As Pride Month Begins, Republicans Double Down on Restricting Transgender Americans

As Pride Month Begins, Republicans Double Down on Restricting Transgender Americans

As Pride Month Begins, Republicans Double Down on Restricting Transgender Americans

An unprecedented effort in state legislatures across the country.

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week we cross-post an excerpt from Katrina vanden Heuvel’s column at the WashingtonPost.com. Read the full text of Katrina’s column here.

Tuesday marks the beginning of Pride Month 2021—a time of much-deserved celebration, especially after so many of last year’s festivities were relegated to virtual spaces. And it’s also a time to further the movement for LGBTQ rights. This year, that work is particularly important—because we’re in the midst of an unprecedented effort from Republican-run state legislatures to subjugate the transgender community.

Across 33 states, more than 100 anti-transgender bills have been introduced just in the first few months of 2021. Restrictions proposed within these bills include stopping transgender people from using restrooms or changing facilities that align with their gender identity, preventing transgender youths from playing on sports teams reflecting their gender, and even banning gender-affirming medical treatment such as puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for transgender minors.

The cruelty of these bills’ potential impact is outright horrific. There’s evidence that transgender youths who receive puberty-delaying treatment are dramatically less likely to contemplate suicide than those who don’t. One Arkansas doctor who treats transgender youths testified to state lawmakers considering a bill to ban medical services to these patients: “There have been multiple kids in the emergency room for attempted suicide since the bill was introduced. I guarantee if this bill passes, children will die. And I will call you every single time.”

Read the full text of Katrina’s column here.

Support independent journalism that exposes oligarchs and profiteers


Donald Trump’s cruel and chaotic second term is just getting started. In his first month back in office, Trump and his lackey Elon Musk (or is it the other way around?) have proven that nothing is safe from sacrifice at the altar of unchecked power and riches.

Only robust independent journalism can cut through the noise and offer clear-eyed reporting and analysis based on principle and conscience. That’s what The Nation has done for 160 years and that’s what we’re doing now.

Our independent journalism doesn’t allow injustice to go unnoticed or unchallenged—nor will we abandon hope for a better world. Our writers, editors, and fact-checkers are working relentlessly to keep you informed and empowered when so much of the media fails to do so out of credulity, fear, or fealty.

The Nation has seen unprecedented times before. We draw strength and guidance from our history of principled progressive journalism in times of crisis, and we are committed to continuing this legacy today.

We’re aiming to raise $25,000 during our Spring Fundraising Campaign to ensure that we have the resources to expose the oligarchs and profiteers attempting to loot our republic. Stand for bold independent journalism and donate to support The Nation today.

Onward,

Katrina vanden Heuvel

Editorial Director and Publisher, The Nation

Ad Policy
x