We are still holding the line here in Minnesota. Gender Justice is trying to get an ERA law enshrined into the state constitution, which is doable. Having said that, all this worries me--there are enough GOP to potentially change things.
Thank you for covering what's happening in my state.
I'm so angry the Republicans in the legislature keep voting on bills to attack trans people again and again. They've really been propagandized and radicalized by the wave of anti-trans bigotry that's swept the country in the past decade. It's so different than 18 years ago, when Republican politicians in the NH state house were *almost* a refreshing outlier compared to the national Republican party. They were less religious and more moderate than national Republicans, and a large minority of them used to cross party lines to vote for things like marriage equality, which was a big part of why we were the first state to legalize it through the legislature. Because the house has 400 members in such a small state and are only paid $200, you could at least count on some of them to think for themselves. Now it's like they're all unanimously taking orders from MAGA. Not a single Republican dissenter. That would have been unheard of in 2010. And because it's such a citizen-legislature, it's like watching your own neighbors turn against you in real time. The guy in the house across from mine is a Republican legislator and I couldn't get him to vote against it.
I get so sad thinking of all the brave activists over the decades who've fought to make our state more accepting: Gerri Cannon, Bishop Gene Robinson, Mo Baxley and everyone from NH Freedom to Marry, Arnie Alpert and the AFSC. It's like the forces of intolerance are trying to claw back every bit of freedom and acceptance they've worked to bring to the state. I'm so inspired watching the new wave of activists like Representatives Alice Wade, Alissandra Murray, and Billie Butler take up that mantle. They are legit rockstars in the face of an unprecedented campaign of hate against them. This used to be a more accepting state. We can fight to make it one again.
Wow! I feel like I've time-traveled back to the 1960's. Next, I expect to see the resurrection of laws that will make it illegal for us to dress as anything other than that deemed appropriate to our sex assigned at birth. We have fought so very hard to get out of the closet, but the bigots have always been waiting to slam the door on us again. Will it take another Stonewall?
The anti-"crossdressing" laws are part of project 2025. You define wearing the wrong clothes as drag, define drag as pornographic, make exposing children to pornography count as sexual abuse of a child, and make sexual abuse of a child punishable by death. Then you can execute people for being trans. It's all in project 2025 (they don't lay out the different parts in the same place, but it's all in there)
Well put. This is how the GOPMAGAs initiate a genocide. And it's astonishingly similar to the one begun in 1933. And I'm sure it will have a higher death toll.
It is a good idea for visibility! If you reach out to organizations in NH (e.g. PFLAG NH), you might be able to mobilize some direct action that draws visibility. We need that in purple states because I suspect there are more allies than the state rep makeup would suggest.
Might want to coordinate with ACLU or legal org to prep them ahead of time for legal defense strategy.
Wouldn’t it be something if trans people en masse went to Kansas for a week or a day and occupy the bathroom that they want us to use? I’m honestly not sure I’d be up for it just because of the intimate/private nature of this issue, but idk, in solidarity, maybe.
If not in real life, maybe someone who’s good with memes or short videos could put something together to show the indifferent what they’re indifferent to? (And make it ridiculous and funny—as in how ridiculous these oppressors are being. I say funny, because that would go viral. Just so long as it doesn’t make fun of trans folk!)
I live in NH and am the mother of 2 adult trans people, one of whom still lives here. My daughter and I have spent many hours protesting over the past several years these bathroom bills that come back again and again. Our state house has been taken over by some really vicious nut jobs from the Free State movement. They claim to be libertarian, but as far as I can tell that means they believe in every man’s right to be a misogynistic, racist, lgbtq-hating, anti-Semitic white nationalist. There are many people here fighting back hard. The ACLU, 603 Equality, the Kent St Coalition and many other excellent groups show up, speak out and organize. We will win this fight in the end, but it has been and will continue to be a long hard fight against some unbelievably nasty people.
Let's hope that the governor vetoes this stupid, cruel law that reflects poorly on the citizens of New Hampshire, once a home to libertarians who supported gender divergent people,
I say this Tonge-in-Cheek, but the thought of doing it makes me laugh as a way to poke fun in the face of those who might want to enforce the rediculous laws bein imposed upon us.
Each of us who are in places where we are unable to use the facilities appropriate to our identity have another option, of carrying around a large container of urine, or what appears to be urine (wink wink) so those nearby can share in our grief and discomfort. It could be one - two gallon container connected to a hose and a hidden source. “Bathroom monitors” and the more than casually curious would be welcome to view and sample the contents for authenticity LOL.
