#trans children deserve respect

[tuttle-did-it]

First of all, Scotland, for passing the Scottish Hate Crime Act and trying to protect trans people, thank you. Thank you for treating us as humans, thank you for recognising our identities.

However....

fuck you JK Rowling. fuck your TERF rants that endanger our lives. fuck your Nazi attitudes.

fuck you Police Scotland for proving that you're fucks and will not take this law seriously, even when someone intentionally, repeatedly, maliciously and gleefully breaks this law in a very, very public forum.

fuck you Police Scotland for not only refusing to take action when someone is breaking this law intentionally, repeatedly, maliciously and gleefully, but also proving that 1) this new law will NOT be taken seriously by you 2) this tells every TERF and Tory out there that the law is NOT valid, and that the law does NOT include queer people, specifically in this case Trans people; and 3) this tells every queer/Trans/enby/multi-sex/hermaphrodite person that we are NOT actually protected as this new law promises, and you can and will continue abusing us and destroying our lives. Fucking thanks. Cos it wasn't obvious enough that every day gets more and more dangerous for us trans/enby people, so thanks for just making it clear to the fucking world that even when someone mocks this law openly, you don't fucking care because we are not fucking people. Got it. So fuck you Police Scotland, specifically, for doing NOTHING when someone blatantly flouts this law. Fuck every one of you ACAB fuckers.

fuck everyone who still works with you, Rowling and still even speaks to you after knowing what you are.

fuck everyone who still buys anything related to the Harry Potter franchise knowing the money is going into the pocket of someone like this. Because she sends that money back out to fucking Anti-Trans orgs that hurt us.

fuck you HP fans who plan to watch her new tv show. You cannot be a fan of a massive transphobe trying to destroy us, and an ally at the same time. so fuck you.

fuck harry potter fans who wear HP merchandise stuff knowing what she has said and done, yes I don't care if you bought it before she said it, fuck you because you know exactly what she represents. Not apologising. Yeah, I'm totally judging you if you're wearing HP merch, even if especially if you're queer. I don't care how much HP meant to you as a child. I don't care about fucking nostalgia. I care about the Trans lives that are in danger every day because of monsters like this fucking woman.

fuck you Rishi Sunak for backing and legitimising this horrible woman and her bigotry.

fuck you British politics, fuck you Tories. Fuck you all for destroying this country and making every day more dangerous for Queer people.

fuck you CEO David Zaslav. fuck you Warner Bros. for being willing and happy to work with this fucking woman for her fucking franchise so she can continue to fucking make millions and fucking fund anti-trans orgs.

fuck every single one of who who protects, excuses and funds this fucking behaviour. And fuck every one of you who doesn't give a fuck at everything that is happening.

fuck these fucking fucks. fuck you TERFs and transphobes and fuck every single one of you fucking fucks.

Thank you for trying, Scotland. Thank you.

But please explain to the fucking POLICE and the fucking evil POLITICIANS that this new law means we are legally recognised as protected under the Scottish Hate Crime Act, so they all need to stop fucking about and treat it seriously.

and the fucking PRIME FUCKING MINISTER fucking backing this fucking TERF. I'm not surprised, just angry.

This is on you. so, fuck you if you are supporting these fuckery fucking fucks.

As is EVERY SINGLE FUCKING INCIDENT a trans person has in this fucking country. Every time someone fucking deadnames us, every time someone intentionally misgenders us, every time someone threatens our safety, every time someone fucking assaults us? every single incident is on your fucking head, you fucking fucks.

