These measures - if passed - will impact kids and people beyond transgender community. The same people voting for them, are voting for their own liberties to be restricted. We need more education out there on Transgender health care and topics.
It's sexual assault - a needless instance of an unqualified adult looking at a minor's genitals. Not a physician, not a medical necessity of some kind, just an arbitrary reason that is on its face draconian craziness. If I were a parent, I'd never allow it.
I am really hoping Washington state will soundly defeat the anti-trans initiative. I worked on the Marriage Equality initiative in 2012 and was gratified to see it pass overwhelmingly. I was at an Election Night watch party and we expected to stay late into the night waiting for results, but it was announced quite early due to an insurmountable lead.
Thanks for the excellent reporting Erin. Hopefully most of all of these will not pass, once voters realize the those who would come for the rights of the few, will eventually come for the rights of the many.
It’s really sad that this is now such an intensely politicized, lightning rod issue. For many decades, politicians - even conservative ones - mostly left trans people alone.
The impact that the current crop of propositions will have on ALL GIRLS, raising costs and discouraging sports participation, is by design. Heritage Foundation and other groups are “concerned” that athletics by girls will impact their fertility, and want to preserve their breeding stock.
Heck, Heritage Foundation put out a paper recently promoting a broader attack on Title 9. Why should women take up valuable college seats that could be occupied by men? In their vision women should be pregnant and keeping house, therefor that college education is just a waste of resources (and might give the womenfolk all manner of uppity ideas…)
The openness of the conspiracy does not mean it is not a conspiracy.
The people engineering, funding, and carrying out the propaganda campaign and enacting the laws and policies against transgender people must face 42 U.S.C. § 1983, 18 U.S.C. § 241, & 18 U.S.C. § 242 prosecution.
Nothing will discourage these monsters more thoroughly and for a generation or more, than some of them getting an orange jumpsuit.
The ultra-rich are trying to buy discrimination one ballot measure at a time. They're spending millions to spread fear and misinformation about Transgender people instead of addressing the real issues facing the Transgender communities.
Their rights are not for sale. Their dignity is not negotiable. We cannot allow billionaires and special interests to use their wealth to strip away the freedoms of a vulnerable minority.
Organize. Speak out. Vote. Defeat every anti-trans ballot measure. When we stand together, people are more powerful than money.
Meet the new culture war, same as the old culture war. Why change the playbook, when conservatives of every generation in the whole of human history just keep falling for the same old bullshit?
That said, there’s still not official PAC opposing the measures in Arizona and Nebraska and one better form soon! Even if they think they’re unlikely to succeed in red states like Nebraska and reddish-purple Arizona, they still shouldn’t let these measures go officially unopposed!
Yep! Megan Rapinoe nailed it: It's not about the trans kids; it's about girls and women. The religious right wants them off the athletic fields and in home economics class, where they will learn the skills they need to fulfill their roles as mothers and homemakers.
I think we are all looking to the midterm elections as a litmus telling us whether we still have a democracy and whether there is any room for optimism. These ballot initiatives will give us a read on how we are regarded by society at large.
I'm going to hold on to hope for the next 100 days - hope that regular people are starting to see through all this bullshit and recognize it for the misogynist and transmisogynist crap that it is - and answer with a resounding "NO." The reason I think this might happen is that I think oppressing us is an agenda of the politicians, not the people. People vote for Republicans for all sorts of insane reasons, bewildered by a cacophony of lies and unsure what to believe. I think beating up on trans kids is largely not on their list of priorities. I think it is mostly an unintended consequence of supporting a party that has duped them with lies and dubious promises about prosperity for the working class. But here, now, we have a single issue that has nothing to do with economic well-being. It's a single issue that determines how far society wants to sacrifice its sense of decency and goodwill to oppress/bully children who are different. I think we might see an outcome that looks very different from who wins in the congressional races.
I'm still gonna' fight like hell. I'll be doing phone banking to urge registered Democrats to get to the polls. Everyone reading this should also fight like hell, because we're on the ropes right now.
These people need to understand that “we can all just go home” smoke a bowl, watch some good tv and make love to your partner or yourself. Why are we all still doing this? Like let’s just go home. Life is short
Because going home and “smoking a bowl” is tantamount to agreeing to whatever/whichever issue eventually comes out on top. That might be the side that strips yr rights away b
Ugh let me repeat “These people need to understand that “we can all just go home” smoke a bowl, watch some good tv and make love to your partner or yourself.” Emphasis on these people. Now if they lose their rights I’m cool with that but I would also maybe extend to you smoke a bowl to mellow out. We are at a point where fight os failing. They need to forget about us, the religious ones will always hate us due to their belief in an imaginary being. With the exception of them most would accept and metaphorically just go home. In laments, “ you choose your happiness “
I’m thinking (hoping?) Missouri miscalculated. Abortion protection is popular in red states, and something tells me women aren’t going to vote against that just to implement a sports ban that impacts some paltry number of kids.
I’m surprised no one calls out these anti-trans groups for spending millions to ban 10 girls out of 200,000 from playing sports. This is hysteria and it needs to be met with the facts that expose it as such.
These measures - if passed - will impact kids and people beyond transgender community. The same people voting for them, are voting for their own liberties to be restricted. We need more education out there on Transgender health care and topics.
Genital examination? How inappropriate, traumatic and intrusive! These people are insane and perverted!
It's sexual assault - a needless instance of an unqualified adult looking at a minor's genitals. Not a physician, not a medical necessity of some kind, just an arbitrary reason that is on its face draconian craziness. If I were a parent, I'd never allow it.
