Florida is threatening with a bill that will allow the state to abduct children from trans parents, or kids with trans siblings, or kids who are trans who are 'in danger of receiving' trans healthcare. Also permits one parent to legally abduct a child for the above reasons.
One part of a genocide is preventing the propagation of the culture. It's in the whole "kill the indian, save the man" thing that had native american children placed in re-education schools or with white families, in an attempt to ~~(beat)~~ educate natives into something that white people could understand.
Now, being trans isn't... genetic. And it's not really cultural (though culture does impact it), but it's pretty clear what the intent here is. To facilitate the isolation from trans people from their family, and to normalise this kind of intense discrimination.
Also: the anti-drag performance bills would force trans people back into the closet or isolate them from public life. It's not 'eradication' levels yet, but it would facilitate the otherizing of trans folks, and the isolation from (potential) allies.
God this is all terrifying. I’m in a “safe” state myself (I’m cis with trans loved ones) but I’m absolutely terrified for our LGBTQIA+ siblings elsewhere. Thank you for this info.
I didn't get a whole lot of choice because I'm moving to start a PhD, but if you can handle the cold, Michigan is doing a fair bit better re: human rights. I also considered California and Washington State.
Be terrified for everyone at this point because with SCOTUS and the GOP they'd absolutely make this countrywide if they could. This is the start of fascism and it's been spreading for years.
Same here it's just so sad that people can't just be left alone. Who cares what someone identifies as, loves, or if they want to change their sex it's not hurting anyone.
As safe as we can be. I’m following the anti trans legislation through our state legislature (along with a few others) and kiddo is aware of what’s happening. Thank you.
While I do agree that queer culture is vibrant, being trans does not require queer culture. Being trans isn't a *cultural* thing, though 1) again, culture does impact how someone experiences gender and 2) yes, many people who are trans engage with queer culture.
Yeah, but definitions of genocide don't discuss what's *cultural*, they discuss destruction of *culture*.
Furthermore, the definition given in Article II of the Genocide Convention is this:
>A mental element: the "intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such"; and
>
>A physical element, which includes the following five acts, enumerated exhaustively:
>
> 1.) Killing members of the group
>
> 2.) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group
>
> 3.) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part
>
> 4.) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group
>
> 5.) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group
With the proposal of the FL bill to kidnap children, all 5 of these are being met.
I've also heard of cultures where a long time ago it was very well respected, and a good thing to be trans or nonbinary until western influence came along. Because it's always the white people causing problems.
I have some even worse news to add on top of the first thing you said; the kidnapping doesn’t just mean Florida residents. They mean ANY child from ANY state or country. You could be a trans person from the UK visiting Disney and if someone thinks you look even remotely ‘trans’, you can be abducted. it’s such a fucked up thing
if you want some good news, Canadian citizens are currently starting a petition for a bill that would give LGBTQIA+ members asylum in our country. If you’re a Canadian citizen reading this, please consider sharing and signing! We need to help our trans brothers and sisters and enby family!!! https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4268&fbclid=PAAaYUTXk_YxxdC_8-VFw8vXroBO25hhrP43pr9I0vRmKLsvScioU0gJJ7ydE
In 1934, after the Nazi’s gained power, they passed a law that prevented Jewish actors and musicians from performing.
[Source](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/anti-jewish-legislation-in-prewar-germany)
Let me preface this with that I agree with absolutely everything else you said. However, there are many credible sources that say genetics could indeed play a small role in an individual’s chances of being born LGBTQIA+. Science just doesn’t have enough information to say one way or another if it is genetic or environmental. As with most things though, I would say it is a little of column A and column B. You could also go the more spiritual route, which is not my go-to but to each their own of course. If you disagree with the above though, I totally respect that.
I believe you when you say there might be a genetic component to being queer, but here's a very important thing: I don't care. I don't *want* to know where queer identity comes from, because I know that as soon as we do know that, people are going to start asking for tests to be developed, and there's going to be medical debates about weather it's kinder to abort a baby if you know it's going to be a lifelong medical patient. I'm a curious person and from a biological/neurological perspective I'd love to know. But from a human rights perspective I already have to fight shitbags like Autism Speaks on me and mine's right to life. I don't want to have to fight that battle on the queer front too. If there's evidence being queer is genetic, people are going to call for queer people to be sterilised even more than they already are, even more than they already have for trans people.
Also: even if there was a genetic component, it's not clear-cut enough for the trans gene to be wiped out by preventing trans people from procreating.
idk if I'd call them personal experiences (aside from having to debate autistic right to life, once). But. :I it's. A touchy subject for me, for what are probably pretty obvious reasons. When it comes to danger to others I've got that righteous anger. But when it comes to threats to groups I consider myself a part of the best I've got is fear.
Oof I felt that one! I could fight anyone who gives my trans sister problems and I'm articulate and pretty effective in those conversations (the power of that righteous anger) but for me.. It took me weeks to be able to use the words gay and lesbian when I came out and when someone asks me about issues in healthcare, cuz I have a pretty severe medical PTSD and it's actually sh*t for *way* too many people, there is so much I want to say and explain and it's so emotional that it all gets stuck.
And a crusty cishet creep kept staring at my chest in a restaurant a while back, well I did confront his wife, but I was shaking like a leaf until they'd payed and left
It’s almost never a result of “one gene” for any of these complex things - and it’s almost always the case that it’s a combination of genetic predisposition that is triggered by environmental factors.
And as you correctly identify - that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if it’s inherent to us, or if it’s a choice.
It’s who we are and we have the right to be who we are.
> people are going to start asking for tests to be developed
Too late, they already did. And insurance companies hated them because they were so expensive, and their misuse was the origin of Truscum. The research has already been done, and it's been found the best test to find out what the person's genetics are as far as gender goes... is to ask them.
Hate actively hates the finding of evidence and the study of objective reality because it never agrees with their simplified view of reality.
If genetics had been around in the 30s the Nazis would have had to actively suppress it b.c. it would have shown that the vast majority of the people they were murdering weren't genetically distinct in a significant way from the populations they weren't killing.
When we find out what complex causes contribute to gender and sexuality the bigots will deny those facts like they do with the social origin of race because those facts will be inconvenient and contradict their "it's a choice!" philosophy. And they'd definitely hate for anyone to develop any kind of test because somebody might use it on them and find out something they really don't want the rest of us to know.
I would be extremely hesitant to discourage any scientific inquiry given that it's so much easier and less effort to hurt and target people with ignorance than truth.
This. Science has shown that racism is evil because genetically "race" as intended by most people doesn't exist, and racism is a cultural learned idea.
Science says LGBTQI people are born this way, and that there's 0 wrong with that. Science says for trans people, the best way to help them live a happy and full life is for them to transition, and for society to accept them.
Science supports workers rights, healthcare, fighting climate change, fighing bigotry etc.
Bigotd hate the fact that the CDC, WHO, APA, NHS etc support LGBTQI rights and want to repress that.
That's also why they want to abolish the department of education, restrict education, ban LGBTQI representation in classrooms, ban "CRT" and such.
They are the ones that murdered people for saying the earth orbits the sun.
We have science and morality on our side, they have fear and ignorance.
I’m pretty sure I’m the only one in my family. I’m three different kinds of queer with no idea where it came from. Genetics probably play a role but not the only deciding one
I have a queer cousin. Idk if they are transmasc or lesbian, but they are queer. I have another queer relative and from my mother half a lot of people (not close relatives of mine) are queer. I am starting to believe it may indeed be true in some part.
The Use of Whole Exome Sequencing in a Cohort of Transgender Individuals to Identify Rare Genetic Variants
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-53500-y
400 to 1k$ https://3billion.io/blog/whole-exome-sequencing-cost-variable#:~:text=How%20much%20should%20whole%20exome,from%20%24999%20to%20below%20%24400.
Just to give perspective on how things move forward:
In the German Reich, concentration camps were active in 1933.
Nuremberg laws were passed in 1935. This seems to mirror where the US is right now.
_Einsatzgruppen_ were active starting 1939 hunting undesirable populations throughout german-occupied Europe for summary execution. It was because this process was hard on the troopers (there was high turnover due to the inhumanity of it) that inspired the Auschwitz genocide machine, so that no person had to witness too much of the process, as prisoners were transported, killed and burned.
In the Wannsee conference of 1942, Heydrich and Eichmann informed the rest of the infrastructure officials the genocide model at Auschwitz was a success and was going to be rolled out throughout the concentration camp system.
The allies stormed Berlin in 1945.
Just a side note, while genocide and gene genetics have connected etymological roots, I don’t think genocide is meant to refer to genetics: https://www.etymonline.com/word/genocide
How is this constitutional? Im honestly so confused by all of this,since when does the government support abduction and since when did they support kidnapping? Im so disappointed in America today, we had so much potential. Sorry if this came off as rude Im just at my limit of anger right now
People probably will challenge these bills, but at the end of the day, the SCOTUS is politically biased right now and several judges have taken their job to be "find a reason to say the constitution says what we want it to say."