[yuridovewing]

i understand the frustration with “i made this gay pairing cis x trans so they can still have biological babies” with no thought to other methods and how ppl assume thats the case when it comes to mothpool aus where mothwing is also the mother of the three, but also…. idk i kinda dont give a shit if someone wants to do that and i dont really think its inherently transphobic as long as its handled with care and respect.

what really concerns me about this debate is how some people are adamant that you cannot portray trans people having biological children in media or youre being disrespectful. and im gonna say as a nonbinary person who doesnt want children for themself- thats kinda fucking weird? like i understand that for some people, theyre trans themselves and theyre speaking from a place of dysphoria, and i absolutely get that, which is why i think the topic should be handled with nuance and diversity in trans characters, but like…. guys. pregnant trans men exist irl. trans women get people pregnant irl. trans ppl’s ability and right to parent and have biological children are being debated irl. we get denied the opportunity to adopt as well.

in a climate like this, are we SURE we want the stance on rewrites and headcanons in the silly cat books to be “if you portray trans characters having children, especially with a gay couple, youre a transphobic freak no matter what!” does it really matter? especially if its being done by a trans person handling the topic with nuance who has a lot of trans characters with varying perspectives?

obviously yes, remember that thats not the only way certain gay couples can have kids, remember that not every trans person is fully comfortable with it and keep that in mind, remember that surrogacy and adoption are also perfectly valid ways to give fan babies- but remember that there are OPTIONS. not that you need to condemn the idea of transgender parents in the first place unless they fit the very specific criteria of “proper transgender representation” and anything that dares deviate from that is proof the op is a transphobic monster (bonus points if theyre a trans creator bc i mostly see trans people getting shit for this and it kinda pisses me off. although idm if cis people do it either as long as theyre handling it with respect)

[wenamedthedogkylo]

We've got to stop calling the people in government trying to legislate trans people to death "politicians" and start calling them what they really are: crusaders. It's not a compliment. It's a truthful condemnation of their actions and goals. Crusaders were never noble figures. They were colonizers, murderers, invaders forcing their own skewed views of their faith on others by violence. And while the means of violence have changed, is that not what we're facing now?

They can't go out in the streets and cut us down one by one to "reclaim their holy land in the name of god" anymore, that's not acceptable by any standards. So they're legislating their faith-based hate into law: cutting us down by banning us from public; cutting us down by denying life-saving healthcare; cutting us down by poisoning scared, ignorant people against us until some of them snap and murder us for them. Cutting us down mentally and emotionally until we all just retreat to our homes and kill ourselves off for them.

These aren't politicians, these are crusaders. They think of themselves as righteous warriors of god who must either convert or kill off all opposition. Stop giving legitimacy to them by calling them politicians, legislators, officials.

Start calling them what they really are: crusaders, murderers, zealots, cultists.

[the-nettle-knight]

We lost another trans kid in the uk to online transphobic violence. Every single transphobe has blood on their hands, regardless of how small their comments seem. Trans children deserve to grow up

[acidphosphorusofficial]

Transphobes are the dumbest and most terrible people you'll ever find and this picture shows this.

Shame I have to live with two of them because the cost of living is incredibly high and I can't move out because there is no job that will hire my ass

Another banger from the "we can always tell" crowd 💀

(for those who don't get it: the picture is of MatPat, a cis man)

[genderqueerdykes]

if you are a trans boy, especially a teenage trans boy, i wanted to say that as a trans man in their 30's, you have my deepest respects and condolences for what you may be going through right now.

it has become socially acceptable and basically online custom to bully teenage trans boys & mascs, call them cringy, or excuse misgendering them for whatever reason. people put trans boys on this pedestal of "must perform masculinity and manhood to cartoonish degrees" even though they're still children.

people make trans boys fight for their manhood before they can even be boys. i am sorry people can be so judgmental and harsh on you. you are not wrong for wanting to be a boy. you are experiencing something wonderful. it's okay if you still want to be a boy even if people have treated you poorly, or tried to make you feel bad for being a boy. there is nothing wrong with being a boy.

it's okay if you never socially transition. it's okay if you're afraid to come out because it's not safe. it's okay if you never change your outward appearance. it's okay if you try very hard to pass but struggle to. it's okay if you wear "women's" clothing and shoes, bras, makeup, etc., it's okay if you're gay and love other men. it's okay if you're scared of hrt. it's okay if you don't want surgery. it's okay if you mainly occupy girl's spaces still. people will find every reason to pick these things apart and ridicule trans boys for, but they are all perfectly fine experiences that do not make you any less of a boy. you are the one who is in control of your transition, presentation, and state of being- you should be able to prioritize your safety over the comfort of random strangers who have no impact over how you live your life.

