Trans people talking about state level anti Trans efforts in the US
March 21, 2022 2:10 PM Subscribe
There are between 238 and 280 anti LGBTQ+ bills filed this year, mostly targeting trans people, particularly trans youth, and this doesn't include measures like the the recent anti trans youth directive from Texas Gov. Greg Abbot. There are between one and three million transgender and non cisgendered people in the US. Here are a three of us, talking about how this unprecedented government onslaught threatens our lives.
Fighting anti-trans legislation is suicide prevention by Lazarus Nance Letcher (They/Them)
“We Will Persist and Prove You Wrong:" A Trans Texan's Words For Governor Abbott by August Heurta (He/Him)
Coming Out as Trans Brought Me So Much Joy & I Want That For Trans Kids, Too by Emme Lund (She/Her)
Helping, by speaking up, by donating, and by contacting your representatives, can protect Trans folks and save lives.
Not sure how?
Your Guide to Talking about Attacks on Trans Youth
Buy the Indie Bundle for Trans Kids in Texas (Previously on Metafilter)
Take Action to Defend Trans Atheletes
Fighting anti-trans legislation is suicide prevention by Lazarus Nance Letcher (They/Them)
“We Will Persist and Prove You Wrong:" A Trans Texan's Words For Governor Abbott by August Heurta (He/Him)
Coming Out as Trans Brought Me So Much Joy & I Want That For Trans Kids, Too by Emme Lund (She/Her)
Helping, by speaking up, by donating, and by contacting your representatives, can protect Trans folks and save lives.
Not sure how?
Your Guide to Talking about Attacks on Trans Youth
Buy the Indie Bundle for Trans Kids in Texas (Previously on Metafilter)
Take Action to Defend Trans Atheletes
Thank you for this. I've been thinking I should do a post on all this but it was too big and close to get my head around. I'm one of the families leaving Texas to protect my kid but I'm so worried and angry about those who can't, about the whole thing.
posted by emjaybee at 2:49 PM on March 21, 2022 [12 favorites]
posted by emjaybee at 2:49 PM on March 21, 2022 [12 favorites]
Seeing as the TX policy is not legislation as much as a note from Paxton - who appears to be leading in the runoff polling - what could possibly dislodge it?
posted by Selena777 at 4:11 PM on March 21, 2022
posted by Selena777 at 4:11 PM on March 21, 2022
It's very possible Paxton could get slapped down but he's currently saying "neener neener" to the court. Could take forever to resolve unless he loses to a Dem.
Aside from being worried about CPS showing up, I worry about access to my kid's meds/treatment, which given how unwilling hospitals have been to fight back, is a problem.
posted by emjaybee at 4:17 PM on March 21, 2022 [4 favorites]
Aside from being worried about CPS showing up, I worry about access to my kid's meds/treatment, which given how unwilling hospitals have been to fight back, is a problem.
posted by emjaybee at 4:17 PM on March 21, 2022 [4 favorites]
On a tangent, I have seen it pointed out that the first SXSW in a Texas with hardline anti-abortion and anti-trans laws has been a very much diminished affair, dominated by NFT douchebros. Not sure to what extent that is just the techbro boosterism that was a part of it reaching its apotheosis and to what extent it's due to its host state becoming a hostile environment to more progressive voices, though the latter sounds plausible.
posted by acb at 4:45 PM on March 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by acb at 4:45 PM on March 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
Here in Austin there no sign of any diminution in sxsw - the prominence of the tech douchebros is because the city is owned by tech douchebros now.
Given that the state hates Austin and hates the people sxsw attracts it's unlikely they would care if everyone stayed away.
Companies still move here regardless and the big companies that are already here seem tacitly supportive of what's happening.
I have family members and friends directly affected by the war on trans kids and they're all looking to leave the state. I don't think the people for whom it is still easy to vote and who's vote actually counts will regard that as a great loss.
It's a bit bleak to be honest. You can't say that though - universal concealed carry makes that hazardous.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 5:46 PM on March 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
Given that the state hates Austin and hates the people sxsw attracts it's unlikely they would care if everyone stayed away.
Companies still move here regardless and the big companies that are already here seem tacitly supportive of what's happening.
