A new fact sheet released by the White House Monday morning confirms the imminent release of a "Cass review" type report. It also announces investigations have begun.
Trans people have always existed, span every geographic and socioeconomic locale and will always be here. We aren’t going anywhere. Best of all, we know truth.
My fear is that you will be audited by any federal agencies that can possibly be used to harassing you. The IRS is sure to audit any one providing gender affirming care. Medical liability for GAC will be extended to an unreasonable length to make malpractice insurance unaffordable, along with any other way to make it impossible to continue treating transgender clients.
It is possible, no doubt. I might have a platform to highlight their injustice— but as a surgeon with expertise in FGM and vulvar/ clitoral injuries in addition to gender affirming surgery, I am potentially scary to the Trump people.
There is evidence that religious beliefs are held not because they are true but because they are addictive. With the same neural pathways as our sex fantasies, our brains have evolved a pleasure center, which is stimulated by fantasies of solving our problems. The idea is that in pursuing the fantasy, you will come to the point where the problem will be solved. Religion short circuits this by pretending to be an all-purpose solution, making it uniquely attractive. It’s particularly tempts hopeless people for the same reason that drugs attract them. Indeed, you’ll notice that poor isolated religious communities also tend to have drug problems.
What does any of this have to do with trans rights? Certain people are in essence addicted to beliefs that trans people aren’t real as part of their religious conviction. Having fired this up among fundamentalists, I predict that — like the “pro-life” people — they won’t go away ever, unless they are publicly shamed.
The charge I’m making about fundamentalists being addicted to transphobia is sensational enough that I should provide a reputable source for what I’ve said:
I wish more trans surgeons would lend their voice to the public square. I recently asked mine (you know her well), she doesn't believe we are in danger.
Where are the experts who can push back against pseudo science and disinformation?
Disappointing no doubt. For one, it takes courage. For others, they are in shock that a presidential administration would target a vulnerable population despite decades of proven efficacy. Still others recognize the absurdity of the administration’s cruel presumptions but allowing them to hang themselves by their attempt to impose 3rd grade biology on a diverse nation, stoking fear and stereotypes to maintain support. I’m for now in the latter camp. Keep our eyes on the horizon— we’ve come a long way. Keep track— there are ample vulnerabilities in their bogus arguments.
Thanks so much for your necessary reporting, Erin. Proud mama of a trans girl here, prepared to fight like hell for the human rights of my daughter and her community. 🏳️⚧️🏳️⚧️🏳️⚧️
The science behind this effort to erase us will be as rigorous as the search, by the brain-eaten heroin addict RFK, Jr., to cure autism. I am prepared to not be erased.
The attacks are relentless…. Fled Floriduh after Lapado and DeSatan cancelled my HRT and threatened my healthcare provider…. we’ve always been here and always will be. Gather your protectors, lookout for each other, stand strong! TY Erin, for your coverage and truth-telling.
HRT is all I have left anymore in terms of my trans care. I have a small stockpile saved and can make that last longer by cutting the doses. But it can't last indefinitely. What is being threatened and what they will likely succeed in doing by cutting HRT will destroy my life. I expect to be dead soon.
Thank you. I appreciate what you are trying to do. But my life is already wrecked. Some of us are not going to make it. Like Elisa Rae Shupe couldn't. But I know that others will. And they are the future.
This might seem like a weird solution, but go to a punk show. In my area there is at least one group that distributes free E, and there are two groups that I know are fund raising to import their own E for distribution.
You might also try working with some local mutual aid groups. Like our local Food not Bombs has nearly as many trans people showing up to help out as one of the local trans support groups.
Omg this is the info I have been looking for ever since the election. I used to live where endocrine did rxes but now I do them bc small rural FQHC. Have been trying to figure out where my peds pts can get meds if the supply here ends. Like Aid Access but for HRT. I won't comply with Nazis but I don't know how to make these meds myself. Thank you!!!
I'm sure they mean well. I understand they are volunteer. But when I finally got through and was speaking with someone, the call disconnected after a couple of minutes. And I cannot get through again. May very well be that I'm not meant to have help. Some people are beyond helping. But I do thank you for trying.
Keep reaching out. You deserve to be here and for better than what is. The trying the trans lifeline again, call the Trevor Project- they may be able to refer you to something. How you’re feeling can change. ❤️❤️❤️
Please don’t give up on yourself. Do you have anyone local to lean on? Can we connect you to resources ? Not minimizing the hardship at all. I hear your pain. This is going to be hard but we don’t have the end of the story and this doesn’t have to be the end of your story.
