Via my Texan friend @jenhatmaker: In shock & fury over Governor Abbott’s order to the Texas Dept of Family & Protective Services to investigate all trans children in any stage of transition & report their parents, doctors, & healthcare workers as child abusers. He threatens “criminal penalties for failure to report” not just for licensed professionals who care for kids but “similar criminal penalties for members of the general public.”
In summation: Abbott has targeted one of the most vulnerable communities for harassment, prosecution, terror, & more violence. He deployed every citizen as investigators & destroyed every safe place. Kids will die because of this.
Let me tell you who is not dangerous but certainly in danger: trans kids, & their parents, teachers, doctors, & counselors who love & support them in a state committed to causing them further harm. This is political pandering in an election year, an invention of “concern” to assert power at the expense of a fragile community.
God, these kids are already so misunderstood & targeted. Trans kids & their parents went to bed in terror last night. This sets a precedence & sends yet another terrifying message to trans kids & their families everywhere. So cruel.
Parents, gather your kids and tell them this:
“Go to every trans kid in your school today and hug them tight. Tell them they are perfect just as they are, and there is nothing wrong with them. That you will stand with them and defend them, and they are not alone. Walk them to their classes. Surround them in the cafeteria. Put your arms around them. Love them.”
Parents of trans kids, listen up: we love your children, and we love you, & Abbott can come for us for “failure to report you” & we will backlog the justice system with our defiance for the next 100 years.
Austin ISD tweeted: “We protect all our kids at AISD, no matter what, & that goes for our trans kids too.”
No matter what.
Contact Abbott today, deploy your kids as agents of safety in their schools, check on your neighbors in harm’s way here, & raise your voices.
https://gov.texas.gov/contact
I posted this to facebook and the responses made sad, but also feel less alone. Seems like a whole lot of us have not quite figured out how to replace the regular rhythms of community we experienced as part of a church. I’m still figuring it out.
A dreamy LA day with my girls yesterday, visiting @moca, @hauserwirth, @manueladtla, @thelastbookstore, @pipilotti_rist_studio at the Geffen and seeing Assassins at @eastwestplayers. Teenagers get a bad rap. Truth is I find mine pretty delightful.
Cocktails with some of my sisterwives. Kicked into black and white because @landersliquorbar’s red light made us look vaguely satanic.
A lovely LA getaway with my valentine. ❤️
