks for the shout out! Tertium Quid focuses on families with gender expansive youth, and our newsletter speaks to the parents, guardians and allies. Subscribe if you're an ally - it comes out 2x a month.
Thank you for all of this. 💗💗💗