Anti-LGBT Parents Target Transgender Middle Schooler's Access to School Facilities
TransUpFront showed up with the trans and queer community to stand with the school board in protecting trans children and their right to equal access
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As an organization, we are small but mighty. We are so proud of the connections we’ve made, the waves we’re making, and the incredible impact we’re having on our community. We operate in many capacities, including our education and outreach via social media, our advocacy work, speaking with the media, planning large-scale demonstrations, consulting with political figures on legislation, coalition building, etc… etc…
Sometimes, we get a call at the last minute asking for support, and as often as we are able, we show up. Yesterday, we got that call. The call was about a transgender middle schooler who was being targeted by parents at her school and Moms for Liberty, a hate group hiding behind parenting to promote their anti-LGBTQ agenda.
Moms for Liberty are classified as an extremist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (link). They say that they promote parental rights while trying to take away the rights of other parents if they do not match their agenda. Specifically they fight against gender affirming care, against the inclusion of transgender people in education, and promoting the banning of books that do not match their agenda, among other things.
Last night, we sent our Director of Operations, Charlee Friedman, to the Deerfield District 109 school board meeting to stand with other activists, LGBTQ+ community members, and the school board against hateful attacks by adults against a middle school child. The room was packed, with people standing in the doorway and lobby of the building.
To be clear, we have every indication that the school board and school officials are doing the right thing for their transgender students.
A total of 11 members of our community spoke at the meeting, highlighting statistics, laws, and their own personal experiences to contrast the hateful misinformation that the mother who was pushing for discrimination against a transgender child. Transgender people spoke, as well as parents of transgender children, and other queer people. The response from our community was incredibly heart warming.
Charlee spoke about being lucky to live in Illinois. The governor, Pritzker, has been clear in his commitment to support transgender and nonbinary people in the state. Pritzker signed Executive Order 2019-11, “Strengthening Our Committment to Affirming and Inclusive Schools” to protect transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming students. Also, under Illinois Human Rights guidelines III-B-1: Gender-based Restrooms, Locker Rooms, and Changing Rooms:
Use of restrooms, locker rooms and changing rooms may not be restricted based upon a student’s physical anatomy or chromosomal sex. A student must be permitted to access restrooms or bathrooms, locker rooms and changing rooms that align with their gender-related identity and without having to provide documentation or other proof of gender.
This guideline also provides for privacy of any student, teacher, or other individual who wishes it, to request a more private option. Meaning, if a student is uncomfortable changing around anyone else in the changing room for any reason, THAT student can be provided a more private space. The transgender child would not be singled out and forced to change somewhere else.
Kerrick Goodman-Lucker, a transman, parent, teacher, and member of the Jewish community came to speak, even though it was his birthday. He shared his own experiences as a trans person who never expected to live to 45. He also spoke about an incident when he was with a friend, a trans woman, who was violently pulled out of the women’s room and attacked by a police officer for being in the bathroom aligning with her identity.
Kristal Larson, a trans woman, executive director of LGBTQ Center Lake County (link), and clerk of Avon Township also spoke. She thanked the board for the actions that they have taken to protect this child and all transgender, nonbinary, and queer children in their school district. She also spoke of her experiences growing up, avoiding changing in male dominated spaces, feeling afraid there until she was finally able to transition and experience existing in spaces that aligned with her identity, where she finally felt affirmed.
The School Board livestreams all meetings on YouTube, the recording is able to be viewed here.
Join us, Sunday March 30th at 1pm, at Federal Plaza in Chicago to demand that transgender people be seen, heard, and respected. Join us to demand our rights be honored and upheld.
Today’s protest endorsement announcements include:
The fascist Christians- preaching a gospel of hate and parents’ rights. Going to churches where kids get molested. The depth of their wickedness knows no bounds. Like JD Vance making it so 10 year olds who’ve been raped can’t access abortion. They’re the worst parents ever. It took me 47 years to become estranged from my parents. My only regret is that I wasted so many years trying to get them hear me. Families are rotten.
Comforting to hear that as the mother of a trans son. People shouldn’t even know that a child or an adult is a trans person. There’s a Lot of health protective information involved in that and unless the person brings it out themselves, no one should even know.