This year, something extraordinary happened. In a world that occasionally seems free of those things, it was an instance of purpose and compassion. It was a time when technology triumphed. Where information triumphed. Where passion triumphed. Where children triumphed. Where intolerance failed. Most importantly, the second saw trans children treated like people.
In Ohio, on Friday, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed legislation that would have prohibited transgender women from participating in sports and limited their access to medical care. House Bill 68 might have prohibited doctors from prescribing hormones, puberty blockers, or gender reassignment surgery before people turn 18. Additionally, the bill would have prohibited trans women and girls from participating in high school and college female sports teams.
DeWine remarked, “Ohio had been claiming that the state knows better what is medically ideal for a child than the two people who love that child the most: their parents,” were I to sign House Bill 68 or if it were to become law.
That kind of emotion and common sense are frequently lacking in our public discourse in some areas.
Legislators may be able to bypass DeWine’s veto, but this is still an amazing development. A Republican governor made the right decision by going against his party.
DeWine carried out a straightforward action. Or more, what ought to be straightforward. Trans children were persons in his eyes. Some of you who are reading this might wonder why the transgender community isn’t treated with respect and decency. I don’t believe that people fully comprehend, forget, or have ever known what the reality of the trans community is like. The battle for the transgender community and those who want to harm it has lasted for years. Simply put, there is a consistent effort to eradicate that area from the planet.
Do you think it’s overstating things to say that individuals want the transgender community to disappear? Take a look around. Trans Americans are the subject of thousands of bills in numerous states. Restrictions on gender-affirming care and attempts to prevent trans athletes from competing on single-sex sports teams are common themes in many of the bills. The majority of sports-related initiatives aim to keep transgender women out of feminine activities.
According to ABC News, the American Civil Liberties Union recorded at least 508 anti-trans bills in 2023, of which 84 were passed into law, according to the ACLU. According to the Department of Homeland Security, there have been more aggressive threats against the LGBTQ community as a result of the large number of bills.
The good news is that some of the bills have faced opposition. In a statement to ABC News, Gillian Branstetter, communications coordinator for the ACLU, said, “We’ve also seen remarkable moments of power in states and communities across the country who have made certain this political abuse does not go unnoticed.” Or is made any easier for politicians opposed to our very existence.”
According to Branstetter, “2023 was a disastrous season of assaults on our health, dignity, and freedom for transgender individuals and our families across the nation.” “We merely anticipate that the spreading bans and restrictions on our health care will pose an especially serious danger to our rights and well-being in the coming year.”
One of those individuals who is fending off that assault is DeWine. This isn’t meant to make DeWine look like a hero. The transgender community members who fight prejudice on a daily basis are the true champions. DeWine, nevertheless, is merely a glimmer of hope. A tiny glimmer of hope to shine.
One aspect of what DeWine did may be the most crucial to the plot of this story. He really made an effort to research the issue. He spoke to people who were opposed to the bill and visited children’s hospitals.
DeWine, in other words, saw transgender children as people. That’s how easy it was.
So, yes, this year saw a remarkable event. Empathy and common sense prevailed, as we witnessed. Bigotry lost, as we witnessed. These are positive developments.
I’ll accept any trust that comes my way.