i've been put through this too, but later in life as i came out when i was an adult. people still try to make me feel bad for identifying as a trans man, for whatever reason they have in their head to justify hatred of a trans person. i've had enough. there will never be an excuse for how people try to excuse the infantilization and abuse that trans men and trans boys face.

take care of yourselves, no matter what age you are, if you are a trans boy, man, or masc you deserve to know that other trans men care about you, especially when people are scrambling to find ways to punch down on you. there are people who suck, but there are also a lot of people who care about you. keep your chin up. you know who you are

[artsyaech]

happy international asexuality day to:

[PT: happy international asexuality day to:]

asexual men, y’all are so underrepresented

asexual women, you’re not “prudes”

genderqueer / non-binary asexuals, you exist

asexual trans men, you don’t deserve infantilization

asexual trans women, you’re not “just a f3tish”

asexual cis men, your existence isn’t “sad”

asexual cis women, you do NOT just exist to have babies (but if you want to have children, that’s just as valid)

asexuals who don’t experience any sexual attraction, you’re not a “stereotype”

asexuals who experience any amount sexual attraction, you’re not “faking it”

demisexuals

gray-asexuals

asexuals with a high libido

asexuals who don’t label themselves

asexuals who use many labels

asexuals who use microlabels

asexuals who are shy, you’re not a stereotype

asexuals who are outgoing, you’re not pretending

christian asexuals, you’re not “just celibate”

jewish asexuals, your existence is NOT inherently sexual

muslim asexuals, Allah loves you just as much as anyone else

hindu asexuals, your deities respect you

asexual buddhists, kindness will protect you

asexual pagans, (me!!) remember to cherish every moment

asexuals who are in the closet

out and proud asexuals

alloromantic asexuals

aromantic asexuals

aplatonic asexuals

acespecs who don’t identify with the term asexual

every asexual! y’all are so epic!!

[justchillinoutinmeb0x]

Election

I would like to make one thing very clear. I voted for Kamala, I support Kamala and I do not support the man who is about to be the first convicted felon to take office.

My page will always be a safe space for queer people, trans people, People of color, women, children of immigrants, immigrants, democrats, liberals, pro-lifers, people of all religions. if you voted for Trump unfollow me, if you support Trump unfollow me, and if you don't support any of the groups listed above you need to remove yourself from my page.

this wasn't a normal election, I respect everyone's right to their opinion but this was different. this was an attack on minority rights, on women's rights, on the department of education. this wasn't an election it was a slaughter.

as a US citizen, I am terrified, if you need someone to talk to please reach out I am here.

Please remember; you are loved, you are worthy, you deserve the same rights as everybody else. please don't stop fighting, please stay.

[xenodelic]

Someone came onto one of my posts and started saying stuff like "real animals can't talk / post on tumblr / whatever". Typically anti-otherkin stuff. I looked at their blog briefly, expecting a typical troll. But instead I found, a legitimate blog, of a vaguely left leaning person. They were reblogging stuff about ableism, and trans rights, and children's lack of autonomy in our society.

And i just think, it kinda proves to me that a lot of self proclaimed leftists and progressives don't actually have any sort of core values that drive their political views. Because someone who is against ableism and transphobia and removal of autonomy, sounds like someone who has the core value of accepting people for who they are, no matter how unusual it may seem.

But, clearly, they don't. Because they were going out of their way to bully nonhumans for our identities, and trying to rhetorically argue us out of existence. We don't fit their understanding of the world, so they felt compelled to make rude comments. This person does not actually align themselves to any core values of respect and tolerance, they've just decided that they know which groups deserve it and which don't. And furthermore, upon deciding we don't deserve it, that they're entitled to bully us (presumably until we agree to conform)!