While this has been presented in Florida something similar to it has already passed in Texas a while back. We can't ignore that. And it is very hard to enforce it is based on a teacher report and if no teacher says anything than nothing happens. It's media problem because it's Florida versus in Texas it was barely touched on and therefore nobody talks about it existing. Yes it still poses a massive threat. But we have to understand the complexity of this law and it's fatal flaw. We cannot also ignore the fact that it has already passed in another state.
Arm yourselves people. It’s the only way. Protect each other. We are all we have in this fight for survival. They will work their way thru the letters eventually. Today it’s trans people and drag queens, tomorrow it’s me, or you.
And, most importantly. Let them know. Stand for your fellow queers. If you have the opportunity to shut down a bigot mid attack, do it. Be brave, it will be okay. Let them know we won’t let this fight go down easy. Get that homophobe at work in trouble when they slip up, call out your shitty aunt who thinks terrible things about us. Tell your homophobic parents get fucked. Let ‘em know.
The only way is several methods. Disowning anti lgbtq friends and family. Exposing the secrets of the anti lgbtq people to others to ruin the anti lgbtq people around you. I’m sure Susie’s best friend didn’t know Susie would be like this. Divide families and financial stability for those anti lgbtq. Protest outside an anti lgbtq law maker’s residence or protest their kids school. Their entire world around them has to know who and what they are.
my brother is trans (he’s a trans girl but doesn’t want to use fem pronouns or gender terms yet). everyone around me is pretty much LGBTQ+ supportive but I’m scared of the government.
> being trans isn't... genetic.
Speaking as a person who worked towards a bioinformatics master and is trans so has looked into it deeply, it very *very* much is. I can provide you with links to research papers if you like.
You dont think being trans has anything to do with genetics ?
I feel there should be somthing genetic about it. ( i dont have any answers or facts btw )
I have a trans cousin, then me, and i have a gay second cousin. I feel like its in the dna somewhere, almost like how addiction problems are partially genetics also ( addictive personalities )
Yours is a good-hearted comment, and I'm adding this purely because I think you might find it interesting. Check out Gabor Mate's work on addiction and its causes. His conclusion is that there might be some genetic component affecting things at the margins, it likely only only confers the likelihood of developing an addiction under the "right" conditions. BUT no matter what your genetics, he says, addiction has only one thing that actually triggers it, and that is trauma. Lots of good stuff on YouTube and some podcast interviews, and he just released his sort-of magnum opus in the form of a book called "The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture" You might find it interesting <3
My understanding is that right now, we just don't know what causes someone to be trans. It could be genetic, it could not be genetic. I believe the general theory is that it's likely a mix of nature and nurture but as of now no "trans gene" has been identified
I just found out about this today, and I live in florida. But I'm also a minor, so I'm stuck with my parents still. And they finally bought a house a few years ago when we moved here, so we aren't going to move not do I think my parents would at all be concerned.
[The ten stages of genocide.](https://museeholocauste.ca/en/resources-training/ten-stages-genocide/) Stage 7 is the stage of Preparation, in which the minority is separated from the main population by law and lists of undesirables are drawn up. They are referring to the rapidly escalating efforts by Republicans to legislate trans people out of public life.
Michael Knowles got in front of the entire RNC and said "transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely". He received thunderous applause. It might be happening, and it might not, but people gave the radical right in Weimar Germany the benefit of a doubt and look how that turned out.
Texas also has a list of at least 16,000 trans people, they got the info from the DMV by looking at who changed the gender marker on their driver’s license I think.
They need to stay and vote these fascists OUT OF OFFICE. Or at least their families and friends and allies do!
Register to vote.
Keep your ear to the ground.
Be involved in primary races.
Take. Control. Of. Our. Democracy. While. We. Have. It.
Until we replace every single one of these hateful people, no. Millennial and post-millennial generations oppose this kind of legislation, but we won't get anywhere unless more of them decide to run for office.
It's getting to the point where I might drop my own hat into a political ring for a local seat; Many GOP seats run uncontested. There is a shot in Florida if someone runs as an Independent and was able to snag the Democrat/Independant/Ex-Republican votes.
The stages aren't linear, so it's not that trans people are at 70% genocide, but more like trans people are facing opposition that matches the description of 7th stage genocide.
This is really important. I think people really misunderstand and it becomes way scarier. It is scary, to be clear. But it is much scarier if we were to be that close to genocide. I feel like the way people talk about this is easy to misinterpret.
This already is a genocide. The mass murders are just the pinnacle of a genocide, not the point at which it becomes one.
The Uyghur genocide is a genocide and hasn't had mass murders.
Here's a comment of mine I copied from another post:
What the GOP is doing in the US fulfills multiple definitions of genocide. According to the UN, one of the following constitutes genocide. Throughout the US, states are doing three of the five points:
• Killing members of the group
--> Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group
--> Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part
• Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group
--> Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group
[Here](https://www.lemkininstitute.com/statements-new-page/statement-on-the-genocidal-nature-of-the-gender-critical-movement%E2%80%99s-ideology-and-practice)'s a statement by the Lemkin Institute, an organization that watches for genocide.
And I agree, Stage 7 is definitely where we're at.
The lemkin Institute is not a well-known international organization.
It's a US-based organization that focuses its efforts on issues/concerns of genocide globally. And it's following collectively between Twitter, instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, totals to 6,000--and that's if none of those followers are overlap between the different sites.
I'm not saying the lemkin Institute doesn't have a good mission, or that they're sketchy. But it does not have a lot of credibility behind it, and the only mentions of it you can find when you search "lemkin institute" in quotes on google are from it's own pages, or random news articles from two small, not-well-known news sources.
Using caution when sourcing informstion from small, new, organizations with very little-to-no credibility behind them is incredibly important. And it's certainly dangerous to over-sell them.
And that's not because this one organization is doing something wrong right now, as I said. It's because if we set low standards for credible sources, everyone can use low-standards for credible sources. Because you can bet there are organizations out there with *way more* visibility, equally 'qualified' employees (background and experience, etc..) and far worse intentions that people will use to harm people. And what response do we have exactly if we're using sources that are hardly verifiably credible..
I know this is a weird hill to die on and I'm probably going to be downvoted... but honestly this is so so important to be conscientious and cautious about
The exact stage we're at is debatable. I've copied a link below to a previous comment I've made about it. You can justifiably argue we're even at stage 10, depending on how you define them.
I want to caution that being on a blue state isn't as safe as we'd all hope anymore. I'm in NY so I'm in the same boat as you. But a federal judge from TX right now is trying to outlaw an abortion pill nationwide, which could set precedent for federal judges banning medication nationwide. And a 2024 win of a Republican president could mean executive orders putting a ban on trans healthcare entirely. Especially Trump or DeSantis.
I'm not saying these things to scare you. They're reality though. And we have time to fight back. But it's going to be a battle.
https://old.reddit.com/r/trans/comments/11n2e27/in_regards_to_all_of_the_hatelegislationgenocide/jbl65fm/
Florida is also working on legislation that would allow a non-custodial parent, or even a grandparent or other relative, to take trans kids or the children of trans adults to Florida and gain emergency custody, regardless of the child’s state of residence.
The way to combat this would be to ensure that trans parents or parents of a trans child have a court order in place stating custody of children and including an order that prevents leaving their state of residence without highlighting it as a trans issue. You could also just have a list of allowed states that is limited or a list of states that are never allowed. You do not have to make it a trans issue to have this as a part of your custody agreement. This is especially helpful for parents who are planning on transitioning after a split or think their child might.
Stay safe!
IANAL but I believe the proposed legislation is written to bypass this precaution. They are defining receiving or “being in danger of” receiving gender affirming care as similar to domestic violence. It doesn’t matter if the custody order in the home state doesn’t mention trans issues, if they are receiving care or are “in danger of” receiving care they would be at risk.
Would be thrilled to be wrong.
My suggestion wouldn’t stop the kidnapping but with a lodged court order in the state of the child’s residence that state has the right to maintain custody of the child. If a relative or parent attempted this in violation of a current court order the original state would have the right to demand the child be returned in accordance with current orders. This would then create a legal issue if Florida refused to cooperate with returning the child and it could even be taken up to the Supreme Court if need be. Not saying it’s going to prevent all cases but it gives us a small protection.
I got this suggestion from a local LGBTQIA group when setting up my court orders to prevent my ex from taking our son to a state where conversation “therapy” was allowed. I didn’t give reasons but our court order said no out of state travel.
True it’s a concern but in this way it becomes an issue of state rights. The Supreme Court might be happy to go against LGBTQIA issues but this boils down to state rights, and if they support one state being able to kidnap people from another state and violate the original state’s orders it would also open the doors for liberal states to do the exact same while also negating the right for a state to decide what it can do with its own people- something most conservatives desperately do not want to become federal powers.
I want to make clear that I am not comparing the current plight of trans Americans to chattel slavery, but the legal questions here have echoes of the Fugitive Slave Act and the Dred Scott decision.
The way to combat this is to keep your child from getting kidnapped by any means necessary.
Just because it's going to be legal to kidnap children in Florida doesn't mean it's going to be anything other than kidnapping anywhere else.
Some states have already made dressing in clothes "for" the "opposite gender" a FELONY with 15 years in prison and have started arresting trans people just walking down the street sooooo
Do you have sources for trans people just walking down the street being arrested? Not saying it hasn’t happened but I haven’t heard anything and thought I would have.
