Anti-Trans Laws

Transgender people have always existed. However, as changes in society allow them to become more visible, they also face more overt transphobia. In the United States specifically, a wave of transphobia began in 2016-17, when anti-trans “bathroom bills” started popping up around the country. These bills attempted to outlaw transgender people from using the bathroom that they felt most comfortable in, forcing them to use the one that corresponded with the sex they were assigned at birth. Transphobia is clearly the motivating factor here, and while the initial wave of “bathroom bills” has subsided, anti-trans laws continue to be an issue (source).

In recent months, these attacks have been launched in the form of laws about healthcare and sports participation, aiming to prevent transgender people from accessing either. There have also been laws relating to LGBTQ+ education and religious refusal, again rooted in transphobia and homophobia (source).

While not all of these laws have passed, even those that are simply introduced bring the existence of transgender people into the sphere of debate, which is incredibly dehumanizing for this group of people. Everyone deserves to have access to the same things regardless of their identity, and the people behind these laws clearly do not believe that.

If you live in a state where laws like these are on the table, please call you elected officials to voice your opposition. You can find your representatives here https://ballotpedia.org/Who_represents_me.