Which is, fundamentally no different than right wing politics. They've also decided they know which groups deserve acceptance, their pool is just narrower than the average leftist.

This is all to say, that it's very important for us all to examine what our core values are and why. Why do we tolerate certain groups of people, and not others? Why is it important to be inclusive, and to not bully people? How do I respond when I encounter someone I don't understand, or someone that makes me viscerally uncomfortable? Can rights be revoked? What rights are unalienable and why?

Having a core set of values to guide you will help you not make a fool out of yourself when you encounter someone or something that don't fit your current understanding of the world. If you encounter something that doesn't fit your understanding, then it's your understanding that should change.

[herdreamywasteland]

a letter to Nex Benedict

Dear Nex,

you were a child. and we failed you. our children are the future, and we couldn’t even give you a future. it has been 16 days since you died, one for each year of your life, and nothing has been done. This is a horrible injustice, but the worst injustice of all, is the loss of your life.

I am so sorry, and I pray that God has embraced you in his loving arms, and assured you that you were made in his perfect, holy, image. I am so sorry for what happened, and what didn’t happen.

I did not know you. I did not know your name, or what you were like. I did not know your favorite food, or television show, or book. I did not know if you liked coffee, or if you sat strangely in chairs. I did not know if you had ever been to a Dennys, or if your dinners were always homemade. I did not know your name until February 8th, 2024. I did not know you, and now I never will. But I do understand.

I understand what it is like to be hated. I understand what it is like to be told you are worthless. I know what it is like to have nothing done about an injustice.

and I know what it is like to feel scared.

I am so sorry. I cried for you last night. I cried for the beautiful person you were, and the beautiful adult you will never be.

I hope you are in heaven, or whatever afterlife you believed in. I hope that you are respected and loved, for eternity and beyond.

I am so sorry. You didn’t deserve this. It was not your fault.

I am praying for you. I am praying for your family, and your friend. I am praying that justice is served.

most of all, I am praying that you are finally safe.

I cried for you last night. I think about you a lot. 16 days, 16 years, an entire lifetime.

I hope you forgive those girls, though they don’t deserve it. Even if you don’t, you are still better than they ever will be.

I don’t know you. I never will get to. I think, in a different universe, at a different time and place, I would have been your friend.

I am so sorry.

I hope you are safe.

I hope you are happy.

I hope you know you are loved.

Nex Benedict, thank you. Thank you for teaching me something, for opening my eyes.

Nex Benedict, I pray that God gives you another chance, in a world better than this one.

Nex Benedict, I didn’t know you. But, in a way, I love you.

Sincerely,

Another trans teenager

[cath-lic]

it is my religious belief that we need to abolish the death penalty. yes, for everyone.

it’s important to note that i’m speaking from an american catholic perspective here. capital punishment has been outlawed in 23 states, and i pray and vote that it will be outlawed in more.

as a note, capital punishment is generally legal for cases of murder, treason, and in some states, sex crimes against children.

when i say it should be abolished for everyone, i mean it. yes, that means the lowest of the low. it means rapists, torturers, abusers, murderers.

i think the actions of these kinds of people are horrifying and disgusting. and, yes, as a human, i want them to die.

i have been extremely lucky to never have been victimized by these types of people. i hope that i never will be, and if you have been victimized, i hold deep sympathy and respect for you.

here’s the thing. when you justify violence against a certain group, you find ways to put other people you simply don’t like into that group.

it’s the oldest trick in the book. it’s why innocent black men have been lynched. it’s why the government, regardless of party, mistreats mexican immigrants. it’s why gay and trans people have been killed on the streets.

do you honestly think a group would justify crimes against others without believing they were the scum of the earth? we all believe we’re the hero of the story.

you might say, yeah, but i only would kill the people that deserved it. i want you to think about what everyone else would say, too.

christians are just as liable to fall into this trap. the old testament is chock full of groups of people being destroyed because they “deserved it.” and—if it’s not too heretical to say this—i wonder who really wrote that down.

in order to have compassion for the innocents, we must also have compassion for the guilty. there is no in-between. there is no line in the sand.

i will not use the tired superhero’s argument that the death penalty “makes us no better than them.” i will not say that some people don’t deserve to die, because as a human with hate in their heart, i do think that some people deserve to die.

i will simply say that in this age, it is more important than ever to abolish the death penalty.

if you’ve read this far, thank you for having an open mind. god bless you, my sibling.

