While anti-LGBTQ+ bills are scary, we're doing better than you might think, Senior Manager of State Advocacy at the Trevor Project Gabby Doyle tells The Advocate.
Yeah, it’s great for queer folks in blue states. But as a trans person in a red state, I still get worried about if I’m gonna stop being able to get my meds one day. If my neighbors will find out and suddenly stop treating me with general kindness and start treating me as a freak. Or if this’ll be the time when I get yelled at going to a public bathroom. I went on a car trip to a different city this weekend, and I was terrified to take stops to pee because, even though I generally pass, some people are still assholes. Usually, it just means being stared at, something I can see people doing because I wear mirrored sunglasses, but one day, I might be yelled at or called something. And my state is working on banning my bathroom use in multiple public settings, so one day, I might have to be scared of having the cops called on me.
So, while I’m glad there’s been failures, a lot of failures, but 80 is still way too many. Tons of queer folk have to live under the threat of this and it’s fucking bigotry and all should be failing.
Edit addition: I’m also disabled and walk with a cane so I get stares by just being a young person using a cane, so I’m usually being stared at for that. But there’s definitely bigots in there who clock me.
Yeah, it’s great for queer folks in blue states. But as a trans person in a red state, I still get worried about if I’m gonna stop being able to get my meds one day. If my neighbors will find out and suddenly stop treating me with general kindness and start treating me as a freak. Or if this’ll be the time when I get yelled at going to a public bathroom. I went on a car trip to a different city this weekend, and I was terrified to take stops to pee because, even though I generally pass, some people are still assholes. Usually, it just means being stared at, something I can see people doing because I wear mirrored sunglasses, but one day, I might be yelled at or called something. And my state is working on banning my bathroom use in multiple public settings, so one day, I might have to be scared of having the cops called on me.
So, while I’m glad there’s been failures, a lot of failures, but 80 is still way too many. Tons of queer folk have to live under the threat of this and it’s fucking bigotry and all should be failing.
Edit addition: I’m also disabled and walk with a cane so I get stares by just being a young person using a cane, so I’m usually being stared at for that. But there’s definitely bigots in there who clock me.