Transgender people are visible like never before

There's waves of anti-trans legislation that will harm trans youth. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Today's Opinions   Thursday, March 31 Transgender kids deserve the same safety and freedom we want for all There's waves of anti-trans legislation that will harm trans youth. Today is Transgender Day of Visibility. We have several columns about LGBTQ+ issues and we hope you enjoy reading them. Transgender kids deserve the same safety and freedom we want for all By Vivian Topping and Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen When we were growing up in the 1990s, the mere existence of transgender kids was an unthinkable reality. The only depictions of transgender people, if there were any, made us out to be a joke, an oddity, disgusting, or all three. It was far more common for transgender people to be fired from jobs, denied housing or face violence just by walking down the street. We still face that now, but after all these years, things are getting better.  We know the vast majority of people in our country support transgender people, and that support is increasing. Generation Z accepts transgender people at a higher rate and identifies as transgender more than any other generation. We've made incredible progress in building a shared understanding of who transgender people are – our lives, our dreams, our stories. Transgender Awareness Week stares down challenges of bathroom bills and hate crimes GETTY Could two GOP vetoes of anti-transgender bills be a reason for hope? By Rex Huppke Transgender Americans are being buffeted by waves of cruelty. Laws being proposed or passed in states across the country are attempting to restrict access to gender-affirming care, access to high school sports and even access to books that address transgender issues. Behind all these laws is the message that transgender people, adults or children, are not equals. That they are somehow an aberration, a subject to be avoided or stashed away in a box in a dark backroom corner of a library. That is as cruel as it is baseless. And these laws are as damaging as they are opportunistic. Adm. Rachel Levine's message of courage: 'Be true to yourself' By Suzette Hackney In any administration, the public health of Americans is a priority – a tenet that signifies prosperity and perseverance among us. But during a global pandemic, when relative calm turns to crisis seemingly overnight, community well-being instantly becomes a matter of life or death for millions of Americans. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, this fact continues to keep Adm. Rachel Levine up at night. Levine is the U.S. assistant secretary for health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, where she leads a group of 6,000 uniformed public health officers. In normal times, her job is important. During a pandemic, it's crucial. Other recent columns on LGBTQ+ issues • 'Don't Say Gay' bill going to Gov. DeSantis. Let's 'Don't say Florida' • Bills like 'Don't Say Gay' hurt LGBTQ youth • Who are you calling unnatural? Even if Florida teachers don't say gay, science sure does • Republicans can't erase diversity, but they're sure trying hard This newsletter was compiled by Jaden Amos. Discover more with our newsletters: Get the latest headlines, things to do and more in your inbox. Sign up here.   FOLLOW US Problem viewing email? View in browser Unsubscribe • Manage Newsletters • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights • Privacy Notice • Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy • Feedback © 2022 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22102