Jesse is the mother of a 7-year-old trans child from northern Pennsylvania.
On Wednesday, she traveled from her home, her kids in tow, to give her words and help to the Trans Day of Visibility, and to advocate for safe and equitable public schools for all kids, but in particular, transgender children.
Jesse said she lives in a region that is not welcoming to her family or her daughter, and for that reason, she declined to provide her last name (and hometown) out of fear for her family’s safety. She conceded, but, to her child Ella’s wishes to be allowed to handle the meeting in the East Wing of the Capitol.
“My daughter, my seven-year-old daughter, is apparent because she understands how difficult it is to get light in the dark,” Jess said at the pulpit, her voice occasionally quarrelling and trembling. “She wants to be a light for people, a mild that doesn’t have to cover but some don’t have to cover either.”
Jess said she wants to ensure that Ella, a second kid, is healthy and feels welcomed at college. In fact, according to her and different activists, trans and pansexual students are becoming more and more uncomfortable in classrooms, and their rights are in danger.
“We reside in a very dark area of the state where opinions are racial and sexist,” Jess said. “Teachers and administrators can sometimes be allies, but never at table meetings.”
Members of the trans area, allies, advocates, and families who spoke at the celebration shared the overall concept that the Legislature should support and approve in order to ensure the safe and equitable education of all students, especially transgender students.
A so-called “Safe and Equal Schools” congressional action that includes a quantity of proposals currently being considered by the House Education Committee, including those from the trans community, was supported by the Legislature, advocates, and transgender community members.
- HB1997 which would establish distinct anti-discrimination procedures across public universities, aiming to protect individuals from harassment based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identification, or appearance.
- HB1998 which calls for an equitable college curriculum that represents different names, including LGBTQ+ persons;
- In addition to promoting policies that respect trans and non-binary learners’ identities and protection, HB1999 addresses abuse and support for marginalized individuals.
- (HB 2044) addresses trans students’ participation in school sports and bathroom rules. The estimate calls for equality by ensuring access to services for all students through universal pattern in new construction and upgrades.
“All of our kids need to know in safe and equal schools, where their target can be on their studies, their extracurriculars, and their friends — not on the bullying, prejudice, or guide bans that are currently rampant in too many Pennsylvania college districts,” said Daye Pope, director of civic engagement at the T.A.K.E Resource Center.
There are currently several proposed measures in the Legislature aimed at restricting, even barring, rights for transgender students. Among them, the measures would restrict curriculum, books, and materials that could be taught and used in schools; restrict what teachers in schools are permitted to discuss or not; and forbid and restrict transgender girls from participating in sports in grades K through 12.
Other restrictions would apply to gender-affirming care. Around the country, there are 479 anti-transgender legislations in the works, the American Civil Liberties Union claims. The organization is tracking three bills in Pennsylvania.
It was Taylor James’ fifth trip to the capital to meet with lawmakers and support the passage of supportive legislation, according to Taylor James, president of the Triversity Pride Center in Milford. James claimed that the passage of anti-LGBTQ+ laws or their proposals has been the worst year in recent memory.
Today’s focus is on fighting for safe, equal education for LGBTQ+ and trans students, as well as promoting trans children’s safety in both the classroom and the community, James said. “Right now, we are witness to a lot of terrible attacks on our way of life as LGBTQ+, especially with a focus on the trans community. They are actually arriving right now for the youth. We must fight that as much as we can. We need to fight for education, inclusivity representation.”
James, like most other advocates present, urged lawmakers to pass the Fairness Act, which would broaden protections for all Pennsylvanians against discrimination because of “race, color, religious creed, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age or national origin.”
At 18, Aspen Bradley, who is transgender and identifies by the they/them pronoun, said schools can feel like unsafe, unwelcoming environments for many transgender youth.
“It is very difficult inside of schools right now when there is no visibility and support from the state to keep us safe and accepted,” Bradley said. “It is now for lawmakers to consider whether the youth who support the bills package we are proposing.”
Bradley’s mom, Shona McGee, said she would continue to advocate for safe, equal schools for transgender children.
“There’s a lot of issues surrounding their safety, their validity as humans. Their presence as students in these institutions makes it unsafe for them,” she said.
McGee noted the alarming high suicide rate among transgender youth, just like other advocates who were present. She pointed out that Lancaster County alone has recently experienced five suicides among transgender youth.
“Half of them came from safe, supporting families,” McGee said. It is because of the current state of transgender issues and the climate. I don’t want to see that… to have to bury your child is unforgivable. Every child should have an equal chance of surviving and being the person they are meant to be, so I want to make sure they do.”
Ashleigh Strange, the executive director of Gov. The Trans Day of Visibility was intended to provide a platform for all transgender people to be heard and seen, according to Josh Shapiro’s Commission on LGBTQ Affairs.
“We are here to celebrate trans joy in school and protect trans children,” according to Strange. “There will be other times when we will concentrate on issues and the vitriol, the hatred, but today is about celebrating trans joy and protecting trans children.”
Pope noted the rise in state-targeted violence threats against transgender children, particularly in connection with efforts by school boards to expand rights.
According to Pope, there are extremists in Pennsylvania who are motivated to try to censor books and make discrimination against LGBTQ children by spreading false information, which is making them fear their classmates and neighbors who only want to live their lives and avoid harming anyone. We must lower the bar and make it clear that all of our children deserve to feel safe at school.”
The event was attended by a number of the members of the House LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, including Representatives Jessica Benham, Danilo Burgos, Malcolm Kenyatta, Patty Kim, and Ismail Smith, Wade-El, among others.
Democrat from Chester County Parent of a transgender child Paul Takac presented his proposed legislation that would establish anti-bullying laws for transgender and non-binary students and establish best practices for supporting students while respecting their privacy, including the use of preferred pronouns.
“They deserve a supportive, learning environment that allows them to grow and develop into the best possible version of themselves,” Takac said. “This is about freedom.”
When she spoke, 7-year-old Ella, laid out her vision for her future.
“When I grow up, I want to be a teacher so my students don’t have to hide who they are,” she said. “I want to become an activist when I grow up so that I can assist those who require the most assistance. When I grow up, I want to be a mother so that my kids can see that I care about them for who they are.”
