I certainly will pass on your message, I'm glad you getting out of Texas, I would be absolutely terrified to live there, or even visit with as transphobic as they quickly seem to be turning as a whole. That they are even considering legislation to make being transgender and having ever stated your experienced gender a felony, that's just horrible and unforgivable.
I wish I could find a way to move to Illinois, I know Chicago is one of the safest places to live currently beyond Vermont as a transgender person, so I'm glad you are able to go to college there. I hope you're able to more comfortably discover yourself and figure out your gender identity in that environment, just remember to be careful when visiting back home from college, because it could definitely be a whole lot worse than when you were last there.
I'm in Ohio, and I've been fighting with our group to get the Senate to remove harmful provisions that were added against transgender people to the state budget, HB96, and as hard as we've tried and as much work as we've done, I'm afraid it may still return to the house as is, with only one piece having been removed that was antitransgender regarding driver's license.
Thank you for writing this, for giving me and others a ray of hope in these dark times.
The executive director of group I'm with, Trans Unity Coalition (Bree Taylor), was curious if I knew the author, but I don't know you, unfortunately.
Bree is in Washington DC currently through Monday legislating against the budget provisions. I'm sure she would be happy to pass on any words to members of the Senate you may have.
Hi! Thank you so much for your comment (and for reading)! I started Transitics as a way to fight back against all the doom and gloom that has taken hold given the current political climate surrounding trans people and I cannot tell you how happy it has made me to hear that my work has brought back a shred of optimism in those who read it. I hope I'm doing my part not just to share news, but to help others understand the impact it will have on our community.
To be honest, I don't have any ties to advocacy organisations at the moment. I'm just an 18-year-old trans woman who's starting her first year of college in September! Unfortunately, I live in Texas for now (I'm going to Illinois for college though!)—so my Senators wouldn't really pay attention to what I have to say—but I appreciate the offer to make my voice heard. Could you pass the following message on to Bree (to pass on to members of the Senate):
My name is Aleksandra and I grew up in Texas. Right around the time of the first restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, I came to the realisation that I was trans. I was 15. My parents weren't supportive enough to help me seek care out of state, so I was made to wait until I turned 18. Those 2 years, 3 months, and 4 days were the most difficult period of my life, and I battled depression every day. Finally, I started HRT on October 22nd of last year, and the next morning, my mind's persistent fog (which I had just assumed was normal) cleared and my depression was gone. Thanks to it, I no longer hate my appearance, got into a good school, and have been truly happy for the first time in my life.
HRT saved me just as it saved so many others. If this part of the bill isn't removed, the 21% of transgender people in the US who rely on Medicaid won't be able to live the lives they deserve. Challenging it via the Byrd Rule should work, as federal spending on gender-affirming care isn't a particularly large figure, especially when compared to the political repercussions this provision will have.
Please, do whatever you can to fight this part of the bill. The trans community has already suffered so much in these past few months; one-fifth of us losing our healthcare will cost an unfathomable amount of suffering. This cannot pass.
I certainly will pass on your message, I'm glad you getting out of Texas, I would be absolutely terrified to live there, or even visit with as transphobic as they quickly seem to be turning as a whole. That they are even considering legislation to make being transgender and having ever stated your experienced gender a felony, that's just horrible and unforgivable.
I wish I could find a way to move to Illinois, I know Chicago is one of the safest places to live currently beyond Vermont as a transgender person, so I'm glad you are able to go to college there. I hope you're able to more comfortably discover yourself and figure out your gender identity in that environment, just remember to be careful when visiting back home from college, because it could definitely be a whole lot worse than when you were last there.
I'm in Ohio, and I've been fighting with our group to get the Senate to remove harmful provisions that were added against transgender people to the state budget, HB96, and as hard as we've tried and as much work as we've done, I'm afraid it may still return to the house as is, with only one piece having been removed that was antitransgender regarding driver's license.
Thank you for writing this, for giving me and others a ray of hope in these dark times.
The executive director of group I'm with, Trans Unity Coalition (Bree Taylor), was curious if I knew the author, but I don't know you, unfortunately.
Bree is in Washington DC currently through Monday legislating against the budget provisions. I'm sure she would be happy to pass on any words to members of the Senate you may have.
Hi! Thank you so much for your comment (and for reading)! I started Transitics as a way to fight back against all the doom and gloom that has taken hold given the current political climate surrounding trans people and I cannot tell you how happy it has made me to hear that my work has brought back a shred of optimism in those who read it. I hope I'm doing my part not just to share news, but to help others understand the impact it will have on our community.
To be honest, I don't have any ties to advocacy organisations at the moment. I'm just an 18-year-old trans woman who's starting her first year of college in September! Unfortunately, I live in Texas for now (I'm going to Illinois for college though!)—so my Senators wouldn't really pay attention to what I have to say—but I appreciate the offer to make my voice heard. Could you pass the following message on to Bree (to pass on to members of the Senate):
My name is Aleksandra and I grew up in Texas. Right around the time of the first restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, I came to the realisation that I was trans. I was 15. My parents weren't supportive enough to help me seek care out of state, so I was made to wait until I turned 18. Those 2 years, 3 months, and 4 days were the most difficult period of my life, and I battled depression every day. Finally, I started HRT on October 22nd of last year, and the next morning, my mind's persistent fog (which I had just assumed was normal) cleared and my depression was gone. Thanks to it, I no longer hate my appearance, got into a good school, and have been truly happy for the first time in my life.
HRT saved me just as it saved so many others. If this part of the bill isn't removed, the 21% of transgender people in the US who rely on Medicaid won't be able to live the lives they deserve. Challenging it via the Byrd Rule should work, as federal spending on gender-affirming care isn't a particularly large figure, especially when compared to the political repercussions this provision will have.
Please, do whatever you can to fight this part of the bill. The trans community has already suffered so much in these past few months; one-fifth of us losing our healthcare will cost an unfathomable amount of suffering. This cannot pass.