So tired of these worthless loser politicians who can't solve a damn thing or help anybody so instead they bully little people and beg their supporters to cheer them on while hemmorhaging tax payer dollars to do so. Worthless. Evil. Scum.
And they'll likely pay for it come election day. Atrios (anyone remember him?) made a good point on blue sky when he speculated that the reason transphobia is a loser at the polls is that people who make transphobia their identity are "fucking weird", and in my words, more ghastly and abnormal to the mainstream than trans people ourselves.
> honestly I suspect the electoral liability isn't because the broader population is wonderfully accepting (though many are!) it's because making transphobia your *identity* is fucking weird!! it looks weird even to people who aren't especially supportive!
Not only is it fucking weird, it's a terrible use of legislative time. Voters tend not to like politicians who rail endlessly about things they consider low priority when real problems aren't getting solved.
They are morally bankrupt and it pains me to see any of these hateful politicians holding any amount of power. What kind of country will this be in a decade?
Hopefully one where this anti-trans bs is a blip in history and the right has lost political control due to their failed culture wars. 10 years ago these bills were unthinkable. 10 years from now public sentiment may shift much like it did over time for gay rights. Trans rights seem to be speed running the same cultural pushback that gay rights did (think 80s & 90s), it's a question of whether progress comes as quickly as the push back or if we're in this for a longer fight.
it already is shifting, which is why this is all happening to begin with. the public in general is becoming a lot more aware and generally accepting of trans people, compared to how it was 10 years ago, and people in power are afraid of that and trying to reverse it. this is the exact same thing they tried to do with gay people, only now they don't have the same kind of weaponry (AIDS) to fight it back then
its not a question of if, but when this will all be a thing of the past. and hopefully its sooner then later, and too many people aren't lost in the process
In that way I see a hilarious positive. They’re raising awareness and it’s working in our favor... most voters are against republican anti-trans legislation... so perhaps in 10 years we’ll be in a much more secure place. A speed run as you said
Some hopefully very short term harm followed by them facing consequences and their goal of eradicating trans people becomes as toxic as policy pursuing the eradication of any group
It’s just high stakes... they need to face consequences at every single election and lose much of their power otherwise they will bring these policies nationwide. And thanks to the electoral college it’s not an impossible scenario
This is an f'ing nightmare. I don't know what to tell my poor trans son who is graduating high school this year. Does he attend the college of his dreams in Chicago where he has a scholarship or do we sent him to college in Canada so he can breathe while trying to move forward with his life and education? I'm so scared for him (and this entire community) all the time. A Trump presidency would mean many will end up as refugees from the USA. Can you imagine? Did you ever think our own people would be the refugees? We are all living in a nightmare. And I can't believe how scared, pessimistic and overall worried I am on a daily basis. For us, for you, for everyone.
Shannon, my trans son is in his 2nd year of college in PA. I share your fears, but he has a supportive environment on campus and he feels safe so I let him lead the way. I hope your family can find the choice that works for you. ❤️
First, congrats on being an amazing parent. I wish I could have figured my life out in high school and told my parents way back then. Your kid has a long life ahead of him and progress marches forward (regardless of how bad it looks now). Second, Chicago and Illinois will most likely be a safe state/city for a trans person attending college of the next 4-5 years. Obviously what happens in the next major election is a huge question and leaves the door slightly open for worst case scenarios. But I'm optimistic that won't happen. At a minimum I don't think Republicans will control everything with such a majority to be able to pass country wide anti-trans legislation. Currently they can barely pass a funding bill.
I don’t think a compliant Congress would be necessary, unfortunately, to implement nationwide anti-trans efforts. A hostile President could do a lot of damage through executive orders and federal agencies. It’s very scary.
I hope you are right. :) Certainly Chicago is an excellent choice for him as a trans person. I do not have your optimism about an authoritarian president and how fast things will change during his possible tenure. He laid a lot of ground work with SCOTUS and other agencies during his first presidency but I agree- there are plenty of us still here to push back. Thank you for your response - it's deeply appreciated. :)
I'm about to graduate college in Ohio and I'm actually looking to move to Illinois, likely Chicago or another major city because it's much safer compared to my current legislative environment.
Do these idiots not know wtf a bathroom is FOR? It's for getting in, doing what needs doing, and getting out. I'd like to be able to do this in a place where I'm not jumping at every sound men make as they knock around the bathroom (no offense guys I'm traumatized, it's not you.)
Point being, I'm a girl. I should not be in the men's room....
If you're in a restroom looking around to see whether anyone is "likely [to] cause affront" to you then I would suggest that you are (1) in the restroom for the wrong reason; (2) really don't have to go as badly as you thought; or (3) are a fucking loser "conservative" pervert who's looking for an excuse to bash people you don't like.
