No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on June 15, 2020

June 15, 2020 

It was a pretty good week overall. Wednesday saw Long Island enter phase 2 of the reopening allowing us to shop and socialize at a safe distance again.

Then we got to Friday and I have been stewing all weekend over my friends’ rights being removed to make other people feel better.

I was going to put this behind a cut, but it needs to be seen and read and heard.

On Friday the executive branch of the government erased transgendered people’s civil rights in health care. The Federal government no longer recognizes gender identity as an avenue for sex discrimination in health care.

This is bigger than I think anyone realizes. Think of it as a trial balloon for all the other things that they will be not recognizing shortly if they can get away with this.

Next is going to be pre-existing conditions but they will do it by bits and pieces.

Transgendered people have had a hard time of it. They always seem to be explaining to others why they are transgendered. They are looked at as less of a person by certain groups and those groups are doing everything, they can to put obstacles in the path of transgendered people.

I have known transgender folks since college. They would tell me how they wanted to be addressed and that is the way I would address them. It seems so simple to me. It is none of my business what is in their pants or how they decided to be who they are. They wish to be treated like I would treat anyone as a person.

One person I know who a strong voice in the fight for Transgender People’s Rights is is Laura A. Jacobs.

She is a Psychotherapist in New York City. She is also an amazing photographer and a very creative person. I am honored to call her friend.

This is a photo she took on Friday after the news broke.

Copyright and all rights reserved Laura A Jacobs 2020
(For the VI: This is Laura. She is sitting in a black desk chair. Her hair is red. She is wearing glasses and an angry expression. She is wearing blue jeans and a black tank top that says in blue lettering Trans then in white lettering it says Visible then in pink lettering Unapologetic.)

I am so tired of people being marginalized by the government. I am tired of my friends not having the same rights as I do. I am tired of the lip service to marginalized people. I am tired of marginalized people not being listen to as to what they need.

I am tired of property being more important than people.

I am tired of those who believe that their skin color or gender or privilege make them better than everyone else.

I am tired of being belittled because I believe in human rights for all.

I am tired of arguing that people aren’t trying to take away other people’s rights but get the same rights for all.

I am tired of my friends being marginalized by others to make themselves feel better about their lives.

Transgendered People’s rights are human rights. They are people deserving of every right and privilege that everyone else has. They are deserving of health care without having to explain themselves every time.

This is just the beginning of this. And it will not stand.

I am grateful for those who believe as I do.

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