The storyline for LGBTQ+ advocacy in the U.S. was one of advancements, frequently sluggish and arduous but inevitably moving forward. Transgender rights activists now admit they are defending themselves in the face of extraordinary attacks in state legislatures, and two of the largest groups are banding together to fight back.
According to Andy Marra, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, this will be a game of defense as well as one that strengthens the movement. “We have seen a superior, well-organized, and heavily resourced effort to undo the years of advancement made by our movement.”
The attack’s main point is that trans people have been the target of numerous bills passed in Republican-controlled states over the past few years. Many laws forbid trans minors from receiving gender-affirming medical care or prohibit trans athletes from competing on female and women’s interscholastic sports teams.
The National Center for Transgender Equality and the TLDEF announced in January that they would combine this summer in response to a fresh wave of anti-trans procedures that were already implemented this year. Activists for Trans Equality may be the name of the new organization; Its CEO will be Marra, and Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, who currently holds that position with the NCTE, may serve as its executive director.
According to Marra, 2022 was a crucial year for deciding whether or not to acquire the merger. Ken Paxton, the solicitor general of Texas, and Gov. Both Republicans Greg Abbott ordered state child safety workers to look into transgender children’s parents for what Abbott referred to as “abusive gender-transitioning services.”
In response to the extraordinary negativity and parliamentary assaults on trans people across the country, Marra said, “I knew we needed a stronger, bolder answer.”
Heng-Lehtinen claims that unlike some mergers, this one is not intended to reduce costs or consolidate. He stated that each organization’s current workers will be kept, and the new one, after adding a few new workers, will probably employ about 50 people by the end of the year, working remotely from offices in New York and Washington.
“You assume there is a problem or repetition when you hear ‘merger,'” he said. “Not in this case; we merely believe that we will be stronger.”
It is essential for Marra and Heng-Lehtinen, as well as their friends in other LGBTQ+ rights organizations, to continue suing against anti-trans laws state by state. Federal courts, including some appointed by Republican presidents, have blocked some of the procedures while others have gone into effect.
In this vote season, another top goal is to participate in political campaigns.
According to Heng-Lehtinen, “we need elected officials who support trans people to win their races and defeat opponents who just criticize them for political reasons.” He portrayed the anti-trans negativity as a retaliation for the larger advancements the LGBTQ+ rights movements had made in recent years.
Anti-LGBT organizations are trembling in their boots, he claimed. “We’ve come a long way, which is why they’re fighting thus valiantly.”
His mother, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, served in Congress for 30 years beginning when he was 3 years old. He has been deeply involved in politics since childhood.
Ros-Lehtinen, who disagreed with the majority of her Republican colleagues in Congress, grew to be a fervent supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. She was the first Republican to support same-sex marriage legalization in the GOP House. She spoke out in favor of Rodrigo’s choice to identify himself as a trans person.
In a 2016 video pleading with parents to accept their transgender children, Ros-Lehtinen said, “What makes our home but very proud of Rodrigo is that he’s so joyful living an authentic life, being truthful about himself, and bringing much joy to our existence.”
Since then, there has been a significant change in the national political culture regarding LGBTQ+ rights.
A “bathroom bill” restricting trans people’s use of public restrooms was passed by North Carolina in 2016, which sparked a significant backlash that included the cancellation of potentially beneficial sporting events and business ventures.
As fresh anti-trans measures went into effect in North Carolina and abroad over the past few years, the business world has frequently steered clear of similar risks. Profits of Bud Light decreased as a result of liberal opposition to an advertisement starring trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
At a time when special interest groups are examining how they deal with issues like affirmative action and workforce diversity, Marra suggested that some corporations had grown more cautious of getting involved in possible divisive political issues.
Marra remarked, “We would like them to be true to their principles.”
According to studies that found that some transgender people have thought about moving to another city or state that would be more accepting, the cumulative effect of the anti-trans legislation has been palpable. In recent years, a number of new businesses have emerged that provide emergency cash to people and families affected by anti-trans policy so they can travel or get
health treatment or services outside of their home state.
Despite the current losses, Marra, a 20-year veteran of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, says she is still optimistic.
“We are currently engaged in a number of battles, but in the end, we are on the right side of history,” she said.
She continued, “This time, we have a chance to involve the next generation of voters in the next phase of the fight for equality in this nation.” “We need to share our stories with common people all over the country.”
