The Transphobic Assault on New Hampshire

Anti-trans legislation creeps into New England

The Culture War, America’s Fidget Toy

Every year the ‘informed public’ is presented with new questions — Questions of race, language, gender, and sexuality. We are asked again and again to take a side on non-issues, to form opinions on how other people live their lives and ought to be living their lives. This is how the mass media drums up interest and clings to relevance. It’s how millions of Americans were convinced that Critical Race Theory — An obscure field of legal studies — is invading our childrens’ classrooms.

The late wave of anti-trans mania is yet another campaign waged by malignant actors to sow division. Talking heads agitate against an obscurely-defined ‘gender ideology.’ They use rhetoric of “protecting the children” precisely to target the some of most vulnerable kids and instigate abuse against them.

The consequences are dire. Anti-trans laws have been passed in numerous states and acts of violence of transgender people are becoming more commonplace. Medicines needed for hormone therapy are being made less accessible, as are gender-affirming surgeries. Trans people are excluded from aspects of public life. This kind of hate campaign threatens to harm transgender people in New England with devastating consequences.

The Situation in New Hampshire

New Hampshire’s legislature, called the General Court, has a republican majority in both chambers. The General Court has passed a flurry of anti-trans bills last month, some of which have been signed into law.

Transgender girls have in grades 5-12 been prohibited from playing on girls’ sports teams, which took effect August 19th. A ban on gender-affirming genital surgeries for minors will take effect January 1st. Parents are allowed to control whether their children receive any instruction regarding “sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression.”

This is a blatant attack on the rights and dignities of trans youths.

Governor Chris Sununu, the man abetting this hate campaign.

The fourth law, a ‘bathroom bill’ that would allow business and government to discriminate against trans people, was vetoed by Governor Chris Sununu. He has been seen as an LGBT ally in the past and it’s possible that this particular anti-trans bill was a red line for him, saying that it “invites unnecessary discord”. However that attitude did not seem to stop hip from implementing three other discriminatory laws in the same vein. It seems that he wants to cut a middle path on the issue of trans rights, appealing to “commonsense, bipartisan solutions” that draw broad support among parents.

The middle path between relentlessly attacking transgender rights and supporting transgender freedom is still an attack on trans rights. The only way we can work towards total human freedom is by not permitting a single bill of anti-trans legislation, and to abolish oppressive laws that have already been implemented.

From a demonstration mourning Nex Benedict. Photo credit Alissandra Murray.

What Can Be Done

Transgender people and their friends are not remaining quiet. There are activist organizations in New Hampshire such as Gender Diverse Coalition and GLAD working to agitate for transgender rights and educate the public.

The families of trans children are fighting in the courts to overturn discriminatory legislation. Two youth athletes Parker Tirrell and Iris Turmelle risk being excluded from team sports for being transgender. The ACLU and GLAD have fought in federal court for an order allowing the two girls to participate in womens’ sports. As long as anti-trans legislation exists, every LGBT advocate must fight like hell to have it overturned.

With elections this November, New Hampshire also has the chance to secure more trans rights at the ballot box.

Voters in New England have a rosy view of bipartisanship that has allowed moderate Republicans to win among Democrats. It’s why liberals in Massachusetts tolerated four years of Charlie Baker.

New Hampshire voters cannot afford to be so naïve in the upcoming election. They have the opportunity to elect a liberal governor who will not take such a ‘moderate’ stance on civil rights. Joyce Craig, the leading Democratic candidate, has offered to protect gender-affirming surgery for trans youth. A liberal politician winning office cannot offer liberation, but would be a serious improvement over Sununu.