Hello World!
It's been nearly 9 months since World Rugby announced their outright ban on trans women competing, and I wish I could be writing this update from a place of hope and positivity.
The unfortunate reality is that across the world, trans people are under attack like never before. In the U.S. alone, legislation targeting trans youth in sports and proposing to criminalize life saving, gender-affirming health care for trans children is rapidly making its way through more than half of States around the country.
We know for a fact that trans people and our rights are being used as a wedge issue to roll back protections for LGBTQIA+ folks as a whole, because the evidence overwhelming suggests that proponents of these bans are trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.
Luckily, visibility on this issue has increased in turn, with more and more organizations and public figures taking a stand against anti-trans hate. We know that these ploys to regulate trans people out of existence will fail, just like the predecessor bathroom bills we saw in previous years, however the lives of real people and children are at serious risk.
I am writing this update to share a particularly important resource that dismantles the arguments made in the Hilton & Lundberg paper, which formed the basis of World Rugby's decision. I ask that you share this as publicly and as widely as possible, in the hopes that it might grab their attention and change hearts and minds.
As a trans woman, it can feel absolutely overwhelming to face this onslaught on a daily basis. I have felt deep sadness, furious rage, and abject hopelessness over the past months. However, the best antidote is action.
What can you do to help?
- Share this video on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and tag World Rugby
- Call your U.S Senators and tell them to support the Equality Act in the Senate, which would extend anti-discrimination protections to trans people including the right to participate in sports
- Call or write to your State representatives and ask them to oppose anti-trans legislation if you are a resident
- Continue to have conversations with friends and family about misconceptions of trans women in sports, and focus especially on correcting the false use of fabricated terms like "biologically male" that have become routine talking points as of late
- Most importantly, reach out to the trans people in your life and tell them you love them
I am still absolutely floored by the international support this petition has received. I return to your comments often to remind me that there is a light at the end of this tunnel.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for showing up for our community.
In Solidarity,
Grace McKenzie