Take Action Now to Support Trans Kids in Wisconsin
Your testimony and phone calls and bodies are needed to shut down recently introduced anti-trans bills
Vol. 32
SPECIAL EDITION
It was sadly only a matter of time before Republicans in Wisconsin joined so many of their extremist brethren across the country in trying to pass bills targeted at harming transgender children and adults.
Your voice, your testimony, your phone calls, your bodies at rallies - you’re needed now. Please read on to learn more about what’s happening, what’s at stake, and how you can help stop this hateful, harmful, utterly unnecessary nonsense in its tracks:
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Republicans in the State Legislature have scheduled THREE different committee hearings on anti-LGBTQ bills for this Wednesday, October 4. Republicans are moving fast on these bills because they don’t want us to get organized, show up, and fight back.
The bills and their hearing times/locations:
AB 378 (9:00 a.m. in room 412 East, Committee on Colleges and Universities) - this bill would ban transgender and non-binary students at UW schools and technical colleges from playing on the sports teams that align with their gender identity, essentially banning them from sports altogether.
AB 377 (9:00 a.m. in room 417 North GAR, Committee on Education) - this bill would ban transgender and non-binary students in all public schools and all private schools participating in the parental choice program from participating on sports teams that align with their gender identity.
AB 465 (12:00 p.m. in North Hearing Room, Committee on Health, Aging, and Long-term Care) - this bill would ban all gender-affirming care for anyone under the age of 18.
TAKE ACTION
If you can, show up in person and register to give testimony to oppose any/all of these bills. Testimony should be short and to-the-point. Speak from the heart and from personal experience.
If you can’t be there in person to testify, you can submit written testimony to the good folks at Fair Wisconsin by emailing it to them at testimony@fairwisconsin.com (you must send separate emails for each piece of legislation and be sure to address your email/letter to the entire committee and include your name, address, and a brief statement describing your opposition to the bill).
There will also be a rally on the Capitol steps the same day, at 5 p.m. on the State Street side.
WHY THIS REALLY MATTERS
Though Governor Evers will almost certainly veto any of these bills that make it to his desk, there remains the chance that the GOP supermajority in the Senate could override it. The GOP is two seats shy of a supermajority in the Assembly, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility for Democrats to break rank and vote for these bills. If there’s one thing we’ve seen far too often in the fight for trans rights in particular, it’s ostensibly left-leaning people falling prey to misinformation, fear-mongering, and/or their own ignorance on the issue.
Second to the legislative outcome, it’s also vital that as many people as possible make their support for trans kids/people known. Be loud and proud and unapologetic. There are young people in particular (but adults, too!), in cities and small towns across the state, who need to see that they are valued and loved just as they are, and that the forces of hate won’t win.
Trans rights are human rights. Gender-affirming care for youth has been shown, time and time again, by trans people themselves and by the overwhelming majority of the medical and psychological community, to SAVE. LIVES.
Gender-affirming care is often as simple as respecting and using someone’s correct pronouns and/or new name. As uncomplicated as allowing them to use the restroom that best aligns with their gender identity. Sometimes, under the supervision and guidance of medical professionals, it might mean puberty blockers—something used to help treat precocious puberty in plenty of cis children, and something that is temporary and wholly reversible. Gender-affirming care is rarely surgery, and when it is, we’re talking top surgery, and we’re talking minuscule numbers of minors who ever qualify for or receive it.
As for trans kids playing sports, I’ve already written about this extensively. So have lots of other people. This is not and should not be an issue. Banning trans kids from playing on the teams that align with their gender identity is just cruel and unnecessary, plain and simple. It’s bullying of the worst kind—because it’s coming from the supposed adults in the room. Plus, where were/are these people when it comes to actually supporting women’s sports?
The current wave of anti-trans legislation is part of a long-simmering and now terrifyingly wide-reaching effort to eradicate transgender people, sometimes because the people behind it are simply hateful bigots, sometimes because they’re that and they know it will help galvanize their evangelical voting base to turn out in 2024.
They will fail, because trans people have always and will always exist. What they will succeed at, if good people simply stand aside and let it happen, is causing untold pain and suffering for children and adults who have done/want to do nothing more than live their truths in peace. And it will and does have ripple effects on LGBTQ+ people writ large, on women’s rights, on the rights of Black and Brown people, on the rights of basically anyone who isn’t cisgender, straight, and white. Anti-trans efforts are part of the larger project of white supremacy and patriarchy. These are the front lines. The fight begins and ends here.
ORGS TO SUPPORT
In addition to speaking up about these bills, I always recommend lending support to the people, groups, and organizations that are always fighting for LGBTQ+ rights and directly supporting LGBTQ+ people.
Fair Wisconsin is our state’s longstanding LGBTQ+ political advocacy organization.
GSAFE specifically supports LGBTQ+ young people across the state.
Trans Advocacy Madison is a grassroots advocacy group that often shares opportunities to provide direct mutual aid to folks in need, and spreads the word about direct action.
Trans Northland is a Duluth-based (but covering parts of northwestern WI) organization dedicated to providing support, advocacy, education, and connection to/for/by the transgender community.
Diverse & Resilient is a Milwaukee and Appleton-based organization focused on health and support services by/for LGBTQ+ people, particularly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
‘Til next time.
Thanks for reading and for standing up for your friends and neighbors! Take care of each other out there.
Always feel free to hit me up with questions, comments, suggestions, and tips on great hiking spots or good books. And please feel free to forward this email to a friend and/or hit that subscribe button. xoxo