Lawrence, Kansas | Kansas is a place I like to live. In particular, Lawrence, Kansas, where I can attend the weekly move show on Thursday, the watercolor painting school on Wednesday, and the vintage clothing pop-up on Friday. However, despite the beauty of the rolling Flint Hills, everything unattractive is taking place in the house I call house. Our fundamental human rights are in danger as a result of the growing animosity towards the transgender and non-binary area, which is being codified through guidelines and perpetuated through crime.
For reversals of fought-for improvement are spreading throughout the US, and rights activists are preparing for new attacks that will put the nation’s alleged commitment to equality to the test. For those of us who are from Black and various marginalized communities, the battle is the most agonizing.
Violence claimed the lives of at least 25 trans and sex non-conforming individuals in the US over the past year, with violence heavily affecting Black transgendered people. Given that attacks against the LGBTQ+ society are frequently undocumented, these numbers are most likely underrepresented.
Trans people of color should be able to survive their most authentic lives without worrying about transphobic violence or prejudice.
Some states chose to use policy to undermine transgender rights rather than defend them, which fueled the growing hostility. Following the introduction of more than 500 anti-EQL+ charges in 41 states this past June, the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ lobbying team, declared a state of emergency. Numerous trans people were the target of thousands of these costs.
Some of these anti-LGBT+ legislation would limit free speech and expression through text and drag efficiency bans, restrict the ability to update identity information on identity documents like driver’s licenses and birth certificates, and undermine nondiscrimination laws and protections in employment. State costs also make an effort to limit exposure to medically necessary health care, such as banning gender-affirming services for trans children, limiting use of public restrooms, and forbidding trans students from taking part in extracurricular activities like sports. 84 of these punitive measures passed commission and are now law, despite the fact that introducing a bill does not guarantee that it will go.
Also the introduction of these charges maintains negative perceptions and fosters the spread of false information. I have seen firsthand the negative effects these costs have had on the trans community I belong to. In the most recent congressional session, 14 anti- LGBTQ+ charges were introduced in Kansas, and four of them were passed into law. My trans associates and peers begged conservative lawmakers to uphold their respect and safeguard their autonomy over their own body during that period. The simple act of introducing these bills, according to medical experts, seriously harms the emotional wellbeing of transgender people all over the state.
On July 1st, a bill that was misnamed the Women’s Bill of Rights but restricts privileges for trans people passed and became operative. LGBTQ+ protesters in Lawrence retaliated by refusing to stop until the City Commission passed a sanctuary city ordinance that improved transgender people’s rights. Transgender people’s concept that LGBTQ+ people have the right to live without fear and that we are never going anywhere rang out loud and clear despite the intense anxiety they were experiencing at the time.
Make no mistake, allowing anti-LGBT+ legislation to become passed sends a message that justifies feelings of homophobia and transphobia.
Some encouraging evidence exist. This year, legislation to prohibit the LGBTQ+ stress defence was introduced in nine states as well as the US House and Senate. By claiming that the defendant’s real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity was the driving force behind the violent work, those accused of violent crime against LGBTQ+ people can obtain a reduced phrase or avoid legal liability under that defense.
It is more crucial than ever for legislators in statehouses across the nation and the federal government to enhance protections for transgender people, particularly for the most vulnerable people of this community—Black and Brown trans women—as violence against the LGBTQ+ area continues to rise. The equal dignity of LGBTQ+ people may be acknowledged and protected by politicians under the law. Politicians should define LGBTQ+ privileges and support active efforts to end discrimination, such as Kansas ‘ HB 2178. Additionally, the US government must fulfill its human rights obligations in order to tackle patterns of violence that target the LGBTQ+ neighborhood as well as immediate threats to life and physical integrity.
I’m reminded to enjoy the little victories as protesters continue to fight for LGBTQ+ independence. When I observe fresh LGBTQ+ individuals organizing and exercising their right to protest in the name of equality, I continue to have hope. They serve as a constant reminder to me that pleasure is more than just anything we experience in June; it is our badge of honor.
