Sisters, Brothers and Kin
The 2021 legislative session has seen almost three dozen state legislatures in the United States pushing anti-trans legislation, with over 115 bills introduced since the beginning of the year. These bills include bans on doctors providing gender-affirming treatment, keeping trans kids from playing sports, mandating which gender a person is eligible to have on their government issued documents, and regulating what bathroom a person may use. To be clear, these bills are not addressing any real problem, but are being pushed by conservative organizations to sow fear and hate.
Most of these bills are targeting trans kids, who already face rejection from family and friends, bullying, and harassment. This causes trans kids to feel unsafe in environments where they should feel safe – in the home, at school, in the doctor’s office – simply for who they are. This only contributes to already high numbers of trans teens that report attempting suicide, with over half of trans male teens and almost 30% of trans female teens reporting attempting suicide at some point in the life.
To find out more about the multitude of anti-trans legislation and in which states they are being proposed, visit Freedom for All Americans.
Here are a few ways that you can support trans kids and their families:
Contact your state and local representatives: Call, email, or write a letter to your state and local representatives to let them know you are against any anti-trans legislation. If your state does not have anti-trans legislation being proposed, you can still contact your representatives to ask them what they are doing to support trans people and, especially, trans kids. We’ve created a sample letter you can use as is, or edit as needed, which will automatically be sent to your governor and state legislature.
Contact your local school district: Even if you don’t have kids attending in your local school district, you can still reach out and ask what policies they have to support trans kids and to address bullying, and what training they provide to staff on being inclusive.
Speak up at your workplace: Ask if training is available on inclusivity and if your employer’s anti-discrimination policy covers LGBTQIA+ individuals.
For more information and to access further resources, you can check out these organizations that are on the front line in fighting for trans rights:
National Center for Transgender Equality
Trans Student Educational Resources
We, in the IATSE, believe that equality for all is a basic human right and we actively oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination. Therefore, we must be vigilant to promote an equal and welcoming environment for all people, through our actions, attitudes, and language. Please join us in supporting our trans kin.
In Solidarity,
The IATSE Pride Committee