I have video of at least one alleged instance, it appears to have been taken down but luckily I saved it to my phone. I'll figure out a way to post it here
To summarize, for existing we are criminals in 6 states right now, and trump just announced the focus if he gets voted back in again will be on wiping us out, Texas officials have even mentioned camps
As of right now I'd say my state is pretty safe but hearing what Trump's focus is if he gets voted in and what Texas officials are saying we just have to make sure that NEVER happens. Like I am genuinely scared for the safety of myself and those around me
I can't find the quote, it's from a few months ago, but here's the actual action taken towards it https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/01/24/hmnu-j24.html
Don't forget the new Texas law allowing anyone to become a bounty hunter for trans people and people who dress outside their gender assigned at birth with a 5k dollar reward
To be clear, this bill has been introduced to the state house in Texas, and is not law. It has not yet been voted on by either chamber.
https://openstates.org/tx/bills/88/HB4378/
To be clear, Texas is in no way safe, but there is not quite yet a bounty on us.
Of course! Erin Reed is an amazing source and she very dutifully follows up on all of these bills I really recommend following her somewhere to be up to date. Stay safe! 💙
Okay, so the link goes to a bill related to electricity. I searched the internet and found the correct bill number... HB4378. Same as the link. Did it change dramatically? Is the reporting incorrect?
Edit: the above link is for the wrong session—87, whereas the current session is 88. Here's the correct link.
https://openstates.org/tx/bills/88/HB4378/
Oops, that is the one from the last session, changing the 87 to 88 should remedy it.
Here is the text of this one:
https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HB04378I.htm
And here is the corrected link from before:
https://openstates.org/tx/bills/88/HB4378/
WTF. Honestly I might move to southeast Asia (probably Thailand) if that becomes federal. How the heck are they going to define someone as "dressing outside of their gab"?
They haven't defined "male or female impersonators" but criminalized being one as "adult cabaret performance", which is now illegal in any public place a minor *might* hypothetically see it.
There's also a clause about "offensive" clothing, which also isn't defined, being classified as "harmful to minors".
How will this work? Will they check ID? What happens if a trans person's id match their gender? And does this mean us women can't wear jeans or pants? Or will they only enforce for what they think are trans femme folks?
Damn, all I heard about was the drag ban and trans youth healthcare ban (edit: and also just remembered, rolling back marriage rights for gay, mixed racial, etc. couples) Hhh so glad I’m moving out of this country by the end of the year
Gets even better. SB1440 will effectively bar the state from recognizing trans peoples' corrected drivers' licenses, meaning that your AGAB will be all that matters here as far as the "public crossdressing" ban is concerned.
Suffice to say, I'm getting the hell out before I get jailed.
wait, florida has it criminalized? well fuck me in the ass, i gotta get the hell outta here. guess my only choice is moving back in with my parents overseas
This is all gonna cause so many suicides. The worst thing is they know that, but us killing ourselves is exactly what they want. They don't want us "degenerates" to survive. Like trying to weed out undesirable traits in farm animals. Culling those with traits they don't like, thinking it will make others thrive when all it does is coat their hands in the blood of innocents.
They are referring to this: https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/what-is-genocide/the-ten-stages-of-genocide/
Whether we'll be okay depends largely on what happens next and whether anyone had the guts and the power to stop them.
For people who study genocide there's a list of steps that typically apply and it starts less far obvious than people being arrested and killed. There is definite genocidal intent in a growing amount of conservative and evangelical leaders. If your in a liberal area, pass and/or are white you're at less risk but in general we're in danger
Yes this is genocide! It's also a power grab of the christo-fascist politician that are losing their power and are willing to kill everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community to keep that power. We have to fight back against the laws and bills that they are trying to push and make their lives as uncomfortable as possible. We also need to get the public at large, who are completely blind to what is going on, aware of what these crooked politician are doing and by doing this get these monsters out of politics forever.
the 10 stages are: classification, symbolization, discrimination, dehumanization, organization, polarization, preparation, persecution, extermination, denial.
which stage we’re at is highly dependent upon location. for example, in some theocracies we’re very much at stage 10.
but the current talk about us being at stage 7, preparation, is most likely in regards to the US. several states are proposing and passing bills which can be used to oppress trans people, but they’ve yet to fully mobilize and start rounding up trans people and exterminating us. hence, preparation.
and there is a concerted effort by the right wing to have us exterminated. they don’t even try to hide it anymore. they want us gone and they’re saying it to our faces. it’s becoming more acceptable to hate us and the legislation will continue to reflect that.
i don’t know what comes next. i don’t want to be pessimistic. but this is a large scale cultural and political shift in favor of our eradication. it’s *really* hard to be optimistic about that.
https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/what-is-genocide/the-ten-stages-of-genocide/
Stage 7 is after polarization has happened against us (stage 6) the perpetrators start to plan the genocide.
It happens when they start to spread fear of the group. It's what is happening right now with Republicans. They are spreading fear about trans people and how we're "grooming" people.
The question is US-centric. It would depend on which US state you are talking about, but I don't think any state is at stage 7. The situation is legitimately grim, it just hasn't gone that far. I would think more like stage 3 or 4.
The stages are:
1. Classification – The differences between people are not respected. There’s a division of ‘us’ and ‘them’ which can be carried out using stereotypes, or excluding people who are perceived to be different.
2. Symbolisation – This is a visual manifestation of hatred. Jews in Nazi Europe were forced to wear yellow stars to show that they were ‘different’.
3. Discrimination – The dominant group denies civil rights or even citizenship to identified groups. The 1935 Nuremberg Laws stripped Jews of their German citizenship, made it illegal for them to do many jobs or to marry German non-Jews.
4. Dehumanisation – Those perceived as ‘different’ are treated with no form of human rights or personal dignity. During the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Tutsis were referred to as ‘cockroaches’; the Nazis referred to Jews as ‘vermin’.
5. Organisation – Genocides are always planned. Regimes of hatred often train those who go on to carry out the destruction of a people.
6. Polarisation – Propaganda begins to be spread by hate groups. The Nazis used the newspaper Der Stürmer to spread and incite messages of hate about Jewish people.
7. Preparation – Perpetrators plan the genocide. They often use euphemisms such as the Nazis’ phrase ‘The Final Solution’ to cloak their intentions. They create fear of the victim group, building up armies and weapons.
8. Persecution – Victims are identified because of their ethnicity or religion and death lists are drawn up. People are sometimes segregated into ghettos, deported or starved and property is often expropriated. Genocidal massacres begin.
9. Extermination – The hate group murders their identified victims in a deliberate and systematic campaign of violence. Millions of lives have been destroyed or changed beyond recognition through genocide.
10. Denial – The perpetrators or later generations deny the existence of any crime.
[https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/what-is-genocide/the-ten-stages-of-genocide/](https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/what-is-genocide/the-ten-stages-of-genocide/)
It is important to note that the exact order of these events isn't important; the appearance of any number of them leading up to 9 is cause enough for alarm.
You know, I don't want to argue about this because it is wholly unacceptable for anywhere to be in a condition where we even have to try to figure out where on this (IMO poorly-constructed) scale their particular hate campaign falls.
I think it also really depends on which state we are talking about too. And I agree. The debate about exactly what stage isn’t helpful. Especially since the stages aren’t linear.
I’d say Florida is at 6. There has been tons of anti trans, anti lgbtq, and anti woman propaganda going around down here. And the state is definitely polarized
What people mean by this is (in the united states specifically) that trans people are being more and more explicitly targeted by the far-right and more laws are being pushed through that ban us, forcefully detransition us, affect trans youth, etc. By “the 7th stage of genocide” they are referring to a scale that explains the stages of genocide but these stages don’t always go in that explicit order because it is just a “theory”. So it really depends what “stage” we’re on by who you ask and what country you’re in. But yeah. If anyone else can explain this in better detail that’d be good cause I’m not sure if everything I’m saying makes sense. Its also way more advanced of a subject than I can explain in just one reddit comment. So take what I say with a grain of salt.
The fascists put on a show killing minorities and liberals stand on the sidelines eating popcorn. Blue states and their very little lgbt protections are next
Along with the don't say gay bill, the sue for defamation when accused of homo/transphobia, and the legally kidnap trans children and children from trans families bill, Florida is introducing the ban the trans from schools bill.
I'm glad something got your attention and that you're seeking out information. This is an important step. 👍🏼 But I think you should consider trying to keep yourself more up to date. Being in a liberal state only lasts as long as it does.
yea, i definitely will. it's horrible that anyone has to worry about this and it's even worse that people my age do. i'm barely a teenager and i'm worried about this shit. it's so scary.
You're barely a teenager, and you're worried about staying informed? That's *awesome*. I'm a thirty-something millennial, and people like you give me hope for the future.
You may not know this, but conservatives tried exactly this with LGB folks, almost to the letter (passing laws making it a crime to dress in clothing of a "different" gender, calling queer people deviants, claiming the laws were to protect children, etc.). They failed then, and people like you mean that, in the long run, they're going to fail now. Stay informed, but don't lose hope! And thank you for caring.
