At least one foreign LGBTQ rights group has already pulled out of WorldPride to “safeguard our trans and nonbinary staff” from persecution by the U.S. government.
Heartbroken for all folks who's travel restricted, anxiety-filled, self-cancelled/rescheduled or otherwise difficult due to these absolutely disgusting orders.
Off to find ways to harness my anger into activism.
The irony is children are most unsafe in their two parent heterosexual cisgender couples. That’s who rapes and abuses girls , cisgender men who should be eliminated
PLEASE let me know when and how you find a way to turn anger into something productive. Forming safe communities has to be a priority; but how and where?
Turned anger into submitting comments for all three of the proposed policy changes for passports. On Wednesday, (although I considered cancelling, I doubled down and committed and) I am going to my State professional organization Lobby Day for my professional organization and will take the opportunity to talk to my legislators about issues that matter to me & my community. I also organized my jewelry which is not direct action activism, but was awesome to organize and helped me feel more grounded and together - now I can see all of my LGBTQ+/pride/rainbow/trans flag color earrings at a glance for selection with my daily outfit. Maybe it was an activism-preparation action. :) I then drank a root beer (delish!) and lounged on my couch laughing at some silly videos and memes & GIFs on text that some friends and I shared betwixt us because: rest & joy important for the long haul.
I hope this was a little helpful and inspired you a teeny bit. (((sincere hug)))
We really are. No matter how much I brace for that truth, when it happens the cut is like such wasn't anticipated. The moral injury is real & it's absolutely sickening.
They should definitely reconsider hosting WorldPride in the US. Even aside from the huge issue of trans/nonbinary/intersex safety, why on earth would queer people want to come spend money in Trump’s back yard?
I feel like sometimes “pride” looks like telling the cis-het-supremacist wannabe dictator to shove it up his dick.
I mentioned this earlier in a similar post to another article. At this point, WorldPride needs to seriously consider moving the event to an LGBTQ+ friendly country. Stop pretending that things are "normal" in the U.S.
Honestly, it’s hard to believe Trumpy & friends will even let this event occur — especially in DC. Everything it represents flies in the face of everything the administration hates.
If he does let it go forward we need to question why. Like, is he hoping we’ll round ourselves up to get arrested for “indecent exposure” or something?
I'm so ashamed of what has become of our country. It used to be a refuge for the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. We should send the Statue of Liberty back to France. The U.S. doesn't deserve it anymore. It's become a lie.
It’s all easy when it’s just issuing a statement & letting the people who might be affected make their own decisions. Tearing up the safe third country agreements & granting asylum to trans claimants, which according to many countries (soon to include the USA), is harbouring criminal fugitives & a source of diplomatic friction, is a far, far cry from any of this. And between Syria & the Ukraine, patience with migration is nigh exhausted, even for white migrants e.g. Ukrainians, so the outlook looks poor and not just for asylum but even standard work visas. As I’m about to bite on granite about across a few countries myself.
This is another deplorable way that my country is letting us down. My neck of the woods has already seen the NCCAP issue travel advisories for next-door Missouri (I can't disagree), and I am afraid this one is at least as valid. It's shameful, and yet the opposition party doesn't seem to have any willingness to stand up and defend civil rights!
Causes so much anxiety for LGBTQI+ and their families, friends and allies. What a cruel and demeaning move. Not to mention their ignorance of science. We number in the millions and yet are any politicians raising their voices? The administration has signalled very clearly their hate and are acting to eliminate American citizens. Resist, Resist, Resist.
That's my question too. It seems in these formative weeks and months of the new regime, we should keep track of people's experiences entering and leaving the US, getting visas, getting US passports, etc. The stories could be anonymized. However, we need to gather information and make it available.
In a normal timeline I would say, “oh this is ridiculous. There’s no way they would deny someone reentry into their own country” but we’ve seen them strip constitutional protections from people (naturalized citizens / green card havers) of their rights and detained them without charges (see Mahmoud Khalil).
So what’s to stop ICE from saying, “Emily, it says here ‘F’ on your passport and your birth certificate. But you don’t look or sound ‘Female’ we are going to detain you until we sort this out”
Or even more simply, “we suspect you are smuggling fentanyl back across the border from Canada. We need to search your car and your person” and while “searching” someone they decide that person doesn’t fit their definition of “Female” and they detain them and take away their passport.