As this nonsense has continued to evolve, I've noticed a distinct shift in these comment sections.
Yes, there are absolutely still people who are afraid, and understandably so. But the vast majority of people interacting with this reporting have galvanized. The sentiment seems to have evolved from fear to anger to a thirst for action, as if to say "come and get me then, I will *not* make it easy for you."
I am so proud of every single person reading this. I am so proud of everything that you do to fight against the tide that we are all trying to hold out against right now. I am proud of you for continuing to wake up every single day and fight to continue to exist, even if it's just within your own minds.
Texas trans girl here. Paxton will use this report to ban hormones and they already have a bill (Texas House Bill 3399) to ban hormones for everyone. Spain is really looking good right about now.
GAC is firmly protected in the laws and/or state constitutions of several blue states, and EOs cannot and should not override these state laws. Not only that, estrogen has numerous uses for cis women, so if they are going to disrupt estrogen supply for trans women, that will have some effect on cis women too - at least making it harder and more bureaucratic for cis women to obtain it. And they won’t stand for that for long.
Even so, if despite these obstacles they do manage to successfully restrict GAC from trans people, in my opinion that should be grounds for asylum in other countries, given that GAC is necessary medical care that is supported by numerous medical organizations.
Sandra: They have a deep seething hatred for women's bodily autonomy. They are driven by ideas of eugenics, which ties in perfectly with severely extreme ideas of white supremacy.
As a hardcore, religious extremist organisation in my country (The Netherlands) recently said to me (they recently lost a court case over a hate campaign against a sexual education materials organisation in my country, by the way) when I asked them if hormones should become illegal they said yes.
I asked them if they were not uncomfortable with cis gender people dying because of the ban.
They said they weren't. They considered it an "acceptable form of collateral damage in the holy war on the extinction of extremist transgender ideology".
And even if this all wasn't the case, they don't give a flying F about the law.
Everyone I know in this community is scared. Ally, as my friend says, is also a verb. We in the cis community must ally, stand up and fight with you, for you. We are doing that here in NH but the red, ignorant majority at our State House is pushing the hate. "First they came for...." as the poem goes. A new version: First they came for the trans people, but I, an old cis straight woman, stood up because I know how the fucking poem ends."
I hope we will see a joint statement refuting the administration's pseudoscientific, ideological propaganda from the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the many other recognized, professional groups who have been valuable allies and supported us with life-saving care. Speak up! We need your help!
Agreed, Anne, but it's not the willfully ignorant bigots I want to reach. It's all the regular people who are only hearing the lies and disinformation that's being spread, not just by far-right podcasts and FNC, but by the NYT, The Atlantic, and many other "just asking questions" outlets. As the haters say, "trust the [real] science!" And trust the lived experience of many millions in all cultures throughout all of history.
The idea isn't to change their minds but to rally the opposition and inform the uninformed. Even in the community such ignorance can persist. Just the day before yesterday I had a conversation with someone who described herself with "I'm LGBTQ" who had never heard of the Cass Distort (as I call it).
The "LGB without the T" folks, as far as I can tell, remain a distinct minority but with the outsized voice often granted to those who provide comfort to the status quo. Which makes it even more important than it would otherwise be for voices that can claim some authority on the topic to speak up clearly and directly. Again, this is not about convincing the already-convinced but going after anyone who might respond "Really? I didn't know that." And such people exist even under the LGBTQ+ umbrella.
Trans people have always existed, span every geographic and socioeconomic locale and will always be here. We aren’t going anywhere. Best of all, we know truth.
My fear is that you will be audited by any federal agencies that can possibly be used to harassing you. The IRS is sure to audit any one providing gender affirming care. Medical liability for GAC will be extended to an unreasonable length to make malpractice insurance unaffordable, along with any other way to make it impossible to continue treating transgender clients.
It is possible, no doubt. I might have a platform to highlight their injustice— but as a surgeon with expertise in FGM and vulvar/ clitoral injuries in addition to gender affirming surgery, I am potentially scary to the Trump people.
Honestly: I am afraid only death or the loss of ungodly amounts of money is what scares these people.
Ok ok, and sexually confident women....and their own urges, perhaps, given the many sexual predators that are on the extreme-right...
