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It's been a long time since I lived in Texas and then only briefly for six months in Houston in the 1970's.
I knew the transgender situation was bad back then and then it reputedly improved ever so slightly before Trump appeared. Then it went downhill as he progressively attacked human rights, (not just civil rights) but I had hoped things would be improving somewhat. Seemingly not very much, judging by the comments to Babs' 81. Ah well, it seems that some parts of the US still have some ways to go. I await Joe Biden's initiatives surrounding transgender rights and federal law.
Currently, I'd still have reservations about visiting some states (mostly southern ones) in the US. Caution would be my main watchword.
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In all the red states
We are losing more ground than we'd gained. I've done my time in Texas and won't voluntarily go back. They've even started to go after lesbians. We were mostly ignored as not being a threat to poor, fragile redneck egos. That's changing, and not for the better.
Besides most of my immediate family lives there now. Them I'm more than happy to avoid.
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
Up until a few years ago........
I worked as the Director of Transportation for Belk Stores and was based out of the DC in Columbia, SC. I spent several days each week at the corporate headquarters in Charlotte, NC, as well as an occasional trip to the DC in Jackson, MS. Surprisingly enough, while I had been very concerned regarding what type of reception I would get in SC, the people in Columbia were generally very good to me.
Jackson, MS was pretty much exactly as I expected it to be, and the reception I received there was cool to say the least. My boss had the nerve to tell me I was, “too New York,” - which I chose to take as being that I was too forward, but later learned was a euphemism for the fact that they weren’t comfortable with me being transgender. Apparently, my being transgender was all they could see, and my skills and knowledge meant nothing.
What truly surprised me was the way I was treated at the corporate headquarters in Charlotte. Although the company purported to be very LGBT friendly, I found that this was not true. Yes, there were plenty of openly gay men working there - which is not unusual in a fashion centric company, and they were apparently treated OK. But apparently the company’s LGBT policies didn’t really extend to the T portion. I was quite often misgendered, even by representatives of the Human Resources department. The one group in the company one would expect to be vigilant about how they related to others was just as bad, if not worse, than the general public.
As a matter of fact, the HR manager who was assigned to my department within the company was apparently highly religious, and like a good portion of my own family, a so-called “good Southern Baptist” - which is apparently a code word for someone who believes I am evil incarnate and good only to burn in hell.
I actually filed a complaint with the company regarding her, only to be told I was blowing things out of proportion. It seems that their policies only applied to certain people, and were actually more window dressing than fact. After a few years there, I decided it was best to find greener pastures, which turned out to be one of the best moves I have ever made. I am now working for a company which values me as an employee and treats me wonderfully.
I have been lucky enough in my life to have been born in California, and to live in upstate New York. This has not only made it much easier for me to correct my legal records and identification, but has also provided me with a home that is safe and allows me good health care and legal protections. I am not a native New Yorker, and my family is spread throughout the southeast - actually being centered around the Charlotte, NC, area. The few relatives with which I still have a good relationship are mostly in Florida, where I spent a lot of my childhood and still visit as often as I can. I would love to retire there in the not too distant future, but I am not sure that is a viable option under the current political and cultural environment. It is truly scary how the ultra conservative and bigoted right has rooted into the rural parts of this country - and not just in the south. But for whatever reason, they seem to get the largest political boost in the south. Perhaps time will change that.
But will it be soon enough for many of us?
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
Down the road in FLA
The lawmakers (sic) are working on passing laws that will basically force genital examinations (and other things like DNA tests) on High School and College Students who identify as Transgender and want to play sports.
I guess De Santis and his cronies have been reading 'My Struggle' by you 'the Austrian Corporal' again.
A sad reflection on the mentality of our 'Dear Leaders'.
Samantha
State sponsodred sexual assault on minors
It's sickening that we have legislators in the US that think it's effective to subject minors to sexual assault just so that they can play sports.
We must stop this madness.
Why do we give so much power to racist, sexist bigots in the first place? Organize, Protest, Lobby, Vote.
Your friend
Crash
We don't give them power
They've always had it since before even the American Revolution and they have no intention of giving any of it up. While I endorse and encourage voting the truth is we are a minority of a minority. We have no power as a voting block so it is safe for the PTBs to use us for whatever purpose they desire.
PS: "We" refers to trans and trans allies, not LGBTQ+ people in general. Many lesbians, such as the TERFs, are quite happy to point out that trans people and groups are riding their coattails and they could get along just fine as LGB-only groups. They're probably right, at least in the short term. But this "immunity" they think they have is a fantasy and the conservative power blocks will throw them under the bus when it becomes convenient.
They know they can survive
Texas
I would not live in Texas even if you paid me to.
I am fortunate in being very passable, extremely so. The fortunate part is being Asian and slim and having the determination to become as passable as possible.
It was at at trans support meeting where the boyfriend of one of our girls where, over dinner, he complimented me by saying that I could pretty much live anywhere. I did not get the feeling he felt the same way about his girlfriend though.
Point is, Texas is pretty nasty, my partner's brother and his wife bought a house in the Dallas area I believe and within 3 months moved right out. This is costly to say the least but let's just say the neighbors were not friendly to northerners and leave it at that.
Austin area is the only basically decent area is my understanding but it is a pretty tiny portion of such a huge state that I think it does not change much the bad crap that Texas represents.
I have visited Texas once on business, in Killeen and spent a weekend in San Antonio and it is not my cup of tea.
Not all Texans are assholes
Me, for one. Of course I live in Austin, sort of the Berlin of Texas. The city administration told the governor to go to hell and is keeping the mask mandates but trips to the hinterland are still filled with tRump signs and mask less fools. Actually we LIKE it here and there is a thriving liberal community. Remember, there are assholes everywhere, not just Texas. Oh yeah, in 7 years I've only seen one idiot openly carrying a gun.