Or they could just say, “we’re detaining you until we can verify your identity” and who knows how long that could take. And maybe they say “hmm our records show you previously had a birth certificate that said ‘X’ on it. And now it says ‘M’ so we need to detain you until we figure this all out”
I guess it depends on the day and the person who checks your passport when you re-enter the country.
Maybe I’m being alarmist and paranoid. But at this point if I leave the country I won’t come back unless I know it’s safe.
FAIW, my take on this guy and his regime is that a lot of his actions are "terrorist" in nature. So, for instance, he'll make an example of one or two people - enough to alarm and terrorize our community, but not enough to create a large enough pattern to risk legal actions. The objective is to paralyze us with fear and uncertainty.
Many of his policies have been deliberately vague, as well. For instance, the Bureau of Prisons Transgender Offender Manual revision in 2018 said we would be housed only according to "biological sex," except in rare circumstances. The document did not define "biological sex," nor was the term defined anywhere else in dump policies or existing law. Those few reporters covering this story asked the dump regime what "biological sex" meant, specifically, and they refused to answer. They also asked what the "rare circumstances" might be, and they refused to answer that too. In fact they have never specified these "rare circumstances," but we now know that medically transitioned, anatomically female people coming into the federal prison system are sent to men's prisons. So I guess they're not "rare" enough - or "rare" in whatever way would qualify them to be appropriately housed.
So this vagueness is always deliberate, and it's intended to keep our lives uncertain and out of balance. Similar vagueness can be found in anti-drag laws, documentation laws (with regard to "fraud"), etc. It's their way of fucking with us.
So do real threats exist? I suppose. Any of us could be that next example. Or all of us could. Who knows?!
I don't blame other countries for warning their people about the dangers and risks of coming to the US. It is not safe here.
I agree that it is non scientific and extremely discriminatory-I would add abusive.
Great reporting.
Heartbroken for all folks who's travel restricted, anxiety-filled, self-cancelled/rescheduled or otherwise difficult due to these absolutely disgusting orders.
Off to find ways to harness my anger into activism.
The irony is children are most unsafe in their two parent heterosexual cisgender couples. That’s who rapes and abuses girls , cisgender men who should be eliminated
PLEASE let me know when and how you find a way to turn anger into something productive. Forming safe communities has to be a priority; but how and where?
Turned anger into submitting comments for all three of the proposed policy changes for passports. On Wednesday, (although I considered cancelling, I doubled down and committed and) I am going to my State professional organization Lobby Day for my professional organization and will take the opportunity to talk to my legislators about issues that matter to me & my community. I also organized my jewelry which is not direct action activism, but was awesome to organize and helped me feel more grounded and together - now I can see all of my LGBTQ+/pride/rainbow/trans flag color earrings at a glance for selection with my daily outfit. Maybe it was an activism-preparation action. :) I then drank a root beer (delish!) and lounged on my couch laughing at some silly videos and memes & GIFs on text that some friends and I shared betwixt us because: rest & joy important for the long haul.
I hope this was a little helpful and inspired you a teeny bit. (((sincere hug)))
Thanks for your note! I've decided to volunteer with the Ohio ACLU and I am dreaming up t-shirts I can make and sell as a fundraiser...
Please let me know when you make any t-shirts so I can be a supportive customer and solidarity sibling. Sending you a hug and a raised fist. :)
I case you had any doubts, we are now living in an authoritarian nation, with jackboots at the points of entry.
We really are. No matter how much I brace for that truth, when it happens the cut is like such wasn't anticipated. The moral injury is real & it's absolutely sickening.
They should definitely reconsider hosting WorldPride in the US. Even aside from the huge issue of trans/nonbinary/intersex safety, why on earth would queer people want to come spend money in Trump’s back yard?
I feel like sometimes “pride” looks like telling the cis-het-supremacist wannabe dictator to shove it up his dick.
I mentioned this earlier in a similar post to another article. At this point, WorldPride needs to seriously consider moving the event to an LGBTQ+ friendly country. Stop pretending that things are "normal" in the U.S.
Honestly, it’s hard to believe Trumpy & friends will even let this event occur — especially in DC. Everything it represents flies in the face of everything the administration hates.
If he does let it go forward we need to question why. Like, is he hoping we’ll round ourselves up to get arrested for “indecent exposure” or something?