There is evidence that religious beliefs are held not because they are true but because they are addictive. With the same neural pathways as our sex fantasies, our brains have evolved a pleasure center, which is stimulated by fantasies of solving our problems. The idea is that in pursuing the fantasy, you will come to the point where the problem will be solved. Religion short circuits this by pretending to be an all-purpose solution, making it uniquely attractive. It’s particularly tempts hopeless people for the same reason that drugs attract them. Indeed, you’ll notice that poor isolated religious communities also tend to have drug problems.
What does any of this have to do with trans rights? Certain people are in essence addicted to beliefs that trans people aren’t real as part of their religious conviction. Having fired this up among fundamentalists, I predict that — like the “pro-life” people — they won’t go away ever, unless they are publicly shamed.
The charge I’m making about fundamentalists being addicted to transphobia is sensational enough that I should provide a reputable source for what I’ve said:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161129085014.htm
https://neurosciencenews.com/neurotheology-mpfc-reward-5622/
I wish more trans surgeons would lend their voice to the public square. I recently asked mine (you know her well), she doesn't believe we are in danger.
Where are the experts who can push back against pseudo science and disinformation?
Disappointing no doubt. For one, it takes courage. For others, they are in shock that a presidential administration would target a vulnerable population despite decades of proven efficacy. Still others recognize the absurdity of the administration’s cruel presumptions but allowing them to hang themselves by their attempt to impose 3rd grade biology on a diverse nation, stoking fear and stereotypes to maintain support. I’m for now in the latter camp. Keep our eyes on the horizon— we’ve come a long way. Keep track— there are ample vulnerabilities in their bogus arguments.
*stress*
Sending love and support and big deep breaths ~ we will never back down or go back!!
Thanks so much for your necessary reporting, Erin. Proud mama of a trans girl here, prepared to fight like hell for the human rights of my daughter and her community. 🏳️⚧️🏳️⚧️🏳️⚧️
This proud Mama of a trans woman is standing right next to you!!
The science behind this effort to erase us will be as rigorous as the search, by the brain-eaten heroin addict RFK, Jr., to cure autism. I am prepared to not be erased.
The attacks are relentless…. Fled Floriduh after Lapado and DeSatan cancelled my HRT and threatened my healthcare provider…. we’ve always been here and always will be. Gather your protectors, lookout for each other, stand strong! TY Erin, for your coverage and truth-telling.
Fuck these asshats, their pseudoscientific bullshit and conspiracism is going to get people killed. Why can’t they just leave people alone???
They need a scapegoat. We are it. Until we are gone...then they will choose another.
We're not going anywhere!! We're gonna fight like hell!!
Elbows up Bitches!
HRT is all I have left anymore in terms of my trans care. I have a small stockpile saved and can make that last longer by cutting the doses. But it can't last indefinitely. What is being threatened and what they will likely succeed in doing by cutting HRT will destroy my life. I expect to be dead soon.
There are DIY options, check out reddit. Never give up.
Thank you. I appreciate what you are trying to do. But my life is already wrecked. Some of us are not going to make it. Like Elisa Rae Shupe couldn't. But I know that others will. And they are the future.
Hang tight! There's a whole bunch of love coming at you!!
This might seem like a weird solution, but go to a punk show. In my area there is at least one group that distributes free E, and there are two groups that I know are fund raising to import their own E for distribution.
You might also try working with some local mutual aid groups. Like our local Food not Bombs has nearly as many trans people showing up to help out as one of the local trans support groups.
Don't give up. Reach out.
If you can afford to import your own, check out https://diyhrt.wiki/transfem#sources
Thank you.
Omg this is the info I have been looking for ever since the election. I used to live where endocrine did rxes but now I do them bc small rural FQHC. Have been trying to figure out where my peds pts can get meds if the supply here ends. Like Aid Access but for HRT. I won't comply with Nazis but I don't know how to make these meds myself. Thank you!!!
Call trans lifeline tel:877-565-8860. ❤️❤️❤️
I'm sure they mean well. I understand they are volunteer. But when I finally got through and was speaking with someone, the call disconnected after a couple of minutes. And I cannot get through again. May very well be that I'm not meant to have help. Some people are beyond helping. But I do thank you for trying.
Keep reaching out. You deserve to be here and for better than what is. The trying the trans lifeline again, call the Trevor Project- they may be able to refer you to something. How you’re feeling can change. ❤️❤️❤️
With a doctor’s prescription, one can get hormones from Canada. And they’re cheaper too.
Please don’t give up on yourself. Do you have anyone local to lean on? Can we connect you to resources ? Not minimizing the hardship at all. I hear your pain. This is going to be hard but we don’t have the end of the story and this doesn’t have to be the end of your story.
