LGBTQ+ People Are Not Going Back

This article is part of a collective action proposed by writer Julia Serano on her newsletter Switch Hitter last week. Here is the article for more context.

The problem with the rise of fascism (as well as everything) is that the most vulnerable humans are most at risk. And some of the most vulnerable and at-risk people are trans people.

Even though I try to avoid US-based content in an attempt to resist the empire, I have seen so much political punditry about the results of the 2024 US presidential election and what Democrats could have done differently to win over voters. According to Julia Serano, there is a strong likelihood that Democrats are going to try to be more electable by throwing trans people under the bus.

The trans rights we have, have been hard-won. And as always happens with social progress, just as acceptance threatens to tip into the mainstream, the backlash comes back way more aggressive than is warranted for the fragile buds of progress.

Trans people are our fellow humans. They/we make the world a better place just by existing as who they/we are. Public acceptance of them/us makes everyone safer and freer.

Trans people are not political football to be scapegoated by politicians who are either seeking to further fascism or simply to placate fascism.

From Julia Serano's article:

My only request (other than all of us using the same title) is that you implore people to contact their Congressperson and Senators (and perhaps even local politicians) and tell them that 1) you will not tolerate any backpedaling on LGBTQ+ rights whatsoever, and 2) if they fail to strongly stand up against these attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, then you will take your vote elsewhere next election.

I would add to that, by "people" she means people who have capacity to vote in the US. If you are not enrolled to vote in the US and you want to get involved in this action, please send this article to anyone in your social circle that is in the US or enrolled to vote there.

Julia Serano has written more details on today's newsletter article on how to get involved in this action.

It feels strange to me to include this call to action, when I am close to losing all hope in democracy — especially in the form in which it exists in the US. But what I do believe in is collective action, which is why I am joining this action today.

Just in the last few months we have seen protesting make a difference. The NSW Defence Summit was cancelled recently after Disrupt Land Forces kicked off in Melbourne back in September. The Victorian Government is not renewing a defence memorandum of understanding with the zionist entity.

If enough people take part in this collective action, elected officials cannot ignore us. And as the motivational quote goes (I haven’t been able to verify the provenance of it sorry):

First they ignore us

Then they laugh at us

Then they fight us

Then we win.