Canada would be a good choice right now.
How so? It’s not like it’s safe for trans Americans to travel to DC in the first place
The US is looking a lot like Florida - or 1933 Germany.
I’m feeling sick.
I'm so ashamed of what has become of our country. It used to be a refuge for the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. We should send the Statue of Liberty back to France. The U.S. doesn't deserve it anymore. It's become a lie.
It’s all easy when it’s just issuing a statement & letting the people who might be affected make their own decisions. Tearing up the safe third country agreements & granting asylum to trans claimants, which according to many countries (soon to include the USA), is harbouring criminal fugitives & a source of diplomatic friction, is a far, far cry from any of this. And between Syria & the Ukraine, patience with migration is nigh exhausted, even for white migrants e.g. Ukrainians, so the outlook looks poor and not just for asylum but even standard work visas. As I’m about to bite on granite about across a few countries myself.
Thanks for your reporting S. Baum
This is another deplorable way that my country is letting us down. My neck of the woods has already seen the NCCAP issue travel advisories for next-door Missouri (I can't disagree), and I am afraid this one is at least as valid. It's shameful, and yet the opposition party doesn't seem to have any willingness to stand up and defend civil rights!
Sadly, it was only a matter of time.
Causes so much anxiety for LGBTQI+ and their families, friends and allies. What a cruel and demeaning move. Not to mention their ignorance of science. We number in the millions and yet are any politicians raising their voices? The administration has signalled very clearly their hate and are acting to eliminate American citizens. Resist, Resist, Resist.
I am proud of advocacy and Pride groups outrightly stating that the US is unsafe for queer folks and advising against travelling there.
Has anyone heard of trans American citizens with American passports being denied entry back into the country?
That's my question too. It seems in these formative weeks and months of the new regime, we should keep track of people's experiences entering and leaving the US, getting visas, getting US passports, etc. The stories could be anonymized. However, we need to gather information and make it available.
In a normal timeline I would say, “oh this is ridiculous. There’s no way they would deny someone reentry into their own country” but we’ve seen them strip constitutional protections from people (naturalized citizens / green card havers) of their rights and detained them without charges (see Mahmoud Khalil).
So what’s to stop ICE from saying, “Emily, it says here ‘F’ on your passport and your birth certificate. But you don’t look or sound ‘Female’ we are going to detain you until we sort this out”
Or even more simply, “we suspect you are smuggling fentanyl back across the border from Canada. We need to search your car and your person” and while “searching” someone they decide that person doesn’t fit their definition of “Female” and they detain them and take away their passport.
Or they could just say, “we’re detaining you until we can verify your identity” and who knows how long that could take. And maybe they say “hmm our records show you previously had a birth certificate that said ‘X’ on it. And now it says ‘M’ so we need to detain you until we figure this all out”
I guess it depends on the day and the person who checks your passport when you re-enter the country.
Maybe I’m being alarmist and paranoid. But at this point if I leave the country I won’t come back unless I know it’s safe.
I agree.
FAIW, my take on this guy and his regime is that a lot of his actions are "terrorist" in nature. So, for instance, he'll make an example of one or two people - enough to alarm and terrorize our community, but not enough to create a large enough pattern to risk legal actions. The objective is to paralyze us with fear and uncertainty.
Many of his policies have been deliberately vague, as well. For instance, the Bureau of Prisons Transgender Offender Manual revision in 2018 said we would be housed only according to "biological sex," except in rare circumstances. The document did not define "biological sex," nor was the term defined anywhere else in dump policies or existing law. Those few reporters covering this story asked the dump regime what "biological sex" meant, specifically, and they refused to answer. They also asked what the "rare circumstances" might be, and they refused to answer that too. In fact they have never specified these "rare circumstances," but we now know that medically transitioned, anatomically female people coming into the federal prison system are sent to men's prisons. So I guess they're not "rare" enough - or "rare" in whatever way would qualify them to be appropriately housed.
So this vagueness is always deliberate, and it's intended to keep our lives uncertain and out of balance. Similar vagueness can be found in anti-drag laws, documentation laws (with regard to "fraud"), etc. It's their way of fucking with us.
So do real threats exist? I suppose. Any of us could be that next example. Or all of us could. Who knows?!
Why the hell do they think WOMEN need “protecting” but not MEN? Talk about discrimination! What a bunch of ass clowns.