Transgender issues are one of the most talked about subjects as we close out 2024. As a transgender individual, I am keenly aware of all the things being said about us. I am going to be honest, it’s a tough time in the world for our community. Recently here in the United States, the Republican party (also known as the GOP) rose to political dominance by controlling the Office of the President, the House of Representatives, and the United States Senate. These individuals that now control these 3 parts of the government spent their time campaigning on issues designed to divide the country. One of these “issues” was transgender individuals.
The GOP spent over $200 million on campaign advertising that was about transgender individuals. They campaigned on misinformation about what it means to be transgender. They campaigned on lies about transgender people preying on children. The Republican presidential nominee (now President-Elect) Donald Trump had multiple videos on his website and was show multiple times during interviews and rallies claiming children are being brainwashed into thinking they are trans by their teachers and that young kids were being sent to their school nurses to begin transitioning. He even insinuated a child can be dropped off at school as one gender by their parents and then be picked up by those parents at the end of the day as a different gender. We all know this isn’t true. And if you actually believe this, you might need to do some research on what the responsibility of a school nurse in the public education system is.
However, things like this are not new for our community. Ever since the Joe Biden took control of the Oval Office back in 2020, the GOP has stepped up its attacks on transgender individuals. These came in the form of multiple bills and acts submitted to state and federal legislatures. Most of these bills have been submitted under the guise of “protecting children” and include limiting gender affirming care services to those under 18 years of age. There are even some of these bills that make it a felony for a doctor to suggest gender affirming care to parents and children. Several of these bills, like the ones presented in my home state of Texas, were argued with omitted information, straight up lies, and even religious beliefs. What is even more disheartening is that most of these passed very quickly,
There are several problems with their arguments, like religion being used to create law, but one of these arguments that is completely untrue is that their entire crusade is only to protect children from the “radical gender ideology”. At the time many of these bills were put into law, legislators and their allies’ said things like “it only applies to children” or “when they become an adult, they can do whatever they want.” We know this isn’t true. We knew this was never really going to be the case. Why? They told us it wasn’t.
Right wing media personalities such as Charlie Kirk, Matt Walsh, Ben Shapiro, and Michael Knowles have repeatedly used ambiguous terms such as eradicate and eliminate when speaking about transgender people. This is all on purpose. The majority of people hear these terms and immediately go to the worst-case scenario, the killing of transgender people. However, these same personalities will quickly contest this by saying “we never said kill. We said eliminate.” And they are right. They didn’t say kill. However, using these words is intentional because they have very broad meanings. Something can be eliminated without being killed. On the other side of that coin, it also shows they are not necessarily ruling that out as a way to get rid of something they see as a threat. It is all done this way on purpose.
These personalities also spread the lie that all of this is to “protect children”. Let’s be clear, it’s not. This is evident by the way they refer to transgender people as mentally ill or in need of help. It is evident in the fact they dehumanize us by reducing transgender people to an ideology. Listen, we don’t treat being trans as an ideology. We don’t have worship sessions, or anything remotely associated with an ideology. These sentiments have also been echoed by the GOP and by Donald Trump himself.
So, if it’s not about protecting kids, what is it about? I am glad you asked. It’s about 2 things, fear and control. The Make America Great Again movement, also known as MAGA, have campaigned on a platform of fear since its inception during Trump’s first presidency. Throughout history, some of the most notorious leaders have gained and maintained their power and position by using fear. Transgender people make up less than 1% of the American population. That’s it. 1%. Yet, the GOP and its MAGA candidates spent more time talking about us in the last election than on any other topic except for immigrants. We were mentioned more than the economy and inflation. This was intentional. If you listen to the advertising and rhetoric about trans people, you will think we are some of the worst monsters ever created. According to them, we are out to assault women and children, turn everyone into the opposite gender, take every medal and record in women’s sports away from them, and the list goes on and on. The reality is none of that is true.
On Donald Trump’s website, he has a video that says he will “instruct Congress to ban so called gender affirming care at any age.” That means banning it for adults in addition to children. Add in the legislation that made it illegal for trans people to use the restroom of their gender identity in some places, bounties on transgender people using the “wrong bathroom”, and the continuing dehumanization and demonization of transgender people in public, it becomes clear. This was never about the children. It is about control.
So, what can we, as transgender people do about this? That is where things get tricky for us. The first option is simple, run. It’s a very common sentiment right now in the community. Pack your stuff and try to find a safe haven. However, that’s not always an option for people. Some of us barely scrape by in our day-to-day lives. Packing up and moving is expensive. A lot of transgender people can’t do this. Though, I will say, if you have this option, explore it. There are still safe havens in this world such as Norway and Sweden.
If you can’t run, what are the other options? Well, there is fighting back. This election was filled with uncertainty. I myself have said the phrase “we just don’t know” multiple times when discussing what a second Trump presidency looks like with so many MAGA candidates winning seats in the government. Since we don’t know, that means there is still hope for a positive change. We can hope some of the more ridiculous things Trump has said (like telling voters they won’t have to vote ever again if he wins) wont actually come to fruition. In that case, fighting might be an option.
I don’t mean actually fighting, like punching Trump supporters in the teeth. I mean getting out and advocating for our community and ourselves. Putting forth candidates that will actually support our struggle and not just throw us under the bus when they lose. Reaching out to those who may be starting to realize they were lied to by a con man and cult. And helping those in our community by showing support and kindness in this dark time.
The last option is probably one we as transgender individuals hate the most, hiding. Some of you might choose to do just that. Personally, I couldn’t but, I do understand why someone would see this as an option. A lot of our community don’t really want to go back to what we were before. Most of us were miserable that way and will take either of the first 2 options before this one. That choice is for each one of us to make ourselves.
In the end, the most important thing is to do our best to make it through and to try to support each other. Yes, there are some in our community who actually supported Trump and MAGA. But most of us heard the rhetoric and did our damnedest to sound an alarm. Transgender people have existed through history for as long as mankind has existed. We will exist long after this period of human history has passed. Until it does, we have to support each other, remember those we have lost along the way, and push forward to a future where we are no longer seen as monsters and freaks but as human beings who only want to live our lives like everyone else.
-Robin Alura
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