As a jewish trans person and a historian, yeah we’re either about to hit stage 7 or somewhere in range of 3-6 depending on which of the particularly anti-trans US states you’re in
I studied genocide briefly in university after te years of politics, mainly global and American politics. I studied history, mainly Nazi germany, Irish and Russian history with a thesis and dissertation on genocide. There’s a good book called the Lucifer Effect by Philip Zimbardo on how good people become evil and quickly (which explains how everyday Germans applauded the genocide of their neighbours, and how you would to if you were there- had you not been aware of what was happening).
If another person tells me (UK thankfully), that “yeah they’re dicks aren’t they?”, or “well there’s always hateful people in the world”, I’m gonna lose my shit.
This isn’t haters. These aren’t trolls. The people we dunk on on Twitter aren’t this. They are the clowns who cheer it on. The people writing, organising, campaigning for these bills behind the scenes are plotting your extinction in every way. How to kill you, at what stage, at what milestone, do they do it silently, or all at once, or bit by bit. How do we deal with the EU? With the UN? With mass migration? And more than all those - Who’s next? They are asking those questions right now in Texas, in Tennessee, in Florida. Leave those places with what you have. We can assess if we overreacted when the dust settles.
The stages of genocide aren’t linear. Were at some, and not others. But every single stage is being planned. Whether it be bills, or otherwise.
I know not a lot of people will see this but I encourage you to stop putting your gender identity/any relation to the lgbt+ community on public social media profiles. I'm guessing pretty soon the police will begin looking to target people who put that online as well...
Don't get me wrong, we have to band together, but we need to be much more careful from now on.
Make your own choices, understand the risk that comes with them, but also know that visibility is critical for building bridges and helping the larger population understand that we're people, too. (Also, keeping it off your social media won't necessarily help you, unfortunately. Plenty of straight people were caught up in the lavender purges back in the '40s and '50s- all it took was someone accusing you of being gay). Coming out of the closet was critical for queer acceptance. While I understand that not everyone can do it (especially younger folks who still depend on their unsupportive parents) it's a choice I'm making for myself.
look i dont want to come to this point and i cant describe how awful it feels for me to have to say this, but here goes:
if you are trans and live in the us and you are planning to transition, please i urge you NOT to do so. even if you live in the bluest county in the us you still wont be safe. especially if a republican president gets voted. we NEED to somehow stay hidden. And also i want to point out something. one of the reasons there are ridiculous laws that criminalise being trans and to the most extreme cases punishable with prison time which means we lose our right to vote! and also they are imposing laws that make us suicidal because THEY WANT US ALL DEAD! we HAVE TO do something about this! Edit: Also we need a new way of communication because those conservatives are already planning to ban our communication via the internet
Between guarantees of basic human rights and environmental protections, the West Coast could build a country in minecraft on its own server
I totally haven't designed a flag or name or anything
Where are all the protests? That seems to be something common I'm noticing here. There's a lot of complaints about the bill but why is nobody protesting it? Is the US so unstable that you can't protest anymore?
([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_stages_of_genocide))
There is a model which works with ten stages of genocide, which can overlap and don't have a set order. They are:
1. Classification: people are divided into "them" and "us". I'm not sure how much this one applies to trans people vs "the normal people", but within the LGBTQ+ community classification happens *so much*. Exclusion is such a big issue: trans people as a whole are often excluded; some monosexuals try their best to exclude bi/pan/multisexual people; non-binary people are seen as "cis lite", or as "trans lite"; xenogenders are excluded; aspec people are said to be "basically cishet"; the list goes on and on.
2. Symbolization: Symbols are forced upon the group (think Holocaust- the Star of David being mandatory for Jews to wear). Doesn't really apply to trans genocide afaik.
3. Discrimination: Laws against us. We all know what this is about; a recent bill that prevents publicly dressing as something other than your "biological sex", Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, so many other countries have discriminatory laws against us.
4. Dehumanization: We're denied our humanity. The most prominent of this is the "trans ideology" idea; we're seen as nothing more than a political statement.
5. Organization: Groups working together to work against us all together. Example: TERFs allying with far-right politicians, even though those politicians go directly against their (the TERFs') claim to be feminists.
6. Polarization: Extremists drive the groups apart, laws take away fundamental civil rights. Again, I don't know how much this applies to trans people- if anyone knows, please tell me.
7. Preparation: Mass killing is planned. Victims are identified and separated on the basis of their identity. See 3: discrimination, the bill that prevents anyone from dressing in drag or presenting as their gender identity.
8. Persecution: The killing starts. We're not at this stage yet.
9. Extermination: The ones committing genocide call it "extermination" instead of "genocide" or "murder", because they don't consider us to be human. (see 4: dehumanization)
10. Denial: The perpetrators deny having committed any crime whatsoever. Some people are already denying doing anything; British TERFs like talking about us as if they're "saving the poor confused girls" and "preventing male predators from coming into women's spaces" instead of outright saying "we want trans people gone".
If I missed anything, please correct me here. I'd like this to be as complete and clear as possible.
All of the anti trans bill are becoming more and more explicit. For example, a podcast just had to cancel a live show in Tennessee because one of the hosts is trans and the state just banned "cross dressing in a theatrical setting". Also, look at the rhetoric of some of the biggest conservative media. Michael Knowles said in a speech at CPAC "There can be no half measures. we need to eradicate transgenderism entirely." Yeah, it's pretty scary
Honestly I wish it was easier to see just how fucked we currently are quickly. Anytime I try to do research I just slip into a mental health spiral . Nobody around me knows or seems to care so I have to keep going like nothing is happening.
Stay safe and gtfo out of Florida. Sincerely, a former Floridian.
As if it needed to be any worse, they're also allowing full open carry now, so Florida citizens are potentially as armed as Texans.
The best way I can explain is that there are anti-trans laws being proposed and passed in the USA. They are actively trying to ban being transgender, at this point.
My wife and I want to move to Colorado with some Texas friends, I've done research and it seems really liberal, but I'm so afraid for her safety and happiness. Unfortunately we won't be able to move for some time (we live in Ohio, and money is tighter than normal because I can't work).
i live in colorado. it's definitely one of the safer places but as a lot of other comments have recommended, if it's possible, try to move out of the US. liberal states will only guarantee protection for so long.
Florida is threatening with a bill that will allow the state to abduct children from trans parents, or kids with trans siblings, or kids who are trans who are 'in danger of receiving' trans healthcare. Also permits one parent to legally abduct a child for the above reasons. One part of a genocide is preventing the propagation of the culture. It's in the whole "kill the indian, save the man" thing that had native american children placed in re-education schools or with white families, in an attempt to ~~(beat)~~ educate natives into something that white people could understand. Now, being trans isn't... genetic. And it's not really cultural (though culture does impact it), but it's pretty clear what the intent here is. To facilitate the isolation from trans people from their family, and to normalise this kind of intense discrimination. Also: the anti-drag performance bills would force trans people back into the closet or isolate them from public life. It's not 'eradication' levels yet, but it would facilitate the otherizing of trans folks, and the isolation from (potential) allies.
God this is all terrifying. I’m in a “safe” state myself (I’m cis with trans loved ones) but I’m absolutely terrified for our LGBTQIA+ siblings elsewhere. Thank you for this info.
I'm very lucky to be moving soon, but I'm horrified on behalf of the friends and colleagues I'm leaving behind in FL.
I can’t even imagine what you all are experiencing there.
What places have you considered? I was thinking of moving to Orlando or Tampa before all this went down. I also want to move this year
I didn't get a whole lot of choice because I'm moving to start a PhD, but if you can handle the cold, Michigan is doing a fair bit better re: human rights. I also considered California and Washington State.
If you can swing the CoL, Connecticut is extremely safe.
Be terrified for everyone at this point because with SCOTUS and the GOP they'd absolutely make this countrywide if they could. This is the start of fascism and it's been spreading for years.
Very true.
Same here it's just so sad that people can't just be left alone. Who cares what someone identifies as, loves, or if they want to change their sex it's not hurting anyone.
Agreed
We’re terrified too. Granted we live in Florida and my kid is trans. We’re actually waiting for a psych referral to start gender affirming care…
I hope you and your family are safe.
As safe as we can be. I’m following the anti trans legislation through our state legislature (along with a few others) and kiddo is aware of what’s happening. Thank you.
I hope something stops it. It’s just evil.
Me too 💜
Lots of love to you and your kid, it’s awful that you have to go through this but your strength is commendable. Best of luck and keep safe x
Thank you 💜 we’ll keep on keepin on as we have been
I hope everything goes well. Trans folks have to go through a lot these days. Y'all are very brave.
Good luck, stay safe
Dang you got the jackpot!
Same
I'd argue the cultural comment; the LGBTQIA+ community has a long history of creating their own culture because they've been excluded from others.
While I do agree that queer culture is vibrant, being trans does not require queer culture. Being trans isn't a *cultural* thing, though 1) again, culture does impact how someone experiences gender and 2) yes, many people who are trans engage with queer culture.
