The War on Trans Folks

[easye]

I recall last time, when the GOP folks were really making head way on banning Gay Marriage by putting Constitutional Amendments on ballots. That exploded in their face spectacularly.

It looks like they figured out how to ban things easier now. 95% of people spend less than 5 minutes a day worrying about politics, much less LOCAL politics! I predict they face little or no consequences at the ballot box. Voters are goldfish.

[easye]

www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/05/11/1172589936/as-conservative-states-target-trans-rights-a-florida-teen-flees-for-a-better-lif

As conservative states target trans rights, a Florida teen flees for a better life

Conservative states across the country are pushing a record number of bills that target LGBTQ rights, particularly transgender rights. That's forced residents like Josie to rethink where they want to call home.

In just a few days, Josie was moving more than a thousand miles away from St. Augustine – and her parents – to start a new life in Rhode Island. Her aunt and uncle live outside Providence, and she'll stay with them and attend high school nearby.

Mission accomplished?

[Disciple of Fate]

Is it? Untill you're across the national border, you might just be delaying the inevitable.

[herzlos]

Sadly, brain drain will benefit these bigots in the short term at least, until they can't find staff for stuff, or tax money to spend.

[easye]

www.cnn.com/2023/05/17/politics/desantis-signs-anti-trans-bill/index.html

DeSantis signs into law restrictions on trans Floridians’ access to treatments and bathrooms

One of the bills signed into law by DeSantis prohibits transgender children from receiving gender-affirming treatments, including prescriptions that block puberty hormones or sex-reassignment surgeries. Under the law, a court could intervene to temporarily remove a child from their home if they receive gender-affirming treatments or procedures, and it treats such health care options, which are supported by the American Medical Association, the same as it would a case of child abuse.

Under a provision DeSantis signed into law, teachers, faculty and students would be restricted from using the pronouns of their choice in public schools. That bill declares that it must be the policy of all schools that “a person’s sex is an immutable biological trait” and “it is false” to use a pronoun other than the sex on a person’s birth certificate. That bill also affirmed that sexual orientation and gender identity cannot be taught in schools through eighth grade, codifying a state Board of Education decision to block such topics in all K-12 grades.

Separate legislation would give the DeSantis administration the power to take away licenses from establishments if they allow children into an “adult live performance,” widely interpreted as a crackdown on drag shows. Another prohibits transgender people from using a bathroom or changing room that matches their gender identity while in government buildings, including in places like public schools, prisons and state universities.

“A woman should not be in a locker room, having to worry about someone from the opposite sex being in their locker room,” DeSantis said.

The bill defines female as “a person belonging, at birth, to the biological sex which has the specific reproductive role of producing eggs” and male as “a person belonging, at birth, to the biological sex which has the specific reproductive role of producing sperm.”

All of the bills passed the Republican-controlled legislature in the final days of the 60-day legislative session this spring, drawing protests and criticism from throughout the state and country.

[Disciple of Fate]

The pronoun part sounds like a big violation of the right to freedom of speech. I guess for most of the other parts, you have little recourse in federal law.

[herzlos]

Gender identity seems to be covered by all sorts of international treaties on rights - The European Convention of Human Rights, the UN Convention of Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

None of which the freedom capital of the world recognizes, of course.

I thought there'd be something about freedom of identity in the constitution but I'm not surprised there isn't.

I found this pretty interesting article about the legal basis of trans discrimination, though I haven't had time to consume it properly yet: scholarship.law.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=9561&context=penn_law_review

[skyth]

May 17, 2023 17:43:07 GMT -5 Disciple of Fate said:

The pronoun part sounds like a big violation of the right to freedom of speech. I guess for most of the other parts, you have little recourse in federal law.

Since it's now illegal in Florida schools to refer to someone by the gender they were not born as, I'm waiting for the first prosecution for the normal schoolyard bullying of calling someone a 'girl' to insult them.

[easye]

www.npr.org/2023/05/17/1176600711/republicans-in-several-states-push-for-limits-on-gender-affirming-care-for-adult

Republicans in several states push for limits on gender-affirming care for adults

SIMONE CHRISS: Like with everything else that these folks try to do to harm LGBTQ people, it's an easier lift and it's easier to swallow when it's, oh, we're protecting children.

MCCARTHY: And Chriss says it's long been that way. But restrictions have often significantly impacted adults, too.

CHRISS: The justification for not allowing same-sex marriage was it's harmful to children. And the justification for the drag bans is it's harmful to children. And the justification for everything that's happening - sports bans, it hurts cis girls. Bathroom bans, it hurts children.

MCCARTHY: That's how Governor Ron DeSantis talks about bills lawmakers passed in the recent legislative session.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

RON DESANTIS: The legislature enacted historic protections for children.

The same old play book, but a different target.

[easye]

Governor Abbot tries desperately to catch-up to Florida and DeSantis in Culture War.....

www.npr.org/2023/05/17/1176799997/the-texas-legislature-approves-a-ban-on-gender-affirming-care-for-minors

The Texas Legislature approves a ban on gender-affirming care for minors

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas would become the largest state to ban gender-affirming care for minors under a bill sent Wednesday night to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has previously ordered child welfare officials to investigate such treatment as abuse.

The bill cleared the GOP-controlled Legislature after a final vote in the Senate over the objections of Democrats, who used parliamentary maneuvers in recent weeks to delay passage but could not derail it entirely.

Texas is now poised to join at least 17 other states that have enacted similar bans.

You probably can not make a run for President unless you have one of these bans under your belt. Too bad, neither of these guys has realized yet that they do not have a chance anyway.

[skyth]

Target is pulling trans-friendly merchandise due to threats of violence.

www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/05/24/target-lgbtq-clothing-controversy-boycott/

[herzlos]

It's sad to see them caving to terrorism, but then there's almost zero chance the terrorists will get convicted of anything and they need to look out for the safety of their staff.

[adurot]

At least they’re just pulling Some of the stuff. The things designed by the Satanist mainly. Yeah I know Satanist doesn’t really mean what it used to, but it’s still not an easy term to reclaim so it’s easy PR.

[adurot]

May 24, 2023 11:48:22 GMT -5 adurot said:

At least they’re just pulling Some of the stuff. The things designed by the Satanist mainly. Yeah I know Satanist doesn’t really mean what it used to, but it’s still not an easy term to reclaim so it’s easy PR.

I should also note it’s “easy PR” that is doomed to failure because the people they’re trying to appease are the sort who will accept no compromise, only complete and utter surrender and capitulation. As long as a single rainbow remains anywhere in a Target store their video taped tempter tantrums will continue.

[herzlos]

Yeah, they aren't really negotiating with a rational opponent here. Given the article mentions that the basis for most of the outrage was, rather predictably, false.