A few minutes ago, the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) affirmed the Tennessee ban on gender affirming care for minors.
This result will absolutely embolden the right wing assault on transgender people and our health care. Next up? Bans on any federal money being used to pay for any gender affirming care? Trump has had us in his sights since he first came into office. This will encourage him and his cohort to take the next step. Medicare pays for my gender affirming care. How long before that ceases?
If you’ve been reading my blog for any time, you know that I had gender affirming surgery. As a result, I have no endogenous source for sex hormones. What you may not know, is that without external HRT, I will likely develop osteoporosis. That’s a very strong possibility. Cis women are routinely given estrogen after menopause to prevent that outcome. Why would I be denied that same medicine? To put it bluntly, the reason is discrimination. Bigotry made legal.
Any trans person who has had their gonads removed faces this same potential issue. Trans men who have had a hysterectomy? Osteoporosis. Trans women who’ve had bottom surgery? Osteoporosis. And that is not the only health risk. There are cardiovascular risks as well. I already have cardiovascular issues, diagnosed well before my surgery. The bottom line? I am scared, both for myself and my trans siblings.
The journey continues. Will it be exponentially harder for people like me? Only time will tell.
Hi Janet. While it is dark times now, we must have hope that the public doesn’t support the loud driven minority of fundamentalist religious people along with others to create a straight cis country only. The blue states will keep the flame of equality and acceptance alive, while the entire LGBTQ+ community pushes hard on the side of the trans brothers and sisters convincing the public to support trans people. The goal is to foster acceptance in the younger people who will carry the flame. Remember this current situation can not last, tRump is not going to be around long and the next president won’t have a cult to threaten others who disagree with him with. The haters felt they lost the culture war on the question of accepting / tolerating the gays, they wanted to make sure they got an early run at the trans people. But they are already too late. They can not stand against the tide of progress to equality for all. Best wishes and warmest hugs for you.
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Thank you Scottie. I’m doing my part, by being very visible. My existence is resistance. My loud existence is loud resistance.
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Hi Janet. I thank you for that. But please always be safe. We need your strong voice here on the webs and in our lives. Hugs
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Thank you again Scottie. 🫂
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