[chelledoggo]

okay, so... you know what i would LOVE to see?

a deconstruction of "conservative cartoons" like Mr. Birchum or The New Norm... BUT, it deceptively markets itself as a straightforward conservative cartoon.

like, here's what i'm thinking:

we got your white, old-fashioned, masculine husband protagonist, a centrist, openminded wife, and a couple of children. one of the kids would probably be a dudebro son who aligns more with their dad's beliefs, while the other would be your stereotypical "blue-haired nonbinary progressive activist."

you'd, of course, also have your token "non-woke minority friends" to the main character: the black conservative, the disabled veteran, the "not like the other gays" gay man, etc...

they all live in a suburban neighborhood. their kids attend a public school, where the teacher is your stereotypical "liberal soyboy wokie" (a la Mr. Karponzi from Mr. Birchum), and is presented as the "main antagonist."

episode one starts out straightforward, with no indication of it being a deconstruction or subversive, in order to lull the conservative audience into a false sense of security.

we get the introduction to these characters, their conflicts, etc... the husband complains about how "soft" and "woke" society is becoming and reminisces about "the good old days." the first major conflict would probably be CRT or pronouns in the classroom or something.

but starting from episode 2, we start seeing the MC deconstruct and question himself. the little hints of deconstruction would start out small and subtle, like he might just take pause at an opinion he had and think "hmmmm... this feels right to me, but... i wonder... was i too harsh?"

and then with each episode the MC starts to reflect on his upbringing with a strict authoritarian father and a meek, submissive mother who always seemed unhappy. he slowly starts to realize that he was manipulated and coerced into being "a real man" by his abusive father.

he starts to think to himself "okay, WHY do i dislike progressives? WHY do i have a problem with 'safe spaces?' don't vulnerable people deserve to feel safe, even though i never did? and WHY do i have a problem with trans and nonbinary people? yeah, it's a little odd to me, but they're not harming anyone."

as he reflects and deconstructs the outdated beliefs he had engrained in him, he finds himself growing a closer bond with his nonbinary kid, while also realizing he needs to start teaching his dudebro son to be a respectful and non-toxic man.

by the end of the season/series, he finally admits to those around him that he's not proud of who he'd been in the past, and although he still has a long way to go and will probably have to spend the rest of his life unlearning his old ways, he's going to try his best to do right by those around him.

someone should get on this. at the very least it would be funny as fuck to watch conservatives melt down, while at best it would be a beautiful narrative on how we need to examine our beliefs.

[socialistexan]

Can we stop with this "oh if we just invite the bigots into our homes and show them how good and wholesome and Just Like Them we are, then surely they'll see the light and not violently hate us or strip us of our rights!"

Parents of trans youth tried that with Governor Abbott and other Texas government officials and they still voted to strip their rights, make the existence of their children illegal, and threatened to take away their child, charge them with child abuse, and label them as predators.

There is no level of respectability that you can have for bigots to see your humanity. It doesn't exist. We aren't inherently inferior to them, we have forgone our humanity by simply being who we are. And I'm so fucking tired of this idea that if You're respectable enough, you'll be given your rights. Weird, odd, unacceptable and even shitty marginalized people deserve rights, every living and breathing human being on this planet does.

You can be identical to a bigot in every way possible except for that one very important thing and they'll lay on the stack with all the other faggots while they light the match.

