Current Political Climate

Mike Doughty, March ‘23 Newsletter

Like the title says, I want to discuss the current political climate across the country. While New York State is one of the only TEN STATES that have not introduced anti-trans bills, 2023 has seen a massive increase in legislation that aims to block or remove protections for trans people. Of the almost 400 bills proposed across the US, 7 have passed so far, and many are still waiting to be voted on but advancing. Some of these bills restrict when a person can get trans healthcare (if not outright ban it in their state), others look to prevent education in schools about anything regarding LGBTQ lives or history, and some aim to restrict a person’s ability to change their IDs to match their gender identity. Many of these laws have the same shared goal of erasing trans people from public view. The ACLU tracks them here: https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights

While there has been pushback against these laws by the LGBTQ community and our allies, some are still getting passed, including a recent Anti-Drag law in Tennessee that makes the art of Drag a punishable crime. This policing of what people can wear or perform is reminiscent of the Stonewall-Era practice of the 1960s where someone could be arrested if they were wearing less than three articles of clothing that “matched their gender”. Many of these laws claim to protect children, but will actually lead to poorer mental health and social outcomes for trans and gender-nonconforming youth. By restricting their access to medical care and not letting them express who they are, we force trans youth to deny their identities, increasing the risk of suicidal ideation and depression. There’s also proposed legislation regarding adults. For example, Oklahoma just recently advanced a law that prohibits a trans person from accessing any gender-affirming care before they turn 26. 

Those of you who want to get involved and do allyship on systemic levels, I ask you to keep an eye on these laws. See if you can donate or assist other people living in these states, contact groups like the ACLU, or contact your own representatives to make sure they know you do NOT support any possible laws that may come up in New York. Many states are expecting several more of these laws to get passed, but the communities involved are pushing back to try to prevent them, and there has been some success.

I know politics can be a very confusing and stressful world, so even if you aren’t sure how to get involved in a big-picture way, at least take the time to check in on the LGBTQ people in your life. Many know what’s going on in the rest of the country, and best case scenario it’s stressful, worst case it’s terrifying. Now is the time to be an ally for those around you.