I have been trying to think of a way allies can contribute to supporting. I am so ready for bathroom brigades to confuse security guards, business owners and such. One way I see businesses in Oregon addressing the bathroom issue before there is an issue is that they simply say bathroom. A lock on the door. A new Wendy's has two bathrooms with locks on the door. One person at a time.
Is it time for "Restroom Rushes"? That is when TG folks use the "right" bathroom (according to Kansas law) en masse. Can you imagine fifty TG rushing the restrooms that match their birth sex at once? Certainly would draw attention to the folly of these bathroom bills.
One of the things happening in NH is that we have the Free State Project, which is a Koch-funded attempt to bring many libertarians here to infiltrate the government and then make it impossible to operate. Our Republican party has been completely taken over by these people. Any Republican who does not vote in lockstep with them is thrown off their committees and harassed off the job.
One part of their plan is to pass laws so repugnant to the rest of us that we will leave the state. It's time to stand up and resist this garbage.
In 2018 we passed trans rights laws with the votes of many Republicans who were willing to sit down with constituents and listen.
What we have now is a fun house mirror of the very worst of what is going on in Congress.
These people do not understand what hell they are bringing down upon all manner of people, cis and trans. Don't they have anything better to work on? Awfully preoccupied with what is in people's pants.
And I’m sure there will be no unforeseen consequences
The law of unintended consequences has not been repealed
Anyone know of a safe haven?
Illinois is the main safe place in the Midwest. I've helped dozens of people relocate from Missouri, Kansas, and Tennessee.
We are still holding the line here in Minnesota. Gender Justice is trying to get an ERA law enshrined into the state constitution, which is doable. Having said that, all this worries me--there are enough GOP to potentially change things.
I’m in Michigan we put gender identity into the state civil rights act, the government is also vulnerable to takeover by the gop also.
I’m going to Las Vegas or Portland in the fall probably permanently
I’m so fucking scared.
Wishing you well! 💜
I hear you. I'm so sorry.
My heart goes out to you, and to all of us.
"Live free or die." They're really leaning into "or die" these days, huh?
It will 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 not be creepy that Republicans think about my junk more than I do. Porcelain doesn't care who pisses in it!
Thank you for covering what's happening in my state.
I'm so angry the Republicans in the legislature keep voting on bills to attack trans people again and again. They've really been propagandized and radicalized by the wave of anti-trans bigotry that's swept the country in the past decade. It's so different than 18 years ago, when Republican politicians in the NH state house were *almost* a refreshing outlier compared to the national Republican party. They were less religious and more moderate than national Republicans, and a large minority of them used to cross party lines to vote for things like marriage equality, which was a big part of why we were the first state to legalize it through the legislature. Because the house has 400 members in such a small state and are only paid $200, you could at least count on some of them to think for themselves. Now it's like they're all unanimously taking orders from MAGA. Not a single Republican dissenter. That would have been unheard of in 2010. And because it's such a citizen-legislature, it's like watching your own neighbors turn against you in real time. The guy in the house across from mine is a Republican legislator and I couldn't get him to vote against it.
I get so sad thinking of all the brave activists over the decades who've fought to make our state more accepting: Gerri Cannon, Bishop Gene Robinson, Mo Baxley and everyone from NH Freedom to Marry, Arnie Alpert and the AFSC. It's like the forces of intolerance are trying to claw back every bit of freedom and acceptance they've worked to bring to the state. I'm so inspired watching the new wave of activists like Representatives Alice Wade, Alissandra Murray, and Billie Butler take up that mantle. They are legit rockstars in the face of an unprecedented campaign of hate against them. This used to be a more accepting state. We can fight to make it one again.
Sorry to hear about your neighbor. That must feel like a gut punch.
Wow! I feel like I've time-traveled back to the 1960's. Next, I expect to see the resurrection of laws that will make it illegal for us to dress as anything other than that deemed appropriate to our sex assigned at birth. We have fought so very hard to get out of the closet, but the bigots have always been waiting to slam the door on us again. Will it take another Stonewall?
