Fundamental Human Rigths

An upsetting yet also heartwarming event today in the House:

Fireworks erupted during a House Foreign Relations Subcommittee meeting when Chairman Keith Self (R-TX) deliberately misgendered Representative Sarah McBride (D-DE), the first transgender congresswoman, referring to her as the “Gentleman from Delaware.” In response, McBride shot back, addressing Self as “Madam Chair.” The exchange sparked immediate protests from Democrats, with ranking minority member Bill Keating (D-MA) demanding, “Have you no decency?” Tensions escalated, and after continued objections, Self abruptly adjourned the hearing.

“I recognize the representative from Delaware, Mr. McBride,” said Representative Self.

“Thank you, Madame Chair,” McBride responded before beginning to speak—only to be quickly interrupted by ranking Democrat Bill Keating, who turned to Self in disbelief.

“Mr. Chairman… could you repeat your instruction again, please?” Keating asked.

Self attempted to justify himself. “Yes, we have set the standard on the floor of the House, and I’m simply—”

Keating cut him off. “What is that standard, Mr. Chairman? Could you repeat what you just said? When you introduced a duly elected representative from the United States of America. Please.”

Self doubled down. “I will. The representative from Delaware, Mr. McBride.”

Keating, his voice rising, fired back. “Mr. Chairman, you are out of order. Have you no decency? I’ve come to know you a little bit, but this is not decent.”

“We will continue this hearing,” Self insisted.

Keating stood his ground. “You will not continue it with me unless you introduce a duly elected representative the right way!”

Without further discussion, Self abruptly adjourned the hearing.

Here is the video:

It’s really that easy to stand for something and to stand up to fucking bullies. I wish more people understood this.

At any rate, we have in our midst members of the transgender community, and I need everyone to understand just how scared and vulnerable they are.

One of our long time commenters, Sister Golden Bear, has written a piece I would like you to read:

I’ve been trying to put together a post for days about what it’s like being a trans person right now without much success — trying to document one’s ongoing eradication ain’t easy. As you probably know, the Pentagon announced that trans people will be expelled from the military, and to be extra assholeish about it, unless trans people voluntarily resign, they’ll be required to repay the signing bonus they received when they enlisted. I’ll note that historically trans people have served at twice the rate as cis people, and as one trans vet once famously said: “I fought for your right to hate me.”

But there’s far more anti-trans actions both at the federal and state levels that haven’t gotten as much, if any, widespread media attention. Among the many, many things:

• Banning anytrans person — not just trans athletes as was often described — from getting visas to visit the U.S. if their gender marker on their passport doesn’t match their sex assigned at birth. In fact, it’s grounds for a permanent ban on visiting the U.S. It’s yet another instance — along with U.S. trans people’s passports — where they’re asserting that trans people don’t exist legally. Or at all.
• More than 100 intelligence officers were purged after Christopher Rufo (the guy behind the “groomer,” the critical race theory, and other smears) tweeted a lurid and false accusation about trans people at the CIA in an effort to start yet another moral panic about trans people. Of course, Fox News is already screaming about it in the wingnut wurlitzer.
• Home Security quietly eliminated the ban on surveillance based on sexual orientation and gender identity. At least it’s an excuse to dress even more fabulously than ever.
• Iowa Republicans removed gender identity as a protected class from the state’s civil rights act, which has prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity since 2007. During the floor debate, the lawmaker who sponsored the bill was asked whether he would be surprised to hear that more than 80 percent of trans Americans have experienced harassment/discrimination at work, and replied “I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it.” Not having to think about it is the epitome of privilege.
• A bill just introduced in Texas’ state legislature would outright criminalize being trans as felony fraud, with the threat of jail time if they tell the government or their employer that their gender is different than the sex assigned at birth. While it’s unlikely to pass, it’s part of a new front of attacks on trans people to claim that we don’t exist, and identifying as trans is “fraudulent,” as with the visa ban for trans people.