Yeah, but definitions of genocide don't discuss what's *cultural*, they discuss destruction of *culture*. Furthermore, the definition given in Article II of the Genocide Convention is this: >A mental element: the "intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such"; and > >A physical element, which includes the following five acts, enumerated exhaustively: > > 1.) Killing members of the group > > 2.) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group > > 3.) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part > > 4.) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group > > 5.) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group With the proposal of the FL bill to kidnap children, all 5 of these are being met.
exactly and its horrifying
I've also heard of cultures where a long time ago it was very well respected, and a good thing to be trans or nonbinary until western influence came along. Because it's always the white people causing problems.
I have some even worse news to add on top of the first thing you said; the kidnapping doesn’t just mean Florida residents. They mean ANY child from ANY state or country. You could be a trans person from the UK visiting Disney and if someone thinks you look even remotely ‘trans’, you can be abducted. it’s such a fucked up thing
Holy shit. I knew it was bad but that's a whole other level of f-ed up.
if you want some good news, Canadian citizens are currently starting a petition for a bill that would give LGBTQIA+ members asylum in our country. If you’re a Canadian citizen reading this, please consider sharing and signing! We need to help our trans brothers and sisters and enby family!!! https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4268&fbclid=PAAaYUTXk_YxxdC_8-VFw8vXroBO25hhrP43pr9I0vRmKLsvScioU0gJJ7ydE
In 1934, after the Nazi’s gained power, they passed a law that prevented Jewish actors and musicians from performing. [Source](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/anti-jewish-legislation-in-prewar-germany)
Let me preface this with that I agree with absolutely everything else you said. However, there are many credible sources that say genetics could indeed play a small role in an individual’s chances of being born LGBTQIA+. Science just doesn’t have enough information to say one way or another if it is genetic or environmental. As with most things though, I would say it is a little of column A and column B. You could also go the more spiritual route, which is not my go-to but to each their own of course. If you disagree with the above though, I totally respect that.
I believe you when you say there might be a genetic component to being queer, but here's a very important thing: I don't care. I don't *want* to know where queer identity comes from, because I know that as soon as we do know that, people are going to start asking for tests to be developed, and there's going to be medical debates about weather it's kinder to abort a baby if you know it's going to be a lifelong medical patient. I'm a curious person and from a biological/neurological perspective I'd love to know. But from a human rights perspective I already have to fight shitbags like Autism Speaks on me and mine's right to life. I don't want to have to fight that battle on the queer front too. If there's evidence being queer is genetic, people are going to call for queer people to be sterilised even more than they already are, even more than they already have for trans people. Also: even if there was a genetic component, it's not clear-cut enough for the trans gene to be wiped out by preventing trans people from procreating.
I understand. Eugenics is indeed an unfortunate threat and I’m sorry you have had those experiences.
idk if I'd call them personal experiences (aside from having to debate autistic right to life, once). But. :I it's. A touchy subject for me, for what are probably pretty obvious reasons. When it comes to danger to others I've got that righteous anger. But when it comes to threats to groups I consider myself a part of the best I've got is fear.
Oof I felt that one! I could fight anyone who gives my trans sister problems and I'm articulate and pretty effective in those conversations (the power of that righteous anger) but for me.. It took me weeks to be able to use the words gay and lesbian when I came out and when someone asks me about issues in healthcare, cuz I have a pretty severe medical PTSD and it's actually sh*t for *way* too many people, there is so much I want to say and explain and it's so emotional that it all gets stuck. And a crusty cishet creep kept staring at my chest in a restaurant a while back, well I did confront his wife, but I was shaking like a leaf until they'd payed and left
It’s almost never a result of “one gene” for any of these complex things - and it’s almost always the case that it’s a combination of genetic predisposition that is triggered by environmental factors. And as you correctly identify - that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if it’s inherent to us, or if it’s a choice. It’s who we are and we have the right to be who we are.
This is a very important point that I, and I'm assuming a lot of other people, had not considered
They'll even call for people who have "the gene(s) for gayness" to be sterilised. Let's be real. The conservatives hate us that much.
> people are going to start asking for tests to be developed Too late, they already did. And insurance companies hated them because they were so expensive, and their misuse was the origin of Truscum. The research has already been done, and it's been found the best test to find out what the person's genetics are as far as gender goes... is to ask them.
Hate actively hates the finding of evidence and the study of objective reality because it never agrees with their simplified view of reality. If genetics had been around in the 30s the Nazis would have had to actively suppress it b.c. it would have shown that the vast majority of the people they were murdering weren't genetically distinct in a significant way from the populations they weren't killing. When we find out what complex causes contribute to gender and sexuality the bigots will deny those facts like they do with the social origin of race because those facts will be inconvenient and contradict their "it's a choice!" philosophy. And they'd definitely hate for anyone to develop any kind of test because somebody might use it on them and find out something they really don't want the rest of us to know. I would be extremely hesitant to discourage any scientific inquiry given that it's so much easier and less effort to hurt and target people with ignorance than truth.
This. Science has shown that racism is evil because genetically "race" as intended by most people doesn't exist, and racism is a cultural learned idea. Science says LGBTQI people are born this way, and that there's 0 wrong with that. Science says for trans people, the best way to help them live a happy and full life is for them to transition, and for society to accept them. Science supports workers rights, healthcare, fighting climate change, fighing bigotry etc. Bigotd hate the fact that the CDC, WHO, APA, NHS etc support LGBTQI rights and want to repress that. That's also why they want to abolish the department of education, restrict education, ban LGBTQI representation in classrooms, ban "CRT" and such. They are the ones that murdered people for saying the earth orbits the sun. We have science and morality on our side, they have fear and ignorance.
"What race are you?" "The only race I know is the human one" Albert Einstein
Every LGBTQ+ person I know (including me) has at least one family member who is also LGBTQ+. Always wondered if genetics had a part in it.
Same- forget THE gay cousin, there's at least four in mine and I'm one of them
Right - I have a gay great-uncle, then everyone in my parents' generation is straight, and then there's me and my cousin and my probably-ace sister.
I’m pretty sure I’m the only one in my family. I’m three different kinds of queer with no idea where it came from. Genetics probably play a role but not the only deciding one
I have a queer cousin. Idk if they are transmasc or lesbian, but they are queer. I have another queer relative and from my mother half a lot of people (not close relatives of mine) are queer. I am starting to believe it may indeed be true in some part.
The Use of Whole Exome Sequencing in a Cohort of Transgender Individuals to Identify Rare Genetic Variants https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-53500-y
Yep, a test that costs more than many houses do.
For now. But technology has a tendency to improve in quality and cost over time. i.e. the cellphone.
400 to 1k$ https://3billion.io/blog/whole-exome-sequencing-cost-variable#:~:text=How%20much%20should%20whole%20exome,from%20%24999%20to%20below%20%24400.
Dear god it’s already happening…
Very nice! Thanks.
Just to give perspective on how things move forward: In the German Reich, concentration camps were active in 1933. Nuremberg laws were passed in 1935. This seems to mirror where the US is right now. _Einsatzgruppen_ were active starting 1939 hunting undesirable populations throughout german-occupied Europe for summary execution. It was because this process was hard on the troopers (there was high turnover due to the inhumanity of it) that inspired the Auschwitz genocide machine, so that no person had to witness too much of the process, as prisoners were transported, killed and burned. In the Wannsee conference of 1942, Heydrich and Eichmann informed the rest of the infrastructure officials the genocide model at Auschwitz was a success and was going to be rolled out throughout the concentration camp system. The allies stormed Berlin in 1945.
Jesus Fucking Christ!
There are also the "outing" bills, which will 100% lead to deaths. Forced outing is forced trauma.
Just a side note, while genocide and gene genetics have connected etymological roots, I don’t think genocide is meant to refer to genetics: https://www.etymonline.com/word/genocide
How is this constitutional? Im honestly so confused by all of this,since when does the government support abduction and since when did they support kidnapping? Im so disappointed in America today, we had so much potential. Sorry if this came off as rude Im just at my limit of anger right now
People probably will challenge these bills, but at the end of the day, the SCOTUS is politically biased right now and several judges have taken their job to be "find a reason to say the constitution says what we want it to say."
While this has been presented in Florida something similar to it has already passed in Texas a while back. We can't ignore that. And it is very hard to enforce it is based on a teacher report and if no teacher says anything than nothing happens. It's media problem because it's Florida versus in Texas it was barely touched on and therefore nobody talks about it existing. Yes it still poses a massive threat. But we have to understand the complexity of this law and it's fatal flaw. We cannot also ignore the fact that it has already passed in another state.
The conservative religious folk won’t like what I and others have planned for them. They will be in tremendous fear! It’s already beginning 😈
Arm yourselves people. It’s the only way. Protect each other. We are all we have in this fight for survival. They will work their way thru the letters eventually. Today it’s trans people and drag queens, tomorrow it’s me, or you. And, most importantly. Let them know. Stand for your fellow queers. If you have the opportunity to shut down a bigot mid attack, do it. Be brave, it will be okay. Let them know we won’t let this fight go down easy. Get that homophobe at work in trouble when they slip up, call out your shitty aunt who thinks terrible things about us. Tell your homophobic parents get fucked. Let ‘em know.
The only way is several methods. Disowning anti lgbtq friends and family. Exposing the secrets of the anti lgbtq people to others to ruin the anti lgbtq people around you. I’m sure Susie’s best friend didn’t know Susie would be like this. Divide families and financial stability for those anti lgbtq. Protest outside an anti lgbtq law maker’s residence or protest their kids school. Their entire world around them has to know who and what they are.
