With the perpetrator of the recent covenant school shooting being transgender, the anti-trans movements are becoming more prevalent.
We’ve seen a lot of posts discussing the legislation from the US states specifically Texas that has made it difficult for trans people and even illegal to live in their preferred gender and receive gender affirming health care. That being said I am going to link the main posts discussing those and focus on recent events.
I want to talk about the implications of the media attributing Hale’s transgender’s identity to the motive behind their decision to target a Christian school killing 3 staff and 3 students. This is a terrible tragedy and Hale was a horrible person for making the decision to commit this act of terrorism.
I don’t claim to know the motives of the person but they were clearly suicidal and mentally ill and the motives and messages left behind are part of an ongoing investigation. That being said the rhetoric by the media and the Nashville police have lead many people to come to the conclusion that it was a Trans person targeting Christians. As a trans person, this is beyond deplorable and horrendous behavior. Although that may be the case, but it has also lead people believe all trans people want to hurt conservatives, christians and the innocent bystanders. The anti-trans hate movements are using this as fuel for their agenda to try and oppress trans people. They are already calling for the deaths of trans people. They are saying this is reason to support conversion therapy and the idea that gender dysphoria is a mental illness.
As safe as FIRST can make champs for trans people while inside. They can’t guarantee safety outside of the venue. There are hotels, restaurants, and where ever else a team may go after the event. The lives trans students are threatened because of their identity. As a trans student, I feel unsafe. I have been confronted in bathrooms in the past, been called slurs, and have had people say hateful things in regards to my identity. With the call to action from conservatives to hurt trans people, there is a target on the backs of all trans students. I have skipped school in attempts to avoid the hateful speech in response to the shooting. Not only does this event threaten the physical safety of students but also the emotional safety of students. Students don’t feel safe and the situation is likely going to get worse in the weeks prior to champs.
I am linking an article by NBC describing the fear trans people face following this attack.
I urge all mentors to be vigilant both at the event and in areas around the event. Students that don’t “pass” are especially vulnerable because some people won’t hesitate to say or do hateful things to them while at restaurants, hotels, and traveling to and from the venue. Also, keep an eye on the mental health of both trans and cis students as events like these can trigger depression and anxiety.