We need a national law that all public restrooms be gender neutral. End of discussion. Stop the madness. Let everyone relieve themselves with dignity. Just as Erin mentions, this bill makes going to a public restroom in Utah unsafe not only for transgender/non binary people but everyone. No one is safe. No one should travel to Utah if this is passed and Utah residents best relieve themselves only at home, until they make a law about that as well.
So now we want to be Russia and Hungary? Fat chance, Republicans. You are digging your own political grave, but not before causing suffering among our most vulnerable citizens. Reprehensible.
Weirdly (for Utah) it has previously been relatively easy to change the gender marker on your birth certificate. When I changed mine (I think it was in 2015) all I needed to do was submit an affidavit. When I received my corrected BC in the mail it was one of the happiest moments in my transition. I guess now I'll be carrying that document with me when I visit my aging mother and other relatives there. Because for better or worse, Salt Lake is home ground for me. And if they start reversing previously made BC changes (which I fully expect is coming), at least I'll still have my current copy.
Everyone: get your name changes and other documents updated as soon as you can! I can't stress this enough. While previously permitted gender marker changes can always be rolled back (and I have no doubt that they'll try), you're still in a much better position if you've already made those changes.
Denying a vulnerable group their legal identity is intensely cruel, and seeing this concept (as applied to trans people) spread to multiple red states is absolutely sickening. Reversing previously allowed legal identity changes (as Kansas has moved to do, but it is not clear if Utah also wants to or not) is even worse. These awful measures must be resisted in courts with the full effort needed. Once you have denied someone legal recognition, it seems only a short tenuous step to denying them their very existence, and genociding them. Didn’t the world learn that lesson in WW2 just 80 years ago?
What are these bozos afraid of? Do they fear being attracted to a transgendered person because it's for sure that no transgendered person is going to attack them in the restroom while they're evacuating their bowels.
These attacks on trans rights and abortion rights serve as a wedge to force democratic voters to flee to safer states, ultimately entrenching the unearned electoral college and senatorial power of low-population states. This feeds the false narrative of America being split 50/50, which the general media happily proffers up as defense of horse race politics and both-sidesism. Polling on issue after issue shows that America’s split is between a minority who want fascism and a supermajority who want civil rights, human rights, and economic rights.
Where the fuck is my inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness? Where the fuck is my inalienable right to liberty?
I’m so. Fucking. Tired. But I’m even more angry and determined to punt the Republican Party into permanent irrelevance.
Absolutely. Recognizing privilege gives us a perspective and keeps us from becoming like Caitlyn Jenner.
I'm very fortunate to hit all 3 of yours. Passing is the one that still surprises me. I never thought I would being 6' tall, but people seem to just see me as a tall woman which is really convenient and from my perspective offers a small amount of safety in public spaces. It shouldn't be that way, but sadly that's how things are now.
Your backing of the recent bill in Utah attempting to criminalize the lives of transgender people down to where they choose to go to the bathroom is deeply cruel and harmful. I, and those like me, will fight your bigotry, and that of your ilk, tooth and nail, until this sorry chapter of manufactured moral panic against my community is but one of many shameful blips in the storied history of American bigotry. You will be looked upon as exactly what you are, a deeply cynical opportunist spreading falsehoods and misinformation to relentlessly harass an already vulnerable minority for your own personal gain. We have real problems in this country and you hateful fools waste time and taxpayer money on this fascist nonsense. I will do everything in my power to see that you do not win re-election. Shame on you.
I am writing to inform you that your associate, Kera Birkeland, has shown herself to be a deeply transphobic individual harboring a bizarre obsession with how other people use the bathroom. She is knowingly and happily engaging in shamelessly discriminatory, harmful legislation based on blatant falsehoods aimed squarely at making the lives of transgender people - an already relentlessly harassed and vulnerable minority - virtually unlivable. If you continue your association with her I will have no choice but to sound the alarm with every last resource at my disposal (which are considerable, as I work in media) that you knowingly employ and endorse harmful bigotry and that your business should be boycotted at all costs.
So tired of these worthless loser politicians who can't solve a damn thing or help anybody so instead they bully little people and beg their supporters to cheer them on while hemmorhaging tax payer dollars to do so. Worthless. Evil. Scum.
And they'll likely pay for it come election day. Atrios (anyone remember him?) made a good point on blue sky when he speculated that the reason transphobia is a loser at the polls is that people who make transphobia their identity are "fucking weird", and in my words, more ghastly and abnormal to the mainstream than trans people ourselves.
Here's his "skeet" (or Blue Sky post): https://bsky.app/profile/eschatonblog.com/post/3kjda4zit7a24
> honestly I suspect the electoral liability isn't because the broader population is wonderfully accepting (though many are!) it's because making transphobia your *identity* is fucking weird!! it looks weird even to people who aren't especially supportive!