I could go on, at length, but you get the idea. The point of all of this is to make clear that trans people aren’t equal citizens under the law. That we aren’t worthy of citizenship. That we’re some lesser subgroup. Of citizens. Of human beings.

It’s all a bit much. I don’t say that in a “boo-hoo, woe is me” attempt to gain your sympathy. Rather that I’ve had trouble putting into words what I’ve been feeling, so instead I’m sharing the words from Lex Beatty, who originally posted this publicly on Facebook, who states it far more eloquently than I can at the moment:

For my trans family:

I want to tell you that it will be alright. That we will be unharmed, that we will make it to the other side of what feels like an increasingly chaotic, volatile, and inhumane era of our lives, but truthfully, I can not.

It’s not that I don’t want to tell you that you will be safe — it’s that I can’t. Not in good faith. Not in good conscience. And not because you don’t deserve it.

You absolutely deserve to live in a world that sees you and celebrates you and is begging for you to be in it because you make it so much more fun and sexy and weird and complicated and joyful and deep and beautiful and wild.

But I can not tell you that we’re in that world. This world, this culture, this time, this administration… it may not be quite ready for you but you’re here now and you don’t owe anyone an explanation for who you are — but it may not always be safe. And I’m so deeply, deeply, sorry that that’s true.

None of this is your fault. You don’t deserve any of the ugliness of someone else’s insecurity. You deserve to be free in this lifetime, in exactly the body you’re in. You deserve to decide for yourself what that body means.

Being trans is a gift. It’s a gift to move between worlds, to be unrestrained in our experience of humanity. It’s a gift to see the world in full color, in its complexity, its beauty, it’s pleasure… to be able to hold all of our selves and express it through our bodies — that’s a fucking gift. There’s nothing wrong with you. Nothing to fix. Nothing that you have done that should ever justify degradation, cruelty, violence or isolation based on your gender.

What I can tell you is that, for me, it’s worth it. It’s worth every bit of fear, of longing, of desire to be whole. You can live a full, healthy, happy and meaningful life as a trans person. You can fall in love, be in community, raise kids, inspire people, find your spiritual center, be affirmed and uplifted, and find your chosen families. I know we don’t always have those stories to reference. I know when I was growing up the only two trans stories I knew both ended violently. And I’ve spent my whole life assuming mine will end the same way.

Honestly, It might. That’s the part I can’t tell you. I can’t promise you won’t be harmed — but I do know with every cell in my being that the freedom you attain by loving and accepting yourself NO MATTER what the world says or thinks or does is a freedom that cannot be taken or denied by any living soul on this earth. You cannot be denied. You cannot be restrained. You cannot be confined. You cannot be subject to the opinions or attitudes or laws of a nation because some part of you knows, without question, INSIDE YOUR OWN BODY AND SPIRIT that you are made perfectly, as you are.

I know that to be true. I know it so deeply it’s in every breath I take, every fiber and muscle and tissue of this body. Once you know it — you can’t ever lose it.

No one, truly, no one, can take that from you. But it takes a lot of work to get to that point. For some people it takes seeing a lot of others get there to know it’s possible. It takes deep self love, forgiveness and most likely… generations. We are paving a way. Paving requires digging, hauling, slogging, breaking, endurance, patience, and fortitude. And in that process, I can not, in good faith, assure you that it will be safe, let alone easy. Nor can I say that everyone has the same capacity, ability or proficiency. I know that’s really hard to hear… it’s certainly hard to say.

We need to accept some really hard truths, together.