As this nonsense has continued to evolve, I've noticed a distinct shift in these comment sections.
Yes, there are absolutely still people who are afraid, and understandably so. But the vast majority of people interacting with this reporting have galvanized. The sentiment seems to have evolved from fear to anger to a thirst for action, as if to say "come and get me then, I will *not* make it easy for you."
I am so proud of every single person reading this. I am so proud of everything that you do to fight against the tide that we are all trying to hold out against right now. I am proud of you for continuing to wake up every single day and fight to continue to exist, even if it's just within your own minds.
In Spain right now five days post FFS. Surrounded by the most beautiful people from around the world. They should fear our strength and our joy!
Texas trans girl here. Paxton will use this report to ban hormones and they already have a bill (Texas House Bill 3399) to ban hormones for everyone. Spain is really looking good right about now.
In Marbella Spain right now. Returning is going to be hard.
GAC is firmly protected in the laws and/or state constitutions of several blue states, and EOs cannot and should not override these state laws. Not only that, estrogen has numerous uses for cis women, so if they are going to disrupt estrogen supply for trans women, that will have some effect on cis women too - at least making it harder and more bureaucratic for cis women to obtain it. And they won’t stand for that for long.
Even so, if despite these obstacles they do manage to successfully restrict GAC from trans people, in my opinion that should be grounds for asylum in other countries, given that GAC is necessary medical care that is supported by numerous medical organizations.
You don't think that they care about women's healthcare, do you?
Sandra: They have a deep seething hatred for women's bodily autonomy. They are driven by ideas of eugenics, which ties in perfectly with severely extreme ideas of white supremacy.
As a hardcore, religious extremist organisation in my country (The Netherlands) recently said to me (they recently lost a court case over a hate campaign against a sexual education materials organisation in my country, by the way) when I asked them if hormones should become illegal they said yes.
I asked them if they were not uncomfortable with cis gender people dying because of the ban.
They said they weren't. They considered it an "acceptable form of collateral damage in the holy war on the extinction of extremist transgender ideology".
And even if this all wasn't the case, they don't give a flying F about the law.
I’m so fucking scared.
Everyone I know in this community is scared. Ally, as my friend says, is also a verb. We in the cis community must ally, stand up and fight with you, for you. We are doing that here in NH but the red, ignorant majority at our State House is pushing the hate. "First they came for...." as the poem goes. A new version: First they came for the trans people, but I, an old cis straight woman, stood up because I know how the fucking poem ends."
Me too . Whose making T?
Ah, what fun news a few months into our stint in the Torment Nexus.
Ally activist here in for the fight.
Me too!
It can't be overstated: the religious right is propping up this effort to strip access to gender affirming care from trans folks.
I hope we will see a joint statement refuting the administration's pseudoscientific, ideological propaganda from the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the many other recognized, professional groups who have been valuable allies and supported us with life-saving care. Speak up! We need your help!
https://whatweknow.inequality.cornell.edu/topics/lgbt-equality/what-does-the-scholarly-research-say-about-the-well-being-of-transgender-people/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/political-minds/202201/the-evidence-trans-youth-gender-affirming-medical-care
https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2018/aap-policy-statement-urges-support-and-care-of-transgender-and-gender-diverse-children-and-adolescents/
They will not care. They have pre-conceived ideas and they are not going to change their minds.
Agreed, Anne, but it's not the willfully ignorant bigots I want to reach. It's all the regular people who are only hearing the lies and disinformation that's being spread, not just by far-right podcasts and FNC, but by the NYT, The Atlantic, and many other "just asking questions" outlets. As the haters say, "trust the [real] science!" And trust the lived experience of many millions in all cultures throughout all of history.
The idea isn't to change their minds but to rally the opposition and inform the uninformed. Even in the community such ignorance can persist. Just the day before yesterday I had a conversation with someone who described herself with "I'm LGBTQ" who had never heard of the Cass Distort (as I call it).
I am not sure that the LGB part of the organization cares much about the Cass report, so, not surprised.
The "LGB without the T" folks, as far as I can tell, remain a distinct minority but with the outsized voice often granted to those who provide comfort to the status quo. Which makes it even more important than it would otherwise be for voices that can claim some authority on the topic to speak up clearly and directly. Again, this is not about convincing the already-convinced but going after anyone who might respond "Really? I didn't know that." And such people exist even under the LGBTQ+ umbrella.
Not so sure they have actually ever had an idea. More likely just a deep insecurity and an urge to lash out at the most vulnerable target.
Thank you Ella ~ great resources!