Read on Twitter
7 years ago, California enacted a law that explicitly stated that trans students should be allowed to participate in school sports consistent with their identified gender.
One argument against it was that it would destroy girls’ sports. 7 years later, girls sports still exist. https://twitter.com/revrrlewis/status/1357311836966821888
One argument against it was that it would destroy girls’ sports. 7 years later, girls sports still exist. https://twitter.com/revrrlewis/status/1357311836966821888
I wrote about it at the time for Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/the-growing-battle-over-transgender-student-rights-in-california-113705/
If you have to keep pointing to the same couple of examples of trans people dominating at sports, consider that maybe you’re promoting a solution in search of a problem.
One thing should be made abundantly clear: this isn’t about sports at all. This is about trying to exploit a moral panic for political gain. The people fighting back against protections for trans kids have a very clear goal: prevent schools from legitimizing trans kids, generally
Please take time to read this thread from @chasestrangio, which very clearly illustrates that this is about trying to delegitimize trans kids, generally. The sports stuff is just a way to get a foot in the door https://twitter.com/chasestrangio/status/1326911594215989248
The most famous example of a trans student competing and dominating in sports is the story of a trans boy who was forced to compete against girls in wrestling because his birth certificate said F. https://www.espn.com/espnw/voices/article/27652214/what-does-journey-transgender-wrestler-mack-beggs-teach-us?platform=amp
Had California’s law passed and suddenly trans kids started consistently and disproportionately winning state championships, then it’d be fair to go, “Okay, let’s rethink this.”
But that didn’t happen.
But that didn’t happen.
That’s what I’m talking about when I say that people keep pointing to the same handful of examples over and over and over. If this was a giant problem, you wouldn’t have to keep going to the “But there are two trans girls in Connecticut...” well. https://twitter.com/kcran7/status/1357322976258056192
Also, here’s the thing that shows that this isn’t about sports at all:
The right-wing groups that back these lawsuits are trying to make a legal argument that Title IX should be interpreted to include a protection *from* trans people.
If successful, that would become the ...
The right-wing groups that back these lawsuits are trying to make a legal argument that Title IX should be interpreted to include a protection *from* trans people.
If successful, that would become the ...
... basis for arguments in all federal nondiscrimination laws that people have a right protecting them *from* trans people in housing/employment/public accommodations/health care.
These arguments make the basis of right-wing attempts to effectively void state/local nondiscrimination protections, not just for trans people, but for LGB people, too.
LGB folks cheering on this stuff are helping to build a case against their own rights.
LGB folks cheering on this stuff are helping to build a case against their own rights.
And with the current 6-3 set up of SCOTUS, I don’t think people realize how easy it could be to start that in motion.
Know who’s making this a big deal? Republicans. They’re obsessed with this issue. They are the party of identity politics.
Know who’s making this a big deal? Republicans. They’re obsessed with this issue. They are the party of identity politics.
Every once in a while it becomes clear that the right-wing arguments here aren’t actually about “fairness.” Like this Tennessee bill which bans trans kids from competing in sports *even if they never went through their body’s natural puberty* https://twitter.com/chasestrangio/status/1326911597529485327
School sports aren’t even really happening right now in a lot of places because of the pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped the right from making this item their big priority.
They don’t care about unemployment. Or people getting sick. Or getting people help they need.
They don’t care about unemployment. Or people getting sick. Or getting people help they need.
Anyway, again, read Chase’s thread about the right-wing obsession with this issue https://twitter.com/chasestrangio/status/1326911594215989248
