Tekla Taylor

If we’re keeping it real—the state of the world is kinda scary right now. And that holds true for the transgender community, especially when looking at the current political climate and discriminatory gender affirming care bans.

How can we help? Well, we’ve got some answers thanks to Tekla Taylor (they/them), Digital Media Manager at the National Center for Transgender Equality, where they’ve been working for just over a year. They have a background in the history of gender and sexuality, and when they’re not working at the NCTE, you can catch them writing, painting, enjoying time with their wife and pets, and creating safe spaces for queer communities.

What is gender-affirming care?
Gender-affirming care is an umbrella term for many types of healthcare provided to both young people and adults that are supportive of a person’s gender identity. The term is commonly used to refer to what we at NCTE call “transition-related care,” which is healthcare that specifically allows transgender people to medically transition. Common types of transition-related healthcare include hormone therapy, surgeries, and hair removal, which can allow a transgender person’s body to align more with their gender. Not all transgender people receive transition-related healthcare, and what care a person does pursue can vary depending on their unique needs.

This care, which helps allow the people who need it to be their authentic selves, is currently being attacked by dozens of state legislatures around the country—despite the fact that it is known to be life-saving for transgender people. Banning transition-related healthcare is a direct attack on the basic well-being of hundreds of thousands of transgender people.

It’s important to know that expert healthcare providers have been studying and providing transition-related health care for more than four decades. Decades of clinical research and experience show that transgender people who have access to the care they need see a positive impact on their mental and physical health. Transgender people must be free to seek out the healthcare that helps them live happy and fulfilled lives.

This care varies significantly based on age. For young children, transition only involves social changes like new pronouns, a new name, new clothes, or a different haircut. As they get older, transgender youth and their families work closely with mental and physical healthcare providers to find the best treatments for their unique situations. We have a comprehensive guide to transition care for youth here.

How have you seen the political and medical landscapes around gender-affirming care change in the U.S.?
I’ve seen a significant uptick in attacks on transgender people in the past two years, fueled by severe misinformation. Extremist politicians have been projecting a false image of transgender people to stoke fear and distrust of a community that many people don’t understand. This is evidenced by the sharp increase in legislation seeking to ban transition-related care for minors.

The degradation of several major social media platforms and the unwillingness of tech companies to take a stronger stand against harassment and disinformation have contributed to this—as have politicians who try to use misunderstandings about our community to score cheap political points. Our joy and freedom threaten them, because transgender people are seeking their true authentic selves. And that freedom scares some people who would prefer more restrictive gender roles and a more authoritarian vision of the world.

You mentioned the increase in anti- trans legislation. How is this directly affecting trans people?
It’s enormously dangerous. We know that LGBTQIA+ youth are experiencing severe mental health effects from these legislative attacks, with one in three young people saying that they experienced poor mental health due to these policies.

Transgender people, and the parents of transgender children, have found themselves forced to move states just to access the care that they or their loved ones need. That’s a huge financial burden—as is driving for many hours just to access medications, which is also becoming more common for transgender people in states where their health care is being either restricted or banned.

Laws like these are a prime example of government overreach, and states which seek to deny our care are reaching into families’ homes to restrict their freedom. Everyone deserves the privacy and autonomy to make their own decisions about their health care–and that includes transgender people.

Why do you think these bans are happening now more than ever?
While transgender people have always existed, we are more visible now. Our increased visibility goes along with big historical shifts around gender roles, with the last few decades seeing more freedom for women and for queer people in general. Thus, we’re navigating the anxiety and fear of those people who wish that nothing had changed, and who seize on our community as an easy scapegoat. By seeking to express our true selves, transgender people embody freedom in so many ways—which is scary to those who demand that everyone stays inside restrictive boxes!

Despite this backlash—which always happens in response to progress—I truly believe that we will win. The old adage that says “first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win” really applies. We’re in the “fighting” stage, which is hard, but I take heart from my transgender ancestors who fought for their dignity and their joy through far harder times.

How can our readers help those affected by these bans?
Recurring donations are extremely helpful, because then organizations know they can rely on your support from month to month! We’d certainly appreciate your support here at NCTE, but you can also find a local trans-led organization in your community to support. Follow transgender people, hire transgender people, learn from transgender people, and educate yourself! If you can speak up when you hear something negative about our community, and push back against the misinformation against us, that has a hugely positive impact. Show up at your local school board or library to be a voice for our community and get involved in your local area however you can.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
You have far more power than you think. One positive voice for transgender people, freedom, and authenticity can have a huge impact, whether it’s at a local organization, a protest, or around the dinner table. You never know who’s listening.