Not only is it fucking weird, it's a terrible use of legislative time. Voters tend not to like politicians who rail endlessly about things they consider low priority when real problems aren't getting solved.
Utah is so heavily gerrymandered, it's unlikely there will be much of a cost for the haters.
Very fair. And extremely depressing.
They are morally bankrupt and it pains me to see any of these hateful politicians holding any amount of power. What kind of country will this be in a decade?
Hopefully one where this anti-trans bs is a blip in history and the right has lost political control due to their failed culture wars. 10 years ago these bills were unthinkable. 10 years from now public sentiment may shift much like it did over time for gay rights. Trans rights seem to be speed running the same cultural pushback that gay rights did (think 80s & 90s), it's a question of whether progress comes as quickly as the push back or if we're in this for a longer fight.
it already is shifting, which is why this is all happening to begin with. the public in general is becoming a lot more aware and generally accepting of trans people, compared to how it was 10 years ago, and people in power are afraid of that and trying to reverse it. this is the exact same thing they tried to do with gay people, only now they don't have the same kind of weaponry (AIDS) to fight it back then
its not a question of if, but when this will all be a thing of the past. and hopefully its sooner then later, and too many people aren't lost in the process
In that way I see a hilarious positive. They’re raising awareness and it’s working in our favor... most voters are against republican anti-trans legislation... so perhaps in 10 years we’ll be in a much more secure place. A speed run as you said
Some hopefully very short term harm followed by them facing consequences and their goal of eradicating trans people becomes as toxic as policy pursuing the eradication of any group
It’s just high stakes... they need to face consequences at every single election and lose much of their power otherwise they will bring these policies nationwide. And thanks to the electoral college it’s not an impossible scenario
This is an f'ing nightmare. I don't know what to tell my poor trans son who is graduating high school this year. Does he attend the college of his dreams in Chicago where he has a scholarship or do we sent him to college in Canada so he can breathe while trying to move forward with his life and education? I'm so scared for him (and this entire community) all the time. A Trump presidency would mean many will end up as refugees from the USA. Can you imagine? Did you ever think our own people would be the refugees? We are all living in a nightmare. And I can't believe how scared, pessimistic and overall worried I am on a daily basis. For us, for you, for everyone.
Shannon, my trans son is in his 2nd year of college in PA. I share your fears, but he has a supportive environment on campus and he feels safe so I let him lead the way. I hope your family can find the choice that works for you. ❤️
Super happy to hear your son is doing well and is supported. Fantastic! Thank you for the kind words.
First, congrats on being an amazing parent. I wish I could have figured my life out in high school and told my parents way back then. Your kid has a long life ahead of him and progress marches forward (regardless of how bad it looks now). Second, Chicago and Illinois will most likely be a safe state/city for a trans person attending college of the next 4-5 years. Obviously what happens in the next major election is a huge question and leaves the door slightly open for worst case scenarios. But I'm optimistic that won't happen. At a minimum I don't think Republicans will control everything with such a majority to be able to pass country wide anti-trans legislation. Currently they can barely pass a funding bill.
I don’t think a compliant Congress would be necessary, unfortunately, to implement nationwide anti-trans efforts. A hostile President could do a lot of damage through executive orders and federal agencies. It’s very scary.
I hope you are right. :) Certainly Chicago is an excellent choice for him as a trans person. I do not have your optimism about an authoritarian president and how fast things will change during his possible tenure. He laid a lot of ground work with SCOTUS and other agencies during his first presidency but I agree- there are plenty of us still here to push back. Thank you for your response - it's deeply appreciated. :)
I'm about to graduate college in Ohio and I'm actually looking to move to Illinois, likely Chicago or another major city because it's much safer compared to my current legislative environment.
Chicago is in Illinois, which is pretty much always controlled by Democrats, so he should be fine to go to college there.
Do these idiots not know wtf a bathroom is FOR? It's for getting in, doing what needs doing, and getting out. I'd like to be able to do this in a place where I'm not jumping at every sound men make as they knock around the bathroom (no offense guys I'm traumatized, it's not you.)
Point being, I'm a girl. I should not be in the men's room....
If you're in a restroom looking around to see whether anyone is "likely [to] cause affront" to you then I would suggest that you are (1) in the restroom for the wrong reason; (2) really don't have to go as badly as you thought; or (3) are a fucking loser "conservative" pervert who's looking for an excuse to bash people you don't like.
This would seem to conflict with FAA/US DOT nondiscrimination requirements for grant recipients at airports.
I’ve passed along to my colleagues in the FAA office of civil rights.
We need a national law that all public restrooms be gender neutral. End of discussion. Stop the madness. Let everyone relieve themselves with dignity. Just as Erin mentions, this bill makes going to a public restroom in Utah unsafe not only for transgender/non binary people but everyone. No one is safe. No one should travel to Utah if this is passed and Utah residents best relieve themselves only at home, until they make a law about that as well.