1. Most people do not understand you, many do want to, but some don’t want to and a few will try and hurt you.
2. Trans women, trans BIPOC folx, trans immigrants, disabled trans bodies, poor trans folx and non-conforming trans bodies will be disproportionately at risk.
3. Almost our entire known and recorded (European/colonized) history as trans bodies, we have been subject to ridicule, violence, fear, and systemic, state sanctioned cruelty or negligence — any notion of “safety” “protection” or legal recognition is a thoroughly modern (last 10 years!) construct. We have always and will continue, forever, to survive and thrive, even while living with the persistent threat of violence.
4. This is a controversial one for many: Not everyone can “come out” or “pass” — and people need to be free to choose harm reduction over resistance if it means protecting their current understanding of their well being. I also want to acknowledge the enormous price of not being able to feel free to express yourself. It’s an unimaginable choice, but one that many before us have made. You are not alone.
5. Some of us are unable to access resources, be in safe housing, extract ourselves from unsupportive or abusive situations, financially dependent on jobs or families, are suffering from mental illness, addiction, poverty, overwhelm, underemployment, etc. and there are no simple answers. There is no “right way” to be trans or not in these conditions. How people Identify themselves, how they choose to survive, or not, they can and should do so with their dignity upheld and honored by all of us.
6. Dignity is created inside of us. Just as no one can take it from you, no one can give it to you. There’s a weird balance between needing affirmation and empowerment and seeking validation. It’s really hard to know which it is sometimes. You have to cultivate your own relationship with yourself. You have to build your resilience to know that you are powerful, purposeful and meaningful. And it’s really hard to do and really hard to remember. Forgive yourself often, love yourself always.

This is a time to make some really honest assessments about your safety. This is a time to lock in with your people. It’s a time to invest deeply in the relationships that are uplifting, supporting and affirming you and divest from those that don’t — where and when you can. For me, that looks like divesting from relationships that don’t have accountability, requires me to do the heavy lifting to generate a sense of comfort and no longer engaging with people that want to “understand” me but don’t actually seem to enjoy me.

I want to acknowledge that at this point in my own life I have access to a great deal of privilege in my journey as a trans man. I have been out and speaking, sharing, writing, creating, teaching, preaching, praying and performing for the last 15 years openly as a trans man — and as a result have a lot of community. In 42 years I have experienced a great deal of violence, abuse, discrimination, fear, disgust, political pressure, being disowned by family, being unable to find housing or work, feeling like I’d never find love or be attractive, and for much of my life thinking that something was wrong with me for being trans. However, at this point in my life, I have transitioned “successfully” and live comfortably with my family and community as a man. I have the skills to work for myself in the trades, the ability to share my story, be out in public as a trans man with little fear of any repercussions in my personal life. I “pass” easily and my transition was fairly binary — I now have the ability to be very comfortable in my own skin and have that affirmed by the world around me. That is not everyone’s story. Because that is my story — I choose to share it. I choose to be open, to be out loud, to advocate, to empower trans folks to find their own voices. And to me — that’s worth it. That’s what works for this body.

And I can tell you, I can even promise you, that as a trans person you can be whole in this lifetime, even in the midst of a far right swing toward fascism. You can experience health, love, purpose, passion, pleasure, meaning, affirmation, family, and peace… You can experience these things in exactly the body you’re in. That’s the story I want to tell. Especially for the 10 year old me that only knew I hated my body and probably deserved to die. You don’t. You deserve to be free — and the world is so much better off for having you in it.

But I cannot tell you that you will be safe. I wish I could. I wish I could put my body between yours and anything that stands in your way or threatens you or intimidates you or makes you cry. But I can’t. And not because you don’t deserve it.

I can tell you that I will be here. I will be sharing, I will be speaking, I will be creating, I will be telling a story that you can hold as your own when yours doesn’t feel hopeful. And together, we’ll be good to these bodies until every body can be safe.

I love you all.

As Eolirin said the other day:

Those of us who are really vulnerable tend to view the world in very different ways, and tend to view our places in communities in different ways, and that bleeds into politics just as much. The reciprocal nature of having the back of the people who have yours tends to be a lot stronger for us because almost no one has ours and we really need that to survive.

Sister Gold Bear speaking again: I hope you’ll have our backs. Us trans people are 1-2% of the population, we do not have the numbers to successfully fight back the onslaught ourselves. Yes, there are so many fights that need to be fought right now, but we need your help. We need allies, and ally isn’t a noun, it’s a verb.

Thanks, Sister Golden Bear, for sharing your thoughts with us.

 

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