Remember the Victories

We all know that yesterday was a big day, my friends. What that means for you, your family, and your loved ones might vary, but we as a country are moving into a new time in our history. Clearly, many people are viewing this new time as exciting and full of possibilities. It’s an undeniable fact, however, that others are having to scramble to shore up their very right to exist and be safe. To be one of those people can feel painfully isolating and hopeless. To get through this upcoming time and all of its uncertainty means that we have to put energy, every day, into keeping a clear perspective. Without minimizing the pain and fear people might be experiencing, it’s critical to remember that there are thousands upon thousands of people out there who want everyone to have equal rights, and they are working on a daily basis to continue to work toward that. To maintain this perspective, I’d like to take some time to remember the victories for trans people and their allies in 2024.

Below, please find a long list of those victories. This list has come directly from the journalist Erin Reed. I’ve written about her journalism before, but I’d like to highlight it again here once more. By subscribing to Erin’s Substack page, it’s possible to get well-reasearched information in your email inbox regarding all politics surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community. She tracks legislation and provides maps summarizing the different political environments in each state. As a subscriber, Erin sends emails, almost daily, about what’s happening in the legal landscape for trans and non-binary people. Needless to say, she’s been very busy in the last few years, and the news she delivers can feel very heavy. What I find, however, is that her reporting helps me feel more connected and less alone in my concerns for civil rights in our country. She also puts forth efforts to report on the good news as well, and that allows me to maintain the perspective I mentioned above. We are not alone, and we are not hopeless. 

Here is the surprisingly long list so that we can remember the victories in 2024. Please use the hyperlinks to verify the accuracy of her reporting!

Court Victories

• Montana’s gender affirming care ban enjoined by the State Supreme Court unanimously, a decision that will not be impacted by whatever the US Supreme Court decides.

• Chino Valley forced outing in California blocked by San Bernardino Superior Court.

• Texas book ban blocked by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

• 4th Circuit rules that gender identity is a protected characteristic and that medicaid bans are unconstitutional in North Carolina and West Virginia.

• Federal Judge rules trans teen can play soccer in New Hampshire, enjoining the law.

• Federal judge rules trans women teachers in Florida do not have to go by “Mr.”

• SJSU allowed to play volleyball despite a lawsuit claiming a player is trans in a federal judge ruling.

• Virginia trans middle schoolers allowed to play sports in Virginia ruling.

Legislative And Policy Victories

• Maryland passes shield law shielding trans people from out of state persecution for getting care. These laws have already proven useful when out of state attorneys general have attempted to get medical records on people traveling to obtain care.

• Maine passes shield law despite legislators being targeted by Libs of TikTok and bomb threats.

• Rhode Island passes shield law.

• California bans forced outing of transgender students in schools.

• California passes a ban on book bans.

• Illinois passes a book ban ban.

• Iowa “Pink Triangle” bill defeated after massive protests.

• Arizona ballot initiative does not proceed after Republican legislator votes it down.

• Almost every anti-LGBTQ+ bill defeated in Florida.

• 20 Anti-LGBTQ+ bills defeated in West Virginia.

• Every anti-LGBTQ+ bill defeated in Georgia.

• 20 anti-LGBTQ+ bills defeated in Iowa.

• Kansas Republican casts deciding vote against trans ban.

• Minnesota bans gay and trans panic defense.

• Every Colorado anti-trans ballot initiative fails to gather enough signatures to appear on ballot.

• Every California ballot initiative targeting trans people fails, despite being pushed heavily by anti-trans campaigner Chloe Cole.
• Kentucky Governor Beshear bans conversion therapy.

Election Victories

• Democrat Zooey Zephyr wins seat in Montana after her censure in 2022.

• Sarah McBride becomes the first trans woman congressperson in the US Congress.

• Marie Gluesenkamp Perez wins WA-03 despite being barraged with anti-trans debate claims.

• Sponsor of national forced outing bill Marc Molinaro loses election bid for US house.

• Republican Yvette Harrell loses congressional election bid after running on an anti-trans “Women’s Bill of Rights” platform.

• Shawn Thierry, who betrayed trans people in Texas, loses primary to queer woman.

• Republican Paul Junge loses congressional bid after running on a trans sports ban platform.

• Democrats win State Supreme Court seats in Michigan with huge implications for trans people under state law.

• Natalie Cline loses school board seat in Utah after accusing a cis girl of being trans.

• Incumbents fend off attack from Moms For Liberty aligned candidates in Wake County School Board, win all 5 seats.

• Incumbents fend off attack in Rochester BOE in Michigan from Moms For Liberty aligned candidates, hold seats.

• Mark Robinson loses governors race in North Carolina after running on fiercely anti-trans platform.

• Jeff Jackson wins AG of North Carolina after vocally defending trans people during election fight.

Studies:

• Study shows trans youth are satisfied 6-10 years later with their decision to medically transition, with extremely rare instances of regret.

• Study shows anti-trans laws are harmful, directly increase suicide attempts in states that pass them. In states that don’t, no such increase happened. 

• Australian study shows only 1% of trans people reidentify as cisgender.

• New study debunks “Social Contagion” theory of being trans.

• Finnish study used to show transgender care doesn’t work accidentally shows trans care saves lives.

• Yale Integrity Project debunks Cass Review often cited in trans care bans.

• 90,000 trans people, largest survey ever, indicate extreme satisfaction with decision to transition.

• Systematic review of trans surgeries shows regret is extremely low.

International victories

• British Medical Association calls Cass Review “Unsubstantiated”

• World’s largest psych association overwhelmingly passes resolution supporting that transgender youth care saves lives.

• RANZCP in New Zealand and Australia rebukes Cass Review.

• Canadian Pediatric Society rejects Cass Review.

• First French consensus guidelines support gender affirming care for trnasgender youth, denounce “Wait and see” approach.

• Japan allows transgender people to change gender without undergoing surgery after recent court ruling.

• AAP responds to Cass Review, rebuking it’s conclusions/recommendations.

• US Endocrine Society releases statement in support of trans care, denying the recommendations of the Cass Review.

Other victories

• Yosha Iglesias becomes first ever trans Woman International Master in chess.

• Erin In The Morning helps sell over 10,000 girl scout cookies for trans girl scouts.

• Hillary Cass backpedals on her own review after questioned by LGBT orgs.

• Tens of thousands of memes flood into Utah’s “snitch line” meant to report trans people in bathrooms, overwhelming the system.

• Vivian, Elon Musk’s trans daughter, slams her father, telling him to “touch grass.”

• Cisgender Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif, falsely accused of “being a man,” wins gold, angering transphobes internationally.

• Connecticut launches travel campaign targeting LGBTQ+ people in Florida and tourists thinking of visiting Florida, saying it does not discriminate.

• Bluesky becomes viable alternative to Twitter, allowing transgender people to have a social media space for sharing news without torrents of anti-trans hate.

I hope this list helps to remind everyone that a lot of people are out there fighting for equal rights for everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community. We are able to remember the victories we’ve shared and stay tuned in to the vast community of people who are standing up for equal civil rights for all.

If you’re finding that you’re needing support during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out and schedule a complimentary, 20 minute consultation to see if coaching with me would be helpful for you. You can also find me at Nurture Life Coaching. We can talk about your hopes and needs, and see what we can do together. There’s always the opportunity for connection and hope.

Remember the victories, my friends, and let’s keep working together to add more!