Doesn’t this encourage trans kids to get srs? Isn’t that against what the conservatives want? I’m confused…
I am really hoping Washington state will soundly defeat the anti-trans initiative. I worked on the Marriage Equality initiative in 2012 and was gratified to see it pass overwhelmingly. I was at an Election Night watch party and we expected to stay late into the night waiting for results, but it was announced quite early due to an insurmountable lead.
Doesn't help that Dems are selling out
I agree: rampant and despicable stupidity. Those Dems need to be replaced and sent home.
Thanks for the excellent reporting Erin. Hopefully most of all of these will not pass, once voters realize the those who would come for the rights of the few, will eventually come for the rights of the many.
It’s really sad that this is now such an intensely politicized, lightning rod issue. For many decades, politicians - even conservative ones - mostly left trans people alone.
The impact that the current crop of propositions will have on ALL GIRLS, raising costs and discouraging sports participation, is by design. Heritage Foundation and other groups are “concerned” that athletics by girls will impact their fertility, and want to preserve their breeding stock.
Heck, Heritage Foundation put out a paper recently promoting a broader attack on Title 9. Why should women take up valuable college seats that could be occupied by men? In their vision women should be pregnant and keeping house, therefor that college education is just a waste of resources (and might give the womenfolk all manner of uppity ideas…)
Even where the initiatives fail, the hateful rhetoric will fuel discrimination and violence.
Some good news is that in Colorado and Washington, the legislature has the power to amend or repeal ballot measures with just a simple majority vote.
So even if these measures pass, the legislatures could vote to repeal them. It will just be a matter of getting them to do it…
The openness of the conspiracy does not mean it is not a conspiracy.
The people engineering, funding, and carrying out the propaganda campaign and enacting the laws and policies against transgender people must face 42 U.S.C. § 1983, 18 U.S.C. § 241, & 18 U.S.C. § 242 prosecution.
Nothing will discourage these monsters more thoroughly and for a generation or more, than some of them getting an orange jumpsuit.
The ultra-rich are trying to buy discrimination one ballot measure at a time. They're spending millions to spread fear and misinformation about Transgender people instead of addressing the real issues facing the Transgender communities.
Their rights are not for sale. Their dignity is not negotiable. We cannot allow billionaires and special interests to use their wealth to strip away the freedoms of a vulnerable minority.
Organize. Speak out. Vote. Defeat every anti-trans ballot measure. When we stand together, people are more powerful than money.
Meet the new culture war, same as the old culture war. Why change the playbook, when conservatives of every generation in the whole of human history just keep falling for the same old bullshit?
I’d like to point out that Arizona does have multiple groups who are officially opposing the measure per ballotopedia. It’s not just the ACLU!
See here: https://ballotpedia.org/Arizona_Proposition_318,_Require_Schools_and_Athletic_Associations_to_Restrict_Use_of_Restrooms,_Locker_Rooms,_and_Other_Private_Spaces_Based_on_Sex_Measure_(2026)
That said, there’s still not official PAC opposing the measures in Arizona and Nebraska and one better form soon! Even if they think they’re unlikely to succeed in red states like Nebraska and reddish-purple Arizona, they still shouldn’t let these measures go officially unopposed!
Yep! Megan Rapinoe nailed it: It's not about the trans kids; it's about girls and women. The religious right wants them off the athletic fields and in home economics class, where they will learn the skills they need to fulfill their roles as mothers and homemakers.
I think we are all looking to the midterm elections as a litmus telling us whether we still have a democracy and whether there is any room for optimism. These ballot initiatives will give us a read on how we are regarded by society at large.
I'm going to hold on to hope for the next 100 days - hope that regular people are starting to see through all this bullshit and recognize it for the misogynist and transmisogynist crap that it is - and answer with a resounding "NO." The reason I think this might happen is that I think oppressing us is an agenda of the politicians, not the people. People vote for Republicans for all sorts of insane reasons, bewildered by a cacophony of lies and unsure what to believe. I think beating up on trans kids is largely not on their list of priorities. I think it is mostly an unintended consequence of supporting a party that has duped them with lies and dubious promises about prosperity for the working class. But here, now, we have a single issue that has nothing to do with economic well-being. It's a single issue that determines how far society wants to sacrifice its sense of decency and goodwill to oppress/bully children who are different. I think we might see an outcome that looks very different from who wins in the congressional races.
I'm still gonna' fight like hell. I'll be doing phone banking to urge registered Democrats to get to the polls. Everyone reading this should also fight like hell, because we're on the ropes right now.
I disagree with the passage "It is the first time in American history that voters will decide on anti-transgender measures at the ballot box" because I door-knocked in 2018 on a ballot question that could have reversed our state anti-discrimination laws. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Gender_Identity_Anti-Discrimination_Initiative
These people need to understand that “we can all just go home” smoke a bowl, watch some good tv and make love to your partner or yourself. Why are we all still doing this? Like let’s just go home. Life is short
Because going home and “smoking a bowl” is tantamount to agreeing to whatever/whichever issue eventually comes out on top. That might be the side that strips yr rights away b
Ugh let me repeat “These people need to understand that “we can all just go home” smoke a bowl, watch some good tv and make love to your partner or yourself.” Emphasis on these people. Now if they lose their rights I’m cool with that but I would also maybe extend to you smoke a bowl to mellow out. We are at a point where fight os failing. They need to forget about us, the religious ones will always hate us due to their belief in an imaginary being. With the exception of them most would accept and metaphorically just go home. In laments, “ you choose your happiness “
I’m thinking (hoping?) Missouri miscalculated. Abortion protection is popular in red states, and something tells me women aren’t going to vote against that just to implement a sports ban that impacts some paltry number of kids.
I’m surprised no one calls out these anti-trans groups for spending millions to ban 10 girls out of 200,000 from playing sports. This is hysteria and it needs to be met with the facts that expose it as such.