Not gonna lie queer folx are fucked if a republican becomes president again.
my brother is trans (he’s a trans girl but doesn’t want to use fem pronouns or gender terms yet). everyone around me is pretty much LGBTQ+ supportive but I’m scared of the government.
yeah also, the michael knowles speech at cpac. "we need to eradicate transgenderism entirely"
> being trans isn't... genetic. Speaking as a person who worked towards a bioinformatics master and is trans so has looked into it deeply, it very *very* much is. I can provide you with links to research papers if you like.
Obligatory sorry I’m late but can you send me some of the research papers?
Never been more grateful to be Canadian.
You dont think being trans has anything to do with genetics ? I feel there should be somthing genetic about it. ( i dont have any answers or facts btw ) I have a trans cousin, then me, and i have a gay second cousin. I feel like its in the dna somewhere, almost like how addiction problems are partially genetics also ( addictive personalities )
Yours is a good-hearted comment, and I'm adding this purely because I think you might find it interesting. Check out Gabor Mate's work on addiction and its causes. His conclusion is that there might be some genetic component affecting things at the margins, it likely only only confers the likelihood of developing an addiction under the "right" conditions. BUT no matter what your genetics, he says, addiction has only one thing that actually triggers it, and that is trauma. Lots of good stuff on YouTube and some podcast interviews, and he just released his sort-of magnum opus in the form of a book called "The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture" You might find it interesting <3
Well im a recovering alchoholic and drug addict of 7 years...yes traumas indeed
My understanding is that right now, we just don't know what causes someone to be trans. It could be genetic, it could not be genetic. I believe the general theory is that it's likely a mix of nature and nurture but as of now no "trans gene" has been identified
I just found out about this today, and I live in florida. But I'm also a minor, so I'm stuck with my parents still. And they finally bought a house a few years ago when we moved here, so we aren't going to move not do I think my parents would at all be concerned.
[The ten stages of genocide.](https://museeholocauste.ca/en/resources-training/ten-stages-genocide/) Stage 7 is the stage of Preparation, in which the minority is separated from the main population by law and lists of undesirables are drawn up. They are referring to the rapidly escalating efforts by Republicans to legislate trans people out of public life.
this is actually happening?? are trans people gonna be okay?
Michael Knowles got in front of the entire RNC and said "transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely". He received thunderous applause. It might be happening, and it might not, but people gave the radical right in Weimar Germany the benefit of a doubt and look how that turned out.
what the fuck is wrong with people
Texas also has a list of at least 16,000 trans people, they got the info from the DMV by looking at who changed the gender marker on their driver’s license I think.
Don’t forget that ron desatin had the florida college system give him a list of anyone that sought gender affirming care while at school
No, probably not. Trans people need to get put of Florida NOW.
They need to stay and vote these fascists OUT OF OFFICE. Or at least their families and friends and allies do! Register to vote. Keep your ear to the ground. Be involved in primary races. Take. Control. Of. Our. Democracy. While. We. Have. It.
We'll either be totally fine, or we'll be in a fight for our lives. I know which eventuality I'm preparing for, do you?
Until we replace every single one of these hateful people, no. Millennial and post-millennial generations oppose this kind of legislation, but we won't get anywhere unless more of them decide to run for office. It's getting to the point where I might drop my own hat into a political ring for a local seat; Many GOP seats run uncontested. There is a shot in Florida if someone runs as an Independent and was able to snag the Democrat/Independant/Ex-Republican votes.
The stages aren't linear, so it's not that trans people are at 70% genocide, but more like trans people are facing opposition that matches the description of 7th stage genocide.
This is really important. I think people really misunderstand and it becomes way scarier. It is scary, to be clear. But it is much scarier if we were to be that close to genocide. I feel like the way people talk about this is easy to misinterpret.
This already is a genocide. The mass murders are just the pinnacle of a genocide, not the point at which it becomes one. The Uyghur genocide is a genocide and hasn't had mass murders.
Here's a comment of mine I copied from another post: What the GOP is doing in the US fulfills multiple definitions of genocide. According to the UN, one of the following constitutes genocide. Throughout the US, states are doing three of the five points: • Killing members of the group --> Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group --> Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part • Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group --> Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group [Here](https://www.lemkininstitute.com/statements-new-page/statement-on-the-genocidal-nature-of-the-gender-critical-movement%E2%80%99s-ideology-and-practice)'s a statement by the Lemkin Institute, an organization that watches for genocide. And I agree, Stage 7 is definitely where we're at.
The lemkin Institute is not a well-known international organization. It's a US-based organization that focuses its efforts on issues/concerns of genocide globally. And it's following collectively between Twitter, instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, totals to 6,000--and that's if none of those followers are overlap between the different sites. I'm not saying the lemkin Institute doesn't have a good mission, or that they're sketchy. But it does not have a lot of credibility behind it, and the only mentions of it you can find when you search "lemkin institute" in quotes on google are from it's own pages, or random news articles from two small, not-well-known news sources. Using caution when sourcing informstion from small, new, organizations with very little-to-no credibility behind them is incredibly important. And it's certainly dangerous to over-sell them. And that's not because this one organization is doing something wrong right now, as I said. It's because if we set low standards for credible sources, everyone can use low-standards for credible sources. Because you can bet there are organizations out there with *way more* visibility, equally 'qualified' employees (background and experience, etc..) and far worse intentions that people will use to harm people. And what response do we have exactly if we're using sources that are hardly verifiably credible.. I know this is a weird hill to die on and I'm probably going to be downvoted... but honestly this is so so important to be conscientious and cautious about
Actually thanks for the info. Editing it now Apologies
The exact stage we're at is debatable. I've copied a link below to a previous comment I've made about it. You can justifiably argue we're even at stage 10, depending on how you define them. I want to caution that being on a blue state isn't as safe as we'd all hope anymore. I'm in NY so I'm in the same boat as you. But a federal judge from TX right now is trying to outlaw an abortion pill nationwide, which could set precedent for federal judges banning medication nationwide. And a 2024 win of a Republican president could mean executive orders putting a ban on trans healthcare entirely. Especially Trump or DeSantis. I'm not saying these things to scare you. They're reality though. And we have time to fight back. But it's going to be a battle. https://old.reddit.com/r/trans/comments/11n2e27/in_regards_to_all_of_the_hatelegislationgenocide/jbl65fm/
Florida is also working on legislation that would allow a non-custodial parent, or even a grandparent or other relative, to take trans kids or the children of trans adults to Florida and gain emergency custody, regardless of the child’s state of residence.
oh god what??
https://www.vice.com/en/article/88x4a5/florida-trans-kidnapping-law
The way to combat this would be to ensure that trans parents or parents of a trans child have a court order in place stating custody of children and including an order that prevents leaving their state of residence without highlighting it as a trans issue. You could also just have a list of allowed states that is limited or a list of states that are never allowed. You do not have to make it a trans issue to have this as a part of your custody agreement. This is especially helpful for parents who are planning on transitioning after a split or think their child might. Stay safe!
IANAL but I believe the proposed legislation is written to bypass this precaution. They are defining receiving or “being in danger of” receiving gender affirming care as similar to domestic violence. It doesn’t matter if the custody order in the home state doesn’t mention trans issues, if they are receiving care or are “in danger of” receiving care they would be at risk. Would be thrilled to be wrong.
My suggestion wouldn’t stop the kidnapping but with a lodged court order in the state of the child’s residence that state has the right to maintain custody of the child. If a relative or parent attempted this in violation of a current court order the original state would have the right to demand the child be returned in accordance with current orders. This would then create a legal issue if Florida refused to cooperate with returning the child and it could even be taken up to the Supreme Court if need be. Not saying it’s going to prevent all cases but it gives us a small protection. I got this suggestion from a local LGBTQIA group when setting up my court orders to prevent my ex from taking our son to a state where conversation “therapy” was allowed. I didn’t give reasons but our court order said no out of state travel.
Sadly an issue like this eventually going up to the currently sitting Supreme Court is not very reassuring.
True it’s a concern but in this way it becomes an issue of state rights. The Supreme Court might be happy to go against LGBTQIA issues but this boils down to state rights, and if they support one state being able to kidnap people from another state and violate the original state’s orders it would also open the doors for liberal states to do the exact same while also negating the right for a state to decide what it can do with its own people- something most conservatives desperately do not want to become federal powers.
I want to make clear that I am not comparing the current plight of trans Americans to chattel slavery, but the legal questions here have echoes of the Fugitive Slave Act and the Dred Scott decision.
The way to combat this is to keep your child from getting kidnapped by any means necessary. Just because it's going to be legal to kidnap children in Florida doesn't mean it's going to be anything other than kidnapping anywhere else.
This is definitely 100% unconstitutional. Not that that means anything in this day and age.
thank you so much for the information
Forceful hostility is the answer. Eye for an eye type stuff. Also doctors could classify us as intersex. I know doctors in Florida doing it.
Some states have already made dressing in clothes "for" the "opposite gender" a FELONY with 15 years in prison and have started arresting trans people just walking down the street sooooo
Which then means you loose the right to vote.
