Protect Rhode Island Students of Color and LGBTQIA+ Students
I have to say, I’m not shocked to be writing this, but I am saddened. If you have read the bio on my website, you’ll know that I grew up in the smallest state in the US: Rhode Island. It’s something I’ve always been proud of, but I haven’t lived there in a long time. Part of the reason for that is because I was forced by the social, political, and religious climate of the state to be a closeted queer and trans kid who dealt with racist microaggressions on a regular basis. And now, they’re not only trying to legalize it, but encourage it through law.
A representative from Rhode Island proposed H 7539 on February 18th, 2022, and this bill, if passed, would ban discussions of race, gender, and sexual orientation in classrooms, as well as prohibit transgender students from being called by their chosen name and pronouns without explicit permission from a parent. The emotional and physical harm this has the potential to do to these youth is, to say the least, distressing, but to say the most, inexcusable. Click here to read the bill.
If you live in Rhode Island, please contact your representatives and/or Governor McKee. And if you don’t, please contact your local representatives and governors. These kinds of bills are popping up in most states across the US. Whatever you can do to fight back locally will have a bigger impact than trying to fight in a state that is not your own.
More than anything else, friends, take care of yourselves. I’m exhausted. We’re exhausted. We will keep fighting, and we are not going anywhere. But we need to take care of ourselves in order to take care of each other. I love each and every one of you, and I promise I will do what I can. Please feel free to share the social media slides below and send the template letter at the bottom of the page to your local representatives , regardless of what state you live in.
Alt text: Florida is not the only state proposing a "Don't Say Gay" bill.
Alt text: Rhode Island proposed a bill (H 7539) on February 18, 2022 which would: - ban discussions of race, gender, and sexual orientation in schools - require trans students to use their birth names and pronouns unless their parent or guardian gives explicit permission to use a chosen name or correct pronouns.
Alt text: This would put LGBTQ+ students and students of color in danger. Banning conversations and education around race, gender, and sexual orientation is centered in white supremacy, heteronormativity, and cisnormativity. It posits that white, cisgender, straight students are “the norm” and anything which goes against this norm is unacceptable, despite the diversity of Rhode Island’s residents. It would also out many transgender and gender-diverse students and put the mental and physical health of all of these students at risk.
Alt text: What can I do?
1. If you live in Rhode Island, call or write a letter to Rhode Island representatives, senators, and Governor McKee. If you are comfortable, include a personal explanation of why this is important to you. An example letter can be found at www.deliamsosa.com .
2. If you don’t live in Rhode Island, contact your local representatives and governors. There are at least 39 states with active anti-trans and/or anti-LGBTQ+ bills. You can make a difference locally.
3. Donate to grassroots organizations supporting these communities on the ground. There are local orgs in every state.
Alt text: Finally, a personal note. With all of the national anti-LGBTQ+ hatred, why am I focusing on Rhode Island?
Because that’s where I grew up.
H 7539 would not only legalize, but encourage, the behaviors and attitudes that made me feel unsafe growing up in Rhode Island. I don’t want to see another kid from RI go through what I went through.
Dear [Representative/Governor _____________],
I am a [person of color/LGBTQ+ person/transgender person/ally/accomplice], and I implore you to vote “NO” on H 7539. As [include whatever identities you hold], I often fear for the lives of my family members, friends, and myself. Banning discussions on race, sexual orientation, and gender identity in classrooms, as well as banning the use of transgender students’ chosen names and pronouns, will not only prevent students from learning about people from backgrounds different from theirs, but it will exclude an enormous number of Rhode Island’s students from learning about their own history and their neighbors’ history. It also has the potential to cause significant psychological and physical harm to Rhode Island’s Black, Indigenous, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, and LGBTQIA+ students.
[You can include a personal anecdote here, or an explanation of why critical race theory, sex ed, gender-affirmation, etc. is important to you. Or, feel free to leave it blank.]
Children of color, LGBTQ+ children, and transgender children have too often been used as political pawns in recent years. Data from The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health indicates that the mental health of 94% of LGBTQ+ youth has been negatively impacted by politics, especially by anti-LGBTQ+ bills such as H 7539. This data also indicates that 75% of LGBTQ+ youth have experienced discrimination based on their gender identity or sexual orientation at least once. These children are not being protected. They are being actively harmed by anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
The language in H 7539 suggests that you care about the well-being of children and how they learn about history and about one another. However, by introducing this bill, harm has already been done to youth of color and LGBTQIA+ youth Rhode Island, but across the United States. If you genuinely care about the education of Rhode Island’s youth, please vote no and repeal this bill as soon as the opportunity arises.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Personal Pronouns (optional)]