LGBTQ Communities and Allies Rally to Support Trans Youth
In response to the overwhelming number of anti-trans bills that have been introduced to state legislative systems this year, trans advocates, athletic organizations, and allies have spoken out with messages of love and support for trans youth.
At the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards, stars like Laverne Cox, who won the Outstanding Documentary Award for her film Disclosure, took the opportunity to speak directly to trans kids and remind them of their beauty and importance. “To the trans youth watching right now, we want you to know that you’re anointed—that despite all the attacks that might be happening against you, you are divine. You deserve to be here, and you are here for a reason. You must survive to fulfill that divine purpose. I love you all so much,” Cox said in her acceptance speech.
Also in attendance at the GLAAD Awards were soccer players Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger from the U.S. Women’s National Team. Before presenting the award for Outstanding Film—Wide Release, which went to Happiest Season, the couple took a moment to express their support for young, trans athletes. “Trans students want the opportunity to play sports for the same reason other kids do: to be a part of a team where they feel like they belong. We shouldn’t discriminate against kids and ban them from playing because they’re transgender,” they said.
Young, trans athletes have been especially targeted this year, with many of the proposed bills attacking their right to play on high school and college-level sports teams. The NCAA, however, has made their stance on the anti-trans bills clear. A recent statement issued by the organization asserts that they “firmly and unequivocally” believe in transgender people’s right to participate in college athletics. They also stated that NCAA sports championships would not be held in states where anti-trans legislation is passed, and that “only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected.”
The Human Rights Campaign similarly spoke out against the anti-trans bills in a recent letter directed towards elected officials and signed by more than 1,500 parents of transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive children. In the letter, the parents urge politicians to block the discriminatory bills from passing. “Let’s be clear: the impact of these bills goes far beyond sports and medical care,” the letter says. “They call into question whether our children have the right to exist, to be happy, to live authentically. The answer is yes. They absolutely do.”
The letter goes on to stress the damaging effect the bills have on the mental health of trans children. “We are pointedly telling you now that you actually are responsible for the mental health of these kids. We are holding you personally responsible for the amount of stress, anxiety, and fear our precious children are currently struggling with.” The parents end the letter by begging the officials to “stop abusing” their kids and to kill the bills targeting them.
Image courtesy of the GLAAD Instagram page.
