Surprise! Trans People Were Never The Problem!

Let's start with the good news.

The good news, of course, being that despite Elon Musk throwing nearly half a billion dollars at anti-trans campaigns, and candidates running the stupidest anti-trans scare ads, they lost spectacularly and many pro-trans or actual trans candidates won in the recent US election. Just goes to show that maybe, despite the excessive fear mongering, trans people weren't the problem plaguing that big ol' nation after all.

Don't get me wrong - there are still millions of people out there who believe that transgenderism is THE WORST THING IN THE WORLD, but these election results clearly show that there are also millions of people who aren't worrying themselves sick about other people's gender.

We need to amplify the truth to drown out the lies.

I fully appreciate that most people don't understand what it means to be transgender. I don't think I really understand it as someone who is completely comfortable in the gender I was assigned at birth. As I have often said - I've been accompanying my trans kiddo on this journey for over a decade and have many trans friends and acquaintances, and yet I am still learning new things all the time. Something I know to be true, however, is that trans folk are not scary. Gender transition, while it may be confusing to those of us who are comfortable in the bodies we were born in (Actually, is anyone truly happy with their body? Too fat. Too thin. Too creaky. Too hyper-mobile. Too much this or that.), is no scarier than any other physical alteration we consider acceptable (breast enhancements/reductions, facelifts, tummy tucks, piercings, tattoos...).

I suppose this lack of understanding about transgender realities leaves things wide open to the spreading of lies and targeted fear mongering. While pedophiles and rapists run the US government, they have been happily convincing the public that their kid just might come home from school 'transed'. While pedophiles and rapists lurk in every corner, they are trying to make us believe that trans folk and drag queens are a threat to women and children. The bigger the lie, the better the deflection from the crimes they are committing, the harms they are inflicting.

If you have concerns or questions about trans kids, talk to me. Talk to trans folk. Talk to parents and partners and allies of trans people. If you hear or read some 'facts' that sound bonkers, they probably are bonkers and not at all factual. It is really important to learn the truth and amplify it so we can drown out the lies.

On the other hand...

On Saturday I noticed some posts from various Washington State roller derby teams voicing their commitment to inclusivity and unwavering support of their trans skaters. When I asked my kid what was going on they informed me that Washington State had just voted to ban trans kids from sports. Fuck!

I was so sickened by this news, I posted the photo from The Guardian article and this hot take on this horrible news:

Like the rest of the world, I've been riding the Great Big Blue Wave of Hope these past few days. And then I saw this Guardian article that literally makes me want to heave.

So - let's have a little chinwag about trans kids playing sports. The Guardian article states: "The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association said earlier this year that it was aware of only about 10 trans middle and high school sports players, a tiny fraction of the more than 200,000 students competing statewide." A mere TEN trans kids playing sports with their friends, and 57% of the electorate freaked out and voted to ban all trans kids from playing sports. Just to be clear - in order to prove that kids are trans, all the young girls (trans or not) who want to play sports in Washington state will now need to have their genitalia examined so they can prove that they were born with girlie bits.

So, for the folks who still think that trans girls playing sports is unfair, I think subjecting little kids to genital inspections is not only unfair, but really fucking wrong and traumatic as all hell. Thinking they were "protecting girls" 57% of Washington voters just voted to subject their daughters to invasive and humiliating inspections of their private parts. Gross!

BC now has a Conservative and vocally anti-trans government. I want everyone to think about the implications on young girls if this government tries imposing a similar ban on trans kids playing sports in BC, and fight it with everything we've got.

All children should be allowed to play sports without having their genitals inspected. Trans kids are kids. JUST FUCKING LET THEM BE KIDS AND LET THEM PLAY SPORTS.

When my trans kid was newly 'out' and trying to figure out who they were in their body in our society, joining our local youth roller derby team The Rotten Apples was an absolute blessing. The entire derby league is about inclusion - creating a safe space for everyone to be fully in whatever body they have and feel welcome to participate in this raucous team sport. Being part of the roller derby family and skating like a demon twice a week played a huge part in my kid's mental and physical health. I am forever grateful to the Eves of Destruction for providing this wonderful opportunity for my kiddo and so many other trans kiddos. The idea that people are voting to deny trans kids the chance to express themselves in athletics is truly heartbreaking.

Unfortunately, I was so overcome with emotions when I posted my rant, I forgot to set the comments to just friends & followers. This post received 410 comments (before I shut them off) - almost all of them vehemently anti-trans and ignorant as hell (I have since deleted the post as I couldn't stand seeing the responses). Somehow, these people are ignoring the fact (or really don't care) that trans sports bans are devastating to the entire trans community - a clear message that they do not deserve the rights or respect non-trans folk do. Somehow, these people are missing the dangerous implications of how enforcing this ban will likely subject all girls (trans or otherwise) to genital inspections (how else will they prove what kinda girl you are?) if they want to play competitive sports. Somehow, these people are so fully consumed with children's genitalia, they believe that we should be policing which kid has which parts before we allow them to kick a ball around. WTAF?

What is the real danger to children?

Riddle me this: Why are so many Americans freaked out about a teensy weensy fraction of girls participating in sports possibly having a penis while they willfully ignore the very real threat to their children which is guns? For the life of me, I have never been able to comprehend the American obsession with gun ownership. Time and again children are being mowed down in their classrooms, and yet the government never offers anything beyond thoughts and fucking prayers. No bans. No regulations. No prevention. No protection. But you get some trans girl wanting to play sports on a girls' team and the government is having none of it! Someone please explain this to me - how do guns have more rights than trans kids in the USA?

Do no harm.

Trans folk were never the problem, and I think most people understand this. Though they are a diverse demographic, generally speaking, they are not causing anyone else any harm. Trans people, like you, like me, like all of us, just want to live their lives in safety and acceptance. They want to enjoy the same rights and freedoms that you and I enjoy. They generously share their gifts of beyond binary expansive thinking in a world that insists that everything is black or white. We would do well to pay attention.

If the recent US election is anything to go on, I believe most people aren't threatened by trans folk. But, as long as there are people trying to deny the trans community their rights and freedom and safety, you'll hear me banging on about it. As a mom, as an ally, as a human being who cares, I will always defend trans people's rights. I hope you will too!

Love & solidarity,

Jessica (she/her)