Discussions of trans women in sports often focus on elite/professional sports which honestly I find it hard to care about but the more common scenario of “we’re going to legally ban a high school girl from playing sports with her friends because she’s trans” is just profoundly evil
i remember when utah's (republican) governor ended up vetoing a law banning transgender students from playing high school sports when he looked at the numbers, and there were only four trans students in the state playing sports at all. he released a clumsily worded but surprisingly compassionate statement about the decision.
I must admit, I am not an expert on transgenderism. I struggle to understand so much of it, and the science is conflicting. When in doubt, however, I always try to err on the side of kindness, mercy, and compassion. I also try to get proximate, and I am learning so much from our transgender community. They are great kids who face enormous struggles. Here are the numbers that have most impacted my decision: 75,000, 4, 1, 86 and 56. 75,000 high school kids participating in high school sports in Utah. 4 transgender kids playing high school sports in Utah. 1 transgender student playing girls sports. 86% of trans youth reporting suicidality. 56% of trans youth having attempted suicide. Four kids and only one of them playing girls sports. That’s what all of this is about. Four kids who aren’t dominating or winning trophies or taking scholarships. Four kids who are just trying to find some friends and feel like they are a part of something. Four kids trying to get through each day. Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few. I don’t understand what they are going through or why they feel the way they do. But I want them to live.
of course, it didn't amount to much. they overrode his veto. it's just so cartoonishly evil. an entire state's political body so desperate to terrorize this one little trans girl.
swifties seeing everyone and their mother romanticize 2016
Updates from Iran
Some major updates from people in Iran and leaks:
- While the official number of deaths is stated to be between 2,000-3,000, people estimate that the actual number of deaths is estimated to be at least 12,000. Videos show bodies all over the streets and body bags just lying on the ground.
- Doctors are reporting being overwhelmed by the casualties.
- The regime is trying to arrest injured protesters in the hospital.
- The regime is charging money to return the bodies of murdered protesters to their families. (This practice is already disgusting, but imagine charging money at their rates in Iran's current economic status when people can barely afford bread.)
- People are reporting that people from the regime's affiliates and proxy groups in the region have already been brought in to help with the suppression.
- Messages being sent from Iran are saying that curfews are being enforced and that the regime's forces, including these proxies, are shooting indiscriminately at will.
- Executions will really start tomorrow.
- The regime is doing whatever it can to cut off people from the world. It's very difficult for people to contact family in Iran. There is still an internet blackout.
- Despite this, there is still some footage coming out that people are still willing to risk it all and fight.
This is a humanitarian crisis. The people of Iran need your support more than ever. Amplify their voices, and don't let the regime get away with its crimes in darkness. Hold your governments and media to account to make sure that they support the people of Iran and not support the regime.
All eyes on Iran.
*not counting people you knew irl first. use your discretion for other edge cases
It’ll leave you breathless, or with a nasty scar