Trans Rights Are Human Rights!

By Bethany “BST2” Armstrong

We, as Americans, are transitioning into who we were meant to be. We’re at a crossroads. To the left we have the road less travelled by, embracing diversity and equality. To the right we have a continuation of the highway of self-righteousness and discrimination. Our blinker is flashing right but there’s still time to reroute.

As we are unearthing decades of racism, sexism, elitism, puritanism… we’re digging into fear of “the other” or anyone different than ourselves. Under the layers of filth lies an exposed, damaged nerve and it throbs to the tune of “Trans people are gross and scary.”

So far this year – a year not even half over – 117 bills that target transgender people have been introduced. These bills include a ban on transgendered people playing youth sports, bathroom use restrictions on government property, prohibition of gender affirming healthcare & therapy, restrictions to LGBTQ education in schools, educators forced to refer to students by their biological sex on their birth certificate, and ID restrictions. This has already been a record-breaking year for anti-transgender legislation.

A great many of these laws impact transgendered youth the most. This population of humans is already at high risk of depression and suicide. Forcing them to deny their very identity is only going to continue to raise these statistics.

In my time as an educator, I have taught three transgendered youths. Several of my friends are transgendered. I have family that is transgendered. I write this for them. I will fight this for them.

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