They Are Still Coming for Trans Adults
Erin Reed has separate U.S. risk maps for children and adults
Erin Reed yesterday explained that she created her “Anti-Trans Legislative Risk Assessment Map” to help USAmericans predict where is safest to parent, to work, or simply to exist. I want everyone to be familiar with her work.
Legal assaults on trans kids
Initially, the U.S. legislative threats mostly targeted youth, so Reed focused on the risks to trans kids. The biggest risks included bans on gender-affirming care and mandatory detransition. She also gave consideration to “bathroom bans, laws that rigidly define sex as binary, and restrictions on social transition.”
With the recent move of “South Carolina, which passed a gender affirming care ban and forced outing law for transgender youth…the entire Deep South occupies the highest risk level for transgender youth.” After much turmoil, there seems to be an overall outcome for each state. The U.S. risk map is in “red and blue,” representing “a set of states criminalizing trans youth and a set of states protecting them.”
Legal assaults on trans adults
From here on, Reed plans to focus on a separate map to communicate the legal risks for trans adults, “as bills targeting trans adults have become far more common.” The main risks are “adult gender affirming care bans, bathroom bans, prohibitions on drag specifically aimed at trans people and pride events, restrictions on changing birth certificates and drivers licenses, and laws that end legal recognition for trans people entirely.”
She wants us to know:
“States like Florida have eliminated 80% of all trans adult care, adults can be thrown in jail for using the bathroom of their gender identity, and trans people with correct gender markers on their drivers licenses can be charged with fraud. Multiple states have passed laws ending all legal recognition for trans people.”
Safety breakdown for trans adults
For trans adults, Reed gives us her current risk assessment of the 50 states:
- Do Not Travel (FL)
- The Worst States (AL, ID, KS, MS, MT, OK, ND, TN, UT)
- High-Risk States (AR, IA, IN, LA, MO, NE, NH, OH, SC, TX, WV)
- Moderate-Risk States (AK, GA, KY, NC, SD, WY)
- Low-Risk States (AZ, DE, MI, NV, PA, RI, VA, WI)
- Most Protective States (CA, CO, CT, DC, HI, IL, MA, MD, ME, MN, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA)
Again, see her article for detail.
We Knew They Were Coming for Trans Adults
The legislative assault was never, ever just about stopping kids from changing their bodies until they turn 18. It was always about criminalizing gender transition at all ages and stopping people from being trans.
(This amounts to wanting trans people not to exist at all, given that trans people do exist and are trans and cannot simply peel off our transness from our existence.)
As I highlighted a few months ago, Michigan Rep. Josh Schriver told his colleagues on January 26:
“Keep your mind open to banning this for all people. This [gender transition] is something that is harmful whether you’re 18, 19, 20, or older…” ⬇️
1,100 Bills Is a Lot of Legislation to Read
Here’s how Reed does it:
“I have read all 550 bills that target trans people in America in 2023 and 586 so far in 2024. I have watched hundreds of hours of hearings on anti-trans legislation and am fully aware of all of the players nationally as well as where they are making their pushes against trans rights. I have followed the vote count and talk to activists on the ground in each state. I am looking at how similar states are moving in their legislative cycles. Lastly, I watch for statements by governors and bill drafts…”
Not all of us can do this. It’s a full-time task.
Fortunately, we need not read every piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation to be able to characterize it as anti-LGBTQ.
During January, by the ACLU’s count, 393 anti-LGBTQ bills were filed over 21 business days. As I wrote then:
“You don’t have to personally read 20 anti-LGBTQ bills per business day to recognize that this massive legislative campaign is anti-LGBTQ, intentional, coordinated, designed to cause harm, and will cause harm. Trust the dedicated experts. It is anti-gay and anti-trans, and we have to stand up to it.” ⬇️
Which Political Party Is Doing This?
The massive anti-trans legislative assault is coming from the Republican Party. You don’t have to read 1,100 bills to assess every one. We all know what the pattern is. At this point, if a Republican is talking about trans people, be assured their bill is anti-trans. Yes, it’s fair to use this cognitive shortcut. What’s unfair is 1,100 anti-LGBTQ bills.
Who Will Stand Up to It?
Remember to support the people who are doing the work so all of us can survive. You can buy a paid subscription to Erin Reed’s updates. You can donate to your local LGBTQ-inclusive social services agency. Gay and trans freedom is everyone’s freedom, so each of us can work to help preserve it.