The anti-"crossdressing" laws are part of project 2025. You define wearing the wrong clothes as drag, define drag as pornographic, make exposing children to pornography count as sexual abuse of a child, and make sexual abuse of a child punishable by death. Then you can execute people for being trans. It's all in project 2025 (they don't lay out the different parts in the same place, but it's all in there)
Well put. This is how the GOPMAGAs initiate a genocide. And it's astonishingly similar to the one begun in 1933. And I'm sure it will have a higher death toll.
Will now go deliberately out of my way to use the opposite gender bathroom! Maybe we all should to prove the point of how ridiculous this sb is!
It is a good idea for visibility! If you reach out to organizations in NH (e.g. PFLAG NH), you might be able to mobilize some direct action that draws visibility. We need that in purple states because I suspect there are more allies than the state rep makeup would suggest.
Might want to coordinate with ACLU or legal org to prep them ahead of time for legal defense strategy.
Wouldn’t it be something if trans people en masse went to Kansas for a week or a day and occupy the bathroom that they want us to use? I’m honestly not sure I’d be up for it just because of the intimate/private nature of this issue, but idk, in solidarity, maybe.
If not in real life, maybe someone who’s good with memes or short videos could put something together to show the indifferent what they’re indifferent to? (And make it ridiculous and funny—as in how ridiculous these oppressors are being. I say funny, because that would go viral. Just so long as it doesn’t make fun of trans folk!)
I live in NH and am the mother of 2 adult trans people, one of whom still lives here. My daughter and I have spent many hours protesting over the past several years these bathroom bills that come back again and again. Our state house has been taken over by some really vicious nut jobs from the Free State movement. They claim to be libertarian, but as far as I can tell that means they believe in every man’s right to be a misogynistic, racist, lgbtq-hating, anti-Semitic white nationalist. There are many people here fighting back hard. The ACLU, 603 Equality, the Kent St Coalition and many other excellent groups show up, speak out and organize. We will win this fight in the end, but it has been and will continue to be a long hard fight against some unbelievably nasty people.
The New Hampshire motto on its license plates and flag says, "Live Free or Die".
Obviously, that only applies to some people.
Needs to be changed to, "Live as we order and tell you how you will live or Die."
NH is definitely the bastard step-child when it comes to the policies, trans acceptance, and ethics of the states around it.
Let's bring back Old Hampshire
I hope the Governor vetos - hopefully the people of NH will stand up and voice there opposition to this morally depraved legislation
Excellent report, Erin.
Let's hope that the governor vetoes this stupid, cruel law that reflects poorly on the citizens of New Hampshire, once a home to libertarians who supported gender divergent people,
Seems as though the governor's vetoes only prompt them to new "hold my beer" moments.
I say this Tonge-in-Cheek, but the thought of doing it makes me laugh as a way to poke fun in the face of those who might want to enforce the rediculous laws bein imposed upon us.
Each of us who are in places where we are unable to use the facilities appropriate to our identity have another option, of carrying around a large container of urine, or what appears to be urine (wink wink) so those nearby can share in our grief and discomfort. It could be one - two gallon container connected to a hose and a hidden source. “Bathroom monitors” and the more than casually curious would be welcome to view and sample the contents for authenticity LOL.
I have been trying to think of a way allies can contribute to supporting. I am so ready for bathroom brigades to confuse security guards, business owners and such. One way I see businesses in Oregon addressing the bathroom issue before there is an issue is that they simply say bathroom. A lock on the door. A new Wendy's has two bathrooms with locks on the door. One person at a time.
Is it time for "Restroom Rushes"? That is when TG folks use the "right" bathroom (according to Kansas law) en masse. Can you imagine fifty TG rushing the restrooms that match their birth sex at once? Certainly would draw attention to the folly of these bathroom bills.
One of the things happening in NH is that we have the Free State Project, which is a Koch-funded attempt to bring many libertarians here to infiltrate the government and then make it impossible to operate. Our Republican party has been completely taken over by these people. Any Republican who does not vote in lockstep with them is thrown off their committees and harassed off the job.
One part of their plan is to pass laws so repugnant to the rest of us that we will leave the state. It's time to stand up and resist this garbage.
In 2018 we passed trans rights laws with the votes of many Republicans who were willing to sit down with constituents and listen.
What we have now is a fun house mirror of the very worst of what is going on in Congress.
I've been to New Hampshire once. Never again. Assholes.
These people do not understand what hell they are bringing down upon all manner of people, cis and trans. Don't they have anything better to work on? Awfully preoccupied with what is in people's pants.
They don't care who they hurt. Correction--they enjoy hurting others.