[jedimaesteryoda]

Where I live three schools attempted to pass measures requiring the teachers to notify the parents if their kids are trans, or basically forcibly outing transgender kids to their parents. Thankfully, there are a large number of people coming out opposing this measure, but unfortunately, the "parents rights" crowd is also coming out in support.

I've argued with people on social media supporting the policy saying the parents should be obligated to be notified if their kids are trans, it is their right. The subject of "parent rights" is actually historically familiar.

Hegel, himself a school principal, was a proponent of universal public education, explicitly saying "The State has the absolute duty to make sure that children receive an education." He noted its value towards society allowing poor families to "rise above their condition" and have the children "develop talents" that would otherwise be stifled by poverty. While his position is pretty much modern, he had his opponents who stated it violated "rights of individuals" specifically "those of fathers over their children."

Hegel criticized such arguments, saying it took from the ancient tradition of Rome that reduced children to "things" and saw the child as the property of their parents when "he must be a member of civil society, has rights and claims within it, just like those he had within the family" and "children have the rights to be educated to live in civil society, and if parents neglect this right, civil society must intervene." In other words, he saw "parents' rights" as reducing children to property with no rights rather than people deserving of their own rights, especially the right to an education.

Let's say CPS comes over and takes kids from a horribly abusive household, would that action be considered bad for violating the rights of the parents to their kids? No, because to do so would come at the cost of the kids' rights to a safe and healthy environment.

Which brings us to the present topic of outing trans kids. The proponents are saying it is the "right" of the parents to be told if their kids are trans regardless of their child's consent. They don't mention the child's right to consent, nor do they care, since it is not about the best interests of the child but the parents' control over their children. If a child has not disclosed their identity to their parents, then it is not unlikely that there is a good reason for it. Their parents may be transphobes, and such parents may respond to the knowledge of their child being trans with abuse, by trying to "fix" them, force them to be cis, up to and including conversion therapy, and in a number of cases kick them out, or the teen runs away with LGBT teens making up around 40% of homeless youth. Both actions can increase the child's chances of suicide with ~30% of trans teen girls admitting to having attempted suicide. In the worst cases, there are parents who kill their trans kids.

A parent is supposed to provide for their child in material terms with food, clothes and housing as well as emotional support, but a parent should not say "I feed and house them, so I have a right to . . ." as parenting is not a contract given kids did not choose to be born. "Parents rights" is BS as parenting is not a right but a privilege. The child is the one with a right to a safe, comfortable environment, and so long as the parent provides them that, their privilege of being a parent is respected.

Children are people. Trans people are people. They are members of civil society, and have a right to consent and safety. Don't support outing trans kids to their parents. Period.

[bitchesgetriches]

I’m a feminist and I believe STRONGLY in people’s reproductive rights above all else. I support everyone who wants to be child-free. I also really struggle with the moralizing of having/not having children though. I keep seeing people say that I’m horribly selfish for wanting to have kids. And socially, I get that it’s a backlash to child-free people being called selfish for not having them. But… I didn’t do anything to deserve that and it gets to me sometimes. I feel like it gets brushed off because I’m seen as doing what society “wants” me to do (which is … not true. I’m trans, gay, and disabled. Societal pressure discourages me from having kids). And even if I was, it would still suck to see people who are socially and politically aligned with me be unsupportive of my reproductive choices. Do you have any advice? I feel like either way I’m being pushed to sacrifice part of myself to feel at home in a social/political context.

From our article on the choice to have or not have kids:

"If you want kids, you should have kids

I firmly believe that anyone who wants to be a parent should find a way to make it happen. If that’s something that’s important to you, then by the Flying Spaghetti Monster’s noodly appendage, you must not rest until it’s a reality.

Some people find ridiculous amounts of joy and fulfillment in raising children. Even though they’d probably be richer or retire earlier if they didn’t have them. For these people, kids are the point. They’re worth it. Kid-having should not be reduced to a foolish and wasteful financial decision. And those who choose to parent deserve the respect of those of us who have chosen not to populate the Earth with future generations."