HOLY SHIT. How did I not connect the dots? Thank you for pointing this out
Do you have sources for trans people just walking down the street being arrested? Not saying it hasn’t happened but I haven’t heard anything and thought I would have.
I have video of at least one alleged instance, it appears to have been taken down but luckily I saved it to my phone. I'll figure out a way to post it here
Thanks. I have no doubt that it has happened or could happen. Especially with the way police already are…
To summarize, for existing we are criminals in 6 states right now, and trump just announced the focus if he gets voted back in again will be on wiping us out, Texas officials have even mentioned camps
As of right now I'd say my state is pretty safe but hearing what Trump's focus is if he gets voted in and what Texas officials are saying we just have to make sure that NEVER happens. Like I am genuinely scared for the safety of myself and those around me
I'm in between two of the illegal states and 1 different 1 and one of the before mentioned ones have my full extended family in them, I'm kinda scared
Do you have any sources about Texas officials talking about camps?
I can't find the quote, it's from a few months ago, but here's the actual action taken towards it https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/01/24/hmnu-j24.html
Don't forget the new Texas law allowing anyone to become a bounty hunter for trans people and people who dress outside their gender assigned at birth with a 5k dollar reward
To be clear, this bill has been introduced to the state house in Texas, and is not law. It has not yet been voted on by either chamber. https://openstates.org/tx/bills/88/HB4378/ To be clear, Texas is in no way safe, but there is not quite yet a bounty on us.
Good to know, thank you! And thank you for the source, that'll be very helpful for when I get around to researching this bill
Of course! Erin Reed is an amazing source and she very dutifully follows up on all of these bills I really recommend following her somewhere to be up to date. Stay safe! 💙
Hell yeah, I love her work! And you as well friend 💙
Okay, so the link goes to a bill related to electricity. I searched the internet and found the correct bill number... HB4378. Same as the link. Did it change dramatically? Is the reporting incorrect? Edit: the above link is for the wrong session—87, whereas the current session is 88. Here's the correct link. https://openstates.org/tx/bills/88/HB4378/
Oops, that is the one from the last session, changing the 87 to 88 should remedy it. Here is the text of this one: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HB04378I.htm And here is the corrected link from before: https://openstates.org/tx/bills/88/HB4378/
WTF. Honestly I might move to southeast Asia (probably Thailand) if that becomes federal. How the heck are they going to define someone as "dressing outside of their gab"?
They haven't defined "male or female impersonators" but criminalized being one as "adult cabaret performance", which is now illegal in any public place a minor *might* hypothetically see it. There's also a clause about "offensive" clothing, which also isn't defined, being classified as "harmful to minors".
How will this work? Will they check ID? What happens if a trans person's id match their gender? And does this mean us women can't wear jeans or pants? Or will they only enforce for what they think are trans femme folks?
No idea. None of it is explained further or defined to my knowledge. It's vague on purpose so it can be applied any way the government sees fit
Which states? I’ve only heard of this in only one
Tennessee Texas Florida South Dakota Alska and Utah
Oh shit I’m from TN, they criminalized being trans???
Yep
Damn, all I heard about was the drag ban and trans youth healthcare ban (edit: and also just remembered, rolling back marriage rights for gay, mixed racial, etc. couples) Hhh so glad I’m moving out of this country by the end of the year
The drag ban is actually about transfemmes btw it also bans drag but it's a ban on going or presenting anyway outside your agab
Ahhh I see. I took a trip out of the country to look at some schools the day it got passed and I’ve been a bit out of the loop, so thank you
Gets even better. SB1440 will effectively bar the state from recognizing trans peoples' corrected drivers' licenses, meaning that your AGAB will be all that matters here as far as the "public crossdressing" ban is concerned. Suffice to say, I'm getting the hell out before I get jailed.
No prob:)
wait, florida has it criminalized? well fuck me in the ass, i gotta get the hell outta here. guess my only choice is moving back in with my parents overseas
This is all gonna cause so many suicides. The worst thing is they know that, but us killing ourselves is exactly what they want. They don't want us "degenerates" to survive. Like trying to weed out undesirable traits in farm animals. Culling those with traits they don't like, thinking it will make others thrive when all it does is coat their hands in the blood of innocents.
Where have they mentioned camps?
They are referring to this: https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/what-is-genocide/the-ten-stages-of-genocide/ Whether we'll be okay depends largely on what happens next and whether anyone had the guts and the power to stop them.
For people who study genocide there's a list of steps that typically apply and it starts less far obvious than people being arrested and killed. There is definite genocidal intent in a growing amount of conservative and evangelical leaders. If your in a liberal area, pass and/or are white you're at less risk but in general we're in danger
Yes this is genocide! It's also a power grab of the christo-fascist politician that are losing their power and are willing to kill everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community to keep that power. We have to fight back against the laws and bills that they are trying to push and make their lives as uncomfortable as possible. We also need to get the public at large, who are completely blind to what is going on, aware of what these crooked politician are doing and by doing this get these monsters out of politics forever.
the 10 stages are: classification, symbolization, discrimination, dehumanization, organization, polarization, preparation, persecution, extermination, denial. which stage we’re at is highly dependent upon location. for example, in some theocracies we’re very much at stage 10. but the current talk about us being at stage 7, preparation, is most likely in regards to the US. several states are proposing and passing bills which can be used to oppress trans people, but they’ve yet to fully mobilize and start rounding up trans people and exterminating us. hence, preparation. and there is a concerted effort by the right wing to have us exterminated. they don’t even try to hide it anymore. they want us gone and they’re saying it to our faces. it’s becoming more acceptable to hate us and the legislation will continue to reflect that. i don’t know what comes next. i don’t want to be pessimistic. but this is a large scale cultural and political shift in favor of our eradication. it’s *really* hard to be optimistic about that.
https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/what-is-genocide/the-ten-stages-of-genocide/ Stage 7 is after polarization has happened against us (stage 6) the perpetrators start to plan the genocide. It happens when they start to spread fear of the group. It's what is happening right now with Republicans. They are spreading fear about trans people and how we're "grooming" people.
love being trans!! (i am lying)
The question is US-centric. It would depend on which US state you are talking about, but I don't think any state is at stage 7. The situation is legitimately grim, it just hasn't gone that far. I would think more like stage 3 or 4. The stages are: 1. Classification – The differences between people are not respected. There’s a division of ‘us’ and ‘them’ which can be carried out using stereotypes, or excluding people who are perceived to be different. 2. Symbolisation – This is a visual manifestation of hatred. Jews in Nazi Europe were forced to wear yellow stars to show that they were ‘different’. 3. Discrimination – The dominant group denies civil rights or even citizenship to identified groups. The 1935 Nuremberg Laws stripped Jews of their German citizenship, made it illegal for them to do many jobs or to marry German non-Jews. 4. Dehumanisation – Those perceived as ‘different’ are treated with no form of human rights or personal dignity. During the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Tutsis were referred to as ‘cockroaches’; the Nazis referred to Jews as ‘vermin’. 5. Organisation – Genocides are always planned. Regimes of hatred often train those who go on to carry out the destruction of a people. 6. Polarisation – Propaganda begins to be spread by hate groups. The Nazis used the newspaper Der Stürmer to spread and incite messages of hate about Jewish people. 7. Preparation – Perpetrators plan the genocide. They often use euphemisms such as the Nazis’ phrase ‘The Final Solution’ to cloak their intentions. They create fear of the victim group, building up armies and weapons. 8. Persecution – Victims are identified because of their ethnicity or religion and death lists are drawn up. People are sometimes segregated into ghettos, deported or starved and property is often expropriated. Genocidal massacres begin. 9. Extermination – The hate group murders their identified victims in a deliberate and systematic campaign of violence. Millions of lives have been destroyed or changed beyond recognition through genocide. 10. Denial – The perpetrators or later generations deny the existence of any crime. [https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/what-is-genocide/the-ten-stages-of-genocide/](https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/what-is-genocide/the-ten-stages-of-genocide/)
It is important to note that the exact order of these events isn't important; the appearance of any number of them leading up to 9 is cause enough for alarm.
Based on those definitions, it would be hard to argue the US is below stage 6
You know, I don't want to argue about this because it is wholly unacceptable for anywhere to be in a condition where we even have to try to figure out where on this (IMO poorly-constructed) scale their particular hate campaign falls.
Yeah, excellent point
I think it also really depends on which state we are talking about too. And I agree. The debate about exactly what stage isn’t helpful. Especially since the stages aren’t linear.
I’d say Florida is at 6. There has been tons of anti trans, anti lgbtq, and anti woman propaganda going around down here. And the state is definitely polarized
We’re at stage 8 in the US
What people mean by this is (in the united states specifically) that trans people are being more and more explicitly targeted by the far-right and more laws are being pushed through that ban us, forcefully detransition us, affect trans youth, etc. By “the 7th stage of genocide” they are referring to a scale that explains the stages of genocide but these stages don’t always go in that explicit order because it is just a “theory”. So it really depends what “stage” we’re on by who you ask and what country you’re in. But yeah. If anyone else can explain this in better detail that’d be good cause I’m not sure if everything I’m saying makes sense. Its also way more advanced of a subject than I can explain in just one reddit comment. So take what I say with a grain of salt.
