鈥淧rotecting Women and Children" Is a Shield for Transphobia
March 17, 2022
This week, we鈥檙e bringing you a conversation about the recent surge of anti-trans bills that have been levied in state legislatures. 2020 saw 79 different anti-trans state bills dealing with everything from education to athletics, and healthcare to bathroom access. In 2021, that count nearly doubled, with 147 proposals aimed at trans people, and especially trans kids. And this year, in 2022, we鈥檙e tracking roughly 280 bills that have been filed ahead of or during this legislative session.
Now, let鈥檚 be clear: Transphobia is not new, and neither is the rhetoric that fuels it. Anti-trans legislation has often been framed as necessary for the safety and protection of 鈥渨omen and girls鈥 - and in particular, white women and girls. This weaponization of white womanhood and femininity has deep roots in this country鈥檚 history, and is prompting unprecedented consequences for the trans community.
Joining us to share the history behind this crisis and what we can do about it, is Nikita Shepard, who studies and works at Columbia University. Their work explores histories of LGBTQ+ communities, gender and sexuality, and racial and social movements in the United States and beyond.
Additional Resources:
In this episode
Linda Morris
Staff Attorney, 老澳门开奖结果 Women's Rights Project
Nikita Shepard
Graduate Affiliate of the Research Initiative on the Global History of Sexualities, Columbia University
(they/them)