I have family members and friends directly affected by the war on trans kids and they're all looking to leave the state. I don't think the people for whom it is still easy to vote and who's vote actually counts will regard that as a great loss.
It's a bit bleak to be honest. You can't say that though - universal concealed carry makes that hazardous.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 5:46 PM on March 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
YouTube has recently decided to show me anti-trans content. Like it’s algorithm really believes I am anti-trans. I have NO idea what I watched. However, it’s suggesting to me that the anti-trans movement is gaining ground- YouTube also seems to think I’m in the Fox News watching demographic because this periodically happens with whatever their hot button issue. What I watch is way far from this, left leaning political commentary and science videos make up the bulk.
This, though, seems to be the worst example. I don’t watch the videos to keep from encouraging the algorithm, but it’s clear from the titles. The worst are the ones that seem to pretend they’re coming from a science or psychology standpoint.
I’m not sure what to do about it, but just wanted to chime in that I’ve observed this creeping in and it concerns me, especially how YouTube seems almost designed to indoctrinate people into certain thinking. I feel as Google has a huge problem with propagating hate speech and are just not DOING anything about it.
All you trans folk out there, hugs and stay strong. I love you, and know what’s happening is absolutely and unquestionable wrong.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 7:25 AM on March 23, 2022
This, though, seems to be the worst example. I don’t watch the videos to keep from encouraging the algorithm, but it’s clear from the titles. The worst are the ones that seem to pretend they’re coming from a science or psychology standpoint.
I’m not sure what to do about it, but just wanted to chime in that I’ve observed this creeping in and it concerns me, especially how YouTube seems almost designed to indoctrinate people into certain thinking. I feel as Google has a huge problem with propagating hate speech and are just not DOING anything about it.
All you trans folk out there, hugs and stay strong. I love you, and know what’s happening is absolutely and unquestionable wrong.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 7:25 AM on March 23, 2022
For your personal feed/recommendations (i.e. obviously not a structural solution to the broader problems, but may be personally helpful for folks who just want to watch some YouTube without the recommendations along the side constantly telling them they don’t exist or are sub-human), you can click on the settings or something to select that the videos are not of interest to you. Or you could go a step further and report them. My understanding of how the recommendation algorithm works is more that everything on all sides of a hot button issue are grouped under the same key words, and it feeds you the videos that have had the strongest engagement (based on whatever their engagement metrics are, which seems to favour right wing content). There’s also a bit of “people who watched this video also watched/liked this other video”, but that seems to be less of a factor nowadays?
posted by eviemath at 10:06 AM on March 23, 2022
posted by eviemath at 10:06 AM on March 23, 2022
And they just keep on going...
Texas AG letter says Austin ISD ‘Pride Week’ breaks state law
posted by thatwhichfalls at 3:29 PM on March 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
Texas AG letter says Austin ISD ‘Pride Week’ breaks state law
posted by thatwhichfalls at 3:29 PM on March 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
Jesus wept for Caanan.
Paxton also said he’s received reports of “community circles,” which he described as “group discussions on sensitive topics that students are encouraged to keep confidential, presumably from parents.”
Maybe it's their fucking D&D game, asshole. Or maybe it's just that they know if they talk about it with their caretakers, shit will hit fans and inflame the Asshole Brigade that thinks he's a god-fearing man who's in the right, instead of Ken "I Run For Office So I Can Run From Prosecution" Paxton.
posted by mephron at 10:55 AM on March 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
Paxton also said he’s received reports of “community circles,” which he described as “group discussions on sensitive topics that students are encouraged to keep confidential, presumably from parents.”
Maybe it's their fucking D&D game, asshole. Or maybe it's just that they know if they talk about it with their caretakers, shit will hit fans and inflame the Asshole Brigade that thinks he's a god-fearing man who's in the right, instead of Ken "I Run For Office So I Can Run From Prosecution" Paxton.
posted by mephron at 10:55 AM on March 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
Another trans voice.
I’m Trans and I’m Not Leaving Texas
posted by Chrysopoeia at 8:09 PM on March 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
I’m Trans and I’m Not Leaving Texas
posted by Chrysopoeia at 8:09 PM on March 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
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posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 2:30 PM on March 21, 2022 [4 favorites]