In other words: your choice should not be political. Yeah, it sucks as a childfree person to get harassed about my decision. But the point is that it is MY decision, just as yours is YOUR decision. Anyone pressuring anyone else in either direction (even if it's a reaction to being harassed themself) is being A MASSIVE FUCKWAFFLE. And you should tell them so.

ALL personal reproductive choices must be protected and validated. We must make parenthood accessible, affordable, and safe for people of all demographics, just as we must make it accessible, affordable, and safe to AVOID parenthood for people of all demographics. Anything else smacks of fucking fascist eugenics.

WHOO! This touched a nerve. I'm so angry on your behalf. Anyway, if you want more of our advice on this front, read these:

You Don’t Have To Have Kids 

The Most Impactful Financial Decision I’ve Ever Made… and Why I Don’t Recommend It

Did we just help you out? Join our Patreon!

[anghraine]

Erin Reed of "Erin in the Morning" heard from various movers and shakers in the Democratic Party about the two Congressmen and various pundits saying the real culprit here is ... trans rights. She also compiled quotes from a few other influential Democrats quoted elsewhere as well. I thought it might be worthwhile to share while so many people are justifiably terrified, so here's the link to her newsletter, and some of the quotes in question—

Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon):

In the 1990s I became the first Senate candidate to support gay marriage. After the 2004 election a lot of pundits said it was time for Democrats to stop standing up for gay people. They were wrong, and history showed we could stand up for what’s right and still win elections. This is not the time to abandon our values and principles, we must double down and fight for what is just and right – and that includes making sure that transgender people can live their lives without fear of discrimination. Our coalition is made stronger when we fight for all people and refuse to scapegoat vulnerable people.

A spokesperson for Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont):

The Senator will continue to stand up for the rights and personal freedoms of all Vermonters, including trans and LGBTQ Vermonters. The Democratic party fights to level the playing field—whether that’s creating jobs and lowering costs, protecting rights and personal freedoms, or making it easier to access health care. What news pundits say won’t change our core values.

Senator Alex Padilla (D-California):

Now more than ever, I remain committed to supporting the LGBTQ+ community and ensuring that trans people are treated with dignity and respect. The fight to defend the rights and freedoms of trans individuals continues, regardless of who occupies the White House.

Andy Beshear, governor of Kentucky:

None of this means we abandon important values and principles. As governor, I have vetoed numerous anti-L.G.B.T.Q. and anti-choice bills, yet I still beat Mr. Trump’s handpicked candidate last fall. [...] Earning trust and showing people you care about them also requires that we talk to people like normal human beings. And that we are not afraid to share our “why.” For me, my why is my faith, and I share it proudly. I vetoed anti-L.G.B.T.Q. legislation last year because I believe all children are children of God. And whether people agree with my decision, they know why I’m making it. They know where I am coming from. So while others are talking about political strategy and messaging, the way forward is really about focus and about action.

Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington):

Democrats absolutely do not need to sacrifice trans people’s rights—or anyone else’s rights for that matter—to win elections. Most Americans believe in freedom, including the freedom to make your own health care decisions and live your life as you see fit. Frankly, the GOP’s intense focus on attacking the freedoms of such a tiny segment of the American population is nothing short of disturbing and no doubt deeply unproductive given the wide range of serious challenges facing our country.

Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois):

Unlike political pundits, my duty as a United States Senator, my literal oath of office, is to support and defend the Constitution—and one of the most important constitutional principles is equal protection under the law. Election results have no bearing on that sacred oath, nor the reality that our nation was founded on the ideal that every individual is endowed with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Denying Americans basic freedoms because of who they love or who they are is a betrayal of our founding ideals, period.

Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon):

Every American deserves the freedom to fully participate in every aspect of our national life. No one should ever be excluded from this vision. As MAGA extremists continue their attacks on members of the LGBTQ+ community to score cheap political points, I will push to end discrimination and expand freedom for all.