So now we want to be Russia and Hungary? Fat chance, Republicans. You are digging your own political grave, but not before causing suffering among our most vulnerable citizens. Reprehensible.
Weirdly (for Utah) it has previously been relatively easy to change the gender marker on your birth certificate. When I changed mine (I think it was in 2015) all I needed to do was submit an affidavit. When I received my corrected BC in the mail it was one of the happiest moments in my transition. I guess now I'll be carrying that document with me when I visit my aging mother and other relatives there. Because for better or worse, Salt Lake is home ground for me. And if they start reversing previously made BC changes (which I fully expect is coming), at least I'll still have my current copy.
Everyone: get your name changes and other documents updated as soon as you can! I can't stress this enough. While previously permitted gender marker changes can always be rolled back (and I have no doubt that they'll try), you're still in a much better position if you've already made those changes.
Flush these pieces of shit down the motherfucking toilet.
Denying a vulnerable group their legal identity is intensely cruel, and seeing this concept (as applied to trans people) spread to multiple red states is absolutely sickening. Reversing previously allowed legal identity changes (as Kansas has moved to do, but it is not clear if Utah also wants to or not) is even worse. These awful measures must be resisted in courts with the full effort needed. Once you have denied someone legal recognition, it seems only a short tenuous step to denying them their very existence, and genociding them. Didn’t the world learn that lesson in WW2 just 80 years ago?
Red states are in a race to the bottom.
What are these bozos afraid of? Do they fear being attracted to a transgendered person because it's for sure that no transgendered person is going to attack them in the restroom while they're evacuating their bowels.
These attacks on trans rights and abortion rights serve as a wedge to force democratic voters to flee to safer states, ultimately entrenching the unearned electoral college and senatorial power of low-population states. This feeds the false narrative of America being split 50/50, which the general media happily proffers up as defense of horse race politics and both-sidesism. Polling on issue after issue shows that America’s split is between a minority who want fascism and a supermajority who want civil rights, human rights, and economic rights.
Where the fuck is my inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness? Where the fuck is my inalienable right to liberty?
I’m so. Fucking. Tired. But I’m even more angry and determined to punt the Republican Party into permanent irrelevance.
Turns out there's additional privilege when it comes to queer people in general and trans people in particular.
I already know the privileges of:
1. having a blood family that loves and accepts you for who you are
2. passing as cisgender
But now there's an additional privilege of
3. being born in a progressive state
I'm privileged in senses 1 & 3, I have yet to transition, so 2 is TBD.
Absolutely. Recognizing privilege gives us a perspective and keeps us from becoming like Caitlyn Jenner.
I'm very fortunate to hit all 3 of yours. Passing is the one that still surprises me. I never thought I would being 6' tall, but people seem to just see me as a tall woman which is really convenient and from my perspective offers a small amount of safety in public spaces. It shouldn't be that way, but sadly that's how things are now.
I'm 5'11" so that's always encouraging to hear.
This is a link to Kera Birkeland's conflict of interest form:
https://disclosures.utah.gov/Search/PublicSearch/ViewConflictOfInterest?year=01%2F02%2F2024%2013%3A20%3A00&sooId=1415121 If I'm reading this correctly, she's employed by SkinFX in Clinton, Utah. Contact info: https://skinfxutah.com/contact/ Maybe people should no longer patronize this spa. Maybe they should hear that Birkeland is a transphobe who seems to have an obsession with other peoples' use of restrooms.
I sent her office a nice little message too:
Your backing of the recent bill in Utah attempting to criminalize the lives of transgender people down to where they choose to go to the bathroom is deeply cruel and harmful. I, and those like me, will fight your bigotry, and that of your ilk, tooth and nail, until this sorry chapter of manufactured moral panic against my community is but one of many shameful blips in the storied history of American bigotry. You will be looked upon as exactly what you are, a deeply cynical opportunist spreading falsehoods and misinformation to relentlessly harass an already vulnerable minority for your own personal gain. We have real problems in this country and you hateful fools waste time and taxpayer money on this fascist nonsense. I will do everything in my power to see that you do not win re-election. Shame on you.
https://www.kerabirkeland.com/
Def emailing them.
A template for those so inclined:
Hello,
I am writing to inform you that your associate, Kera Birkeland, has shown herself to be a deeply transphobic individual harboring a bizarre obsession with how other people use the bathroom. She is knowingly and happily engaging in shamelessly discriminatory, harmful legislation based on blatant falsehoods aimed squarely at making the lives of transgender people - an already relentlessly harassed and vulnerable minority - virtually unlivable. If you continue your association with her I will have no choice but to sound the alarm with every last resource at my disposal (which are considerable, as I work in media) that you knowingly employ and endorse harmful bigotry and that your business should be boycotted at all costs.
Thank you.