Trans Youth Are Under Attack By The MAGA Mob
Republicans Are Playing A Lethal Game to Drive Their Base To The Polls
QUICK READ: Nearly 200 new state bills aim to erode protections for transgender and gay youth in public schools. Transgender youth are particularly vulnerable with 86% reporting suicidality and 56% reporting a suicide attempt. Despite this, the GOP keeps writing legislation targeting trans children as “good politics,” to fire up their base and vote in November.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
BACKGROUND
Last Friday, Utah’s legislature overturned a gubernatorial veto of a bill that would bar transgender athletes from girls’ sports. The governor had pleaded for compassion in light of dire statistics about trans youth suicide, stating: “I want them to live.”
Nearly 200 new state bills aim to erode protections for transgender and gay youth in public schools. Some bills focus on transgender youth, banning or restricting classroom discussions, library books, and curriculum. Others bar transgender boys from playing on girls’ teams under the new euphamism for transphobic attacks: “protecting women’s sports.” Dozens aim to eliminate gender-affirming medical care.
The bills are part of a larger trend to control bodies, sexuality, gender, and reproduction. Last year, 106 abortion restrictions were passed in the “single worst year for reproductive health care access” in US history.
Transgender youth are particularly vulnerable. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), 2021 was the deadliest year for transgender and gender non-conforming people here on record. Moreover, HRC reported that 86% of trans youth have reported suicidality with 56% making an attempt.
The GOP is targeting trans children as base-driving, pre-midterm “good politics.” With a conservative 6-3 Supreme Court bench, conservative hope abounds as to the constitutionality of these bills.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
(Messages and calls are most effective if they are personal. Scripts are here to help.)
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Nearly 200 new state bills aim to erode protections for transgender and gay youth in public schools. I am calling to ask for legislation that makes transgender and non-conforming people a protected class.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
Nearly 200 new state bills aim to erode protections for transgender and gay youth in public schools. I am calling to ask for legislation that makes transgender and non-conforming people a protected class.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Nearly 200 new state bills aim to erode protections for transgender and gay youth in public schools. I am calling to ask for legislation that makes transgender and non-conforming people a protected class.
Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Nearly 200 new state bills aim to erode protections for transgender and gay youth in public schools. I am calling to ask for legislation that makes transgender and non-conforming people a protected class.
Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Nearly 200 new state bills aim to erode protections for transgender and gay youth in public schools. I am calling to ask for legislation that makes transgender and non-conforming people a protected class.
Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Nearly 200 new state bills aim to erode protections for transgender and gay youth in public schools. I am calling to ask for legislation that makes transgender and non-conforming people a protected class.
Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Nearly 200 new state bills aim to erode protections for transgender and gay youth in public schools. I am calling to ask for legislation that makes transgender and non-conforming people a protected class.
If you, your child, or anyone you know needs to talk, there are people who want to help.
The Trans Lifeline, a trans-led support network: 877-565-8860
Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
ACTION 3: GOOD TROUBLE
For Ukraine. Links from Ukraine historian and author “On Tyranny,” Timothy Snyder: Yet one thing is encouraging: whenever I speak to my colleagues in Ukraine, they are all doing something. The everyday courage is astonishing. We should help if we can. When I spoke to colleagues in Poland today, I was also astonished by the swift reaction of civil society to more than a million Ukrainians refugees. I think we should affirm that impulse when we can.
Here are a few ways to help. I have made donations today and I hope you will too.
1. Ukrainian reporters are, directly or indirectly, our main source of information about this war. Many of them are at work now at risk to themselves without salaries and proper protective gear. A fund that will direct support and equipment to journalists taking risks in Ukraine is 2402. Have a look.
2. For Americans who want a tax deduction, Razom remains a good bet. This is a volunteer organization that will make good judgements about partners for humanitarian assistance. Donate to Razom here.
3. Hundreds of small Polish NGOs are assisting Ukrainian refugees now. One of them that deserves support is Homo Faber in Lublin, near where many Ukrainian refugees cross. You can help them with a bank transfer:
Name of recipient: Stowarzyszenie Homo Faber; Purpose: Ukraina; IBAN: PL 93 1940 1076 3069 8598 0000 0000; SWIFT: AGRIPLPRXXX; Name of bank: Credit Agricole Bank Polska SA, ul. Legnicka 48, 54-202 Wrocław, Polska. If you are on PayPal you might also be able to reach them that way: PayPal Stowarzyszenie Homo Faber, ul. Chopina, 41, lok. 2, 20-023 Lublin, e-mail: info@hf.org.pl.
4. People have been using Airbnb as a way to transfer money to individual Ukrainians by booking rooms they do not intend to use. If you do this, make sure the phone number of your host has a 380 prefix (country code for Ukraine) and contact the host ahead of time. Airbnb as a a company also enables people to help in another way, by offering lodging to Ukrainian refugees.
5. Canada has a large and well-organized Ukrainian diaspora, and its organizations are raising money for assistance to Ukraine. Here is the the appeal of the Canadian Red Cross.
6. To provide assistance to civilians in need, you can now donate directly by credit card to the Ukrainian Red Cross.
7. The Russian press blackout is shocking. I urge you, if you want to support Russian reporters, to fund Meduza, working from Riga.
PS: The interest in supporting the Ukrainian armed forces is consistent, so I repeat that information here.
The organization Come Back Alive concentrates on protective gear and other equipment for soldiers. You can donate using the information here.
Army SOS supplies medical equipment but also everything a soldier might need. You can donate in cryptocurrency following this link or make a bank transfer in dollars via: IBAN: UA203052990000026003016809842; SWIFT: PBANUA2XXXX; Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK
You can contribute directly to the Ukrainian armed forces via credit card. If you prefer a bank transfer that information is here.
GOOD TROUBLE: Below are opportunities to fight for our democracy. As John Lewis said, go make some “good trouble.”
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https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/442966/Fridays at 4 - Letter and Postcard Writing — Indivisible Oregon.
Learn about persuasive language and communication research at the Zoom ASO Movement Briefings every second Wednesday.
Join the campaign to hold the House and Senate at GiveNoGround.org
Work to protect democracy in the House by replacing retiring US Representative Peter DeFazio with another Democrat, replacing Democrat Kurt Schrader, the “Manchin of the House,” with a progressive, and electing a Democrat in Oregon’s new Congressional District 6.
Demand that your primary news source stop creating false equivalencies and just report the truth.
Check out the Poor People's Campaign Readies 'Massive, Nonviolent' Effort to Save Democracy
Outside of Portland? Check out COIN Oregon.
Rally inconsisent Democratic voters to vote in 2022 with Progressive Turnout Project | Feb, 2022 | Medium
FURTHER READING:
The time to panic about anti-trans legislation is now
Utah governor vetoes transgender athlete bill, citing high suicide rates: 'I want them to live'
State-level Republicans are going all in on extreme anti-trans, anti-abortion laws
A Texas judge blocks the state from investigating parents of transgender youth : NPR
Anti-Trans Violence and Rhetoric Reached Record Highs Across America in 2021
Ron DeSantis' targeting of Penn swimmer Lia Thomas is a transparently cheap political ploy
Suicidality Among Transgender Youth: Elucidating the Role of Interpersonal Risk Factors
Utah Legislature overrides Gov. Cox's veto of transgender athletes sports ban
Laws Enforced by EEOC | US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Non-Discrimination Laws | National Center for Transgender Equality
Know Your Rights Center EEOC.gov