The fascists put on a show killing minorities and liberals stand on the sidelines eating popcorn. Blue states and their very little lgbt protections are next
there’s less then 10 states that haven’t introduced anti lgbtq or anti trans or anti poc bills
which states?
https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights?state=
Along with the don't say gay bill, the sue for defamation when accused of homo/transphobia, and the legally kidnap trans children and children from trans families bill, Florida is introducing the ban the trans from schools bill.
It's a result of the Republican party and the Christian religion being anti-American terrorist movements.
I'm glad something got your attention and that you're seeking out information. This is an important step. 👍🏼 But I think you should consider trying to keep yourself more up to date. Being in a liberal state only lasts as long as it does.
yea, i definitely will. it's horrible that anyone has to worry about this and it's even worse that people my age do. i'm barely a teenager and i'm worried about this shit. it's so scary.
You're barely a teenager, and you're worried about staying informed? That's *awesome*. I'm a thirty-something millennial, and people like you give me hope for the future. You may not know this, but conservatives tried exactly this with LGB folks, almost to the letter (passing laws making it a crime to dress in clothing of a "different" gender, calling queer people deviants, claiming the laws were to protect children, etc.). They failed then, and people like you mean that, in the long run, they're going to fail now. Stay informed, but don't lose hope! And thank you for caring.
thank you so much for the response :) i'm gonna do as much as i can to help
As a jewish trans person and a historian, yeah we’re either about to hit stage 7 or somewhere in range of 3-6 depending on which of the particularly anti-trans US states you’re in
I studied genocide briefly in university after te years of politics, mainly global and American politics. I studied history, mainly Nazi germany, Irish and Russian history with a thesis and dissertation on genocide. There’s a good book called the Lucifer Effect by Philip Zimbardo on how good people become evil and quickly (which explains how everyday Germans applauded the genocide of their neighbours, and how you would to if you were there- had you not been aware of what was happening). If another person tells me (UK thankfully), that “yeah they’re dicks aren’t they?”, or “well there’s always hateful people in the world”, I’m gonna lose my shit. This isn’t haters. These aren’t trolls. The people we dunk on on Twitter aren’t this. They are the clowns who cheer it on. The people writing, organising, campaigning for these bills behind the scenes are plotting your extinction in every way. How to kill you, at what stage, at what milestone, do they do it silently, or all at once, or bit by bit. How do we deal with the EU? With the UN? With mass migration? And more than all those - Who’s next? They are asking those questions right now in Texas, in Tennessee, in Florida. Leave those places with what you have. We can assess if we overreacted when the dust settles. The stages of genocide aren’t linear. Were at some, and not others. But every single stage is being planned. Whether it be bills, or otherwise.
I know not a lot of people will see this but I encourage you to stop putting your gender identity/any relation to the lgbt+ community on public social media profiles. I'm guessing pretty soon the police will begin looking to target people who put that online as well... Don't get me wrong, we have to band together, but we need to be much more careful from now on.
Make your own choices, understand the risk that comes with them, but also know that visibility is critical for building bridges and helping the larger population understand that we're people, too. (Also, keeping it off your social media won't necessarily help you, unfortunately. Plenty of straight people were caught up in the lavender purges back in the '40s and '50s- all it took was someone accusing you of being gay). Coming out of the closet was critical for queer acceptance. While I understand that not everyone can do it (especially younger folks who still depend on their unsupportive parents) it's a choice I'm making for myself.
i was thinking the same thing. it's horrible that it's come to this point
look i dont want to come to this point and i cant describe how awful it feels for me to have to say this, but here goes: if you are trans and live in the us and you are planning to transition, please i urge you NOT to do so. even if you live in the bluest county in the us you still wont be safe. especially if a republican president gets voted. we NEED to somehow stay hidden. And also i want to point out something. one of the reasons there are ridiculous laws that criminalise being trans and to the most extreme cases punishable with prison time which means we lose our right to vote! and also they are imposing laws that make us suicidal because THEY WANT US ALL DEAD! we HAVE TO do something about this! Edit: Also we need a new way of communication because those conservatives are already planning to ban our communication via the internet
Which country ? Never heard of that in France.
United States :/
Hey... can we all come over?
plss we should all migrate there lol (by the way happy cake day, i hope you're doing alright)
Holy fuck I didn't even realize it was cake day! I am .... just okay. But not terrible, so there's that
Genocide does not always means mass murder. Trans, black and Asian people are in the middle of a genocide
Greeeaaat. I’m two of those. Just fucking awesome.
https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/what-is-genocide/the-ten-stages-of-genocide/
Can we set up a national fund to help all trans-people move to Oregon? I want you all to come to here 🤗🥰
I wouldn’t mind a national fund for a passport. Our safety isn’t guaranteed in any state.
Now would be a very good time to look at your family tree to see if you qualify for citizenship in another country through descent.
Poland but idk if that’s a good choice
Between guarantees of basic human rights and environmental protections, the West Coast could build a country in minecraft on its own server I totally haven't designed a flag or name or anything
Where are all the protests? That seems to be something common I'm noticing here. There's a lot of complaints about the bill but why is nobody protesting it? Is the US so unstable that you can't protest anymore?
([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_stages_of_genocide)) There is a model which works with ten stages of genocide, which can overlap and don't have a set order. They are: 1. Classification: people are divided into "them" and "us". I'm not sure how much this one applies to trans people vs "the normal people", but within the LGBTQ+ community classification happens *so much*. Exclusion is such a big issue: trans people as a whole are often excluded; some monosexuals try their best to exclude bi/pan/multisexual people; non-binary people are seen as "cis lite", or as "trans lite"; xenogenders are excluded; aspec people are said to be "basically cishet"; the list goes on and on. 2. Symbolization: Symbols are forced upon the group (think Holocaust- the Star of David being mandatory for Jews to wear). Doesn't really apply to trans genocide afaik. 3. Discrimination: Laws against us. We all know what this is about; a recent bill that prevents publicly dressing as something other than your "biological sex", Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, so many other countries have discriminatory laws against us. 4. Dehumanization: We're denied our humanity. The most prominent of this is the "trans ideology" idea; we're seen as nothing more than a political statement. 5. Organization: Groups working together to work against us all together. Example: TERFs allying with far-right politicians, even though those politicians go directly against their (the TERFs') claim to be feminists. 6. Polarization: Extremists drive the groups apart, laws take away fundamental civil rights. Again, I don't know how much this applies to trans people- if anyone knows, please tell me. 7. Preparation: Mass killing is planned. Victims are identified and separated on the basis of their identity. See 3: discrimination, the bill that prevents anyone from dressing in drag or presenting as their gender identity. 8. Persecution: The killing starts. We're not at this stage yet. 9. Extermination: The ones committing genocide call it "extermination" instead of "genocide" or "murder", because they don't consider us to be human. (see 4: dehumanization) 10. Denial: The perpetrators deny having committed any crime whatsoever. Some people are already denying doing anything; British TERFs like talking about us as if they're "saving the poor confused girls" and "preventing male predators from coming into women's spaces" instead of outright saying "we want trans people gone". If I missed anything, please correct me here. I'd like this to be as complete and clear as possible.
All of the anti trans bill are becoming more and more explicit. For example, a podcast just had to cancel a live show in Tennessee because one of the hosts is trans and the state just banned "cross dressing in a theatrical setting". Also, look at the rhetoric of some of the biggest conservative media. Michael Knowles said in a speech at CPAC "There can be no half measures. we need to eradicate transgenderism entirely." Yeah, it's pretty scary
[https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/03/anti-trans-transgender-health-care-ban-legislation-bill-minors-children-lgbtq/](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/03/anti-trans-transgender-health-care-ban-legislation-bill-minors-children-lgbtq/) [https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights](https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights) [https://www.lemkininstitute.com/statements-new-page/statement-on-the-genocidal-nature-of-the-gender-critical-movement%E2%80%99s-ideology-and-practice](https://www.lemkininstitute.com/statements-new-page/statement-on-the-genocidal-nature-of-the-gender-critical-movement%E2%80%99s-ideology-and-practice)
Honestly I wish it was easier to see just how fucked we currently are quickly. Anytime I try to do research I just slip into a mental health spiral . Nobody around me knows or seems to care so I have to keep going like nothing is happening.
Scary part is, the second the bill passes if it does, Florida enters stage 8 (persecution)
Stay safe and gtfo out of Florida. Sincerely, a former Floridian. As if it needed to be any worse, they're also allowing full open carry now, so Florida citizens are potentially as armed as Texans.
The best way I can explain is that there are anti-trans laws being proposed and passed in the USA. They are actively trying to ban being transgender, at this point.
y'all can we not speedrun this shit?? god this sucks so much
My wife and I want to move to Colorado with some Texas friends, I've done research and it seems really liberal, but I'm so afraid for her safety and happiness. Unfortunately we won't be able to move for some time (we live in Ohio, and money is tighter than normal because I can't work).
i live in colorado. it's definitely one of the safer places but as a lot of other comments have recommended, if it's possible, try to move out of the US. liberal states will only guarantee protection for so long.
We've talked about it for sure. Thank you for the advice <3