Philly students want Shapiro to declare Pa. a sanctuary state for transgender people — among other demands
On Tuesday, students and teachers from several Philly high schools walked out of class and rallied at City Hall for trans rights.
Last year, as University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas competed as an openly trans woman, her participation in women’s swimming caused an uproar. It became the entry point for people not typically concerned with transgender issues to enter the conversation with force, buoyed mostly by hurtful rhetoric.
These voices weren’t the only people paying attention to Thomas’ story, though.
Several miles north from Penn’s campus at Central High School, Wes Allen watched and listened to the vitriol launched at Thomas.
“It was hard,” he said. Allen is transgender, and also a swimmer. He was not allowed to compete for Central High’s boys’ team, and the way he was treated often left him feeling invalidated. He pulled back from social media after receiving online hate and has been harassed in both boys’ and girls’ restrooms. But he didn’t stop competing.
“I kept doing it because I love swimming, and I’m not going to let transphobia take away what I like and love,” he said.
» READ MORE: Lia Thomas speaks on podcast about trans issues and her experience at Penn
Allen was the lead organizer of a student rally for transgender rights on Tuesday afternoon. At noon, more than 100 students and some teachers from several Philadelphia high schools walked out of class and made their way to City Hall.
“This came together from [the] feeling of needing to do something. I’m 17. I can’t vote,” Allen said.
He described how other trans students he knows are afraid to go on family vacations to overtly transphobic states for fear they might not come back. Allen is staying in Pennsylvania for college for the same reason.
“We wanted to do something other than wait.”
Rights for transgender people, and youth in particular, are under attack now more than ever in America. Conservative lawmakers all across the country have passed overtly anti-trans legislation in recent years, such as banning gender affirming health care or trans education. On top of it all, trans youth have become the fixation of right wing media and stand-up comedians, from whom they are treated as illegitimate or face outright threats.
“What people are doing now [is] just dehumanizing trans people, especially trans youth,” said Eden Kim, 15, a transgender student.
“We just want people to listen to us.”
At the rally, the organizers made several demands of the city, the School District of Philadelphia, and elected officials, including:
All Pennsylvania House members to oppose HB 138, 216, and 319. These proposed bills seek to expand a person’s ability to sue after receiving gender-affirming treatment, ban transgender girls and women from participating on girls’ and women’s sports teams at public schools and colleges, and restrict public school education concerning sexual orientation and gender identity.
Gov. Josh Shapiro to issue an executive order declaring Pennsylvania a sanctuary state for transgender people. California calls itself a “refuge” state for transgender people after it passed laws protecting gender-affirming care, though no other state has declared a “sanctuary” status. But, several others have passed similar legislation and are clear about supporting trans people, including Minnesota and Colorado.
The city to re-allocate additional funds to the school district to educate staff on gender diversity and to create more gender-neutral facilities, such as restrooms and locker rooms.
While the student organizers hope that those in power act upon their demands, they said that there is plenty that people can do in their everyday lives to support trans people and their rights.
“In Philadelphia, the problem we’re encountering ... is just the indifference that people have where they [think], ‘This is happening in other places, but it’s not going to happen to us,’” said Max Shallapi, 17, referring to transphobic laws and rhetoric, and urging people to pay attention.
“This is happening, [and] it could happen [here], and we are not the exception.”
Kim said that people ought to educate themselves on what it means to be transgender — not just about the legal threats and complicated issues, but also about simpler things, such as proper terminology.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t know,” Kim said. “How would you know if you’re not asking questions?”
The most important thing for people to do, according to Allen, is to call out everyday, casual transphobia, such as in-jokes or throwaway comments. “That is a very safe way to show trans people in your life that you are there for them and that you are not going to stand idly by while bigotry is tossed around,” he said. “People aren’t going to know that you disagree with them unless you say it.”
The students aren’t asking for much, they said. And say that the same goes for the rights they rallied for.
“The trans community is a tiny community that just wants protection and rights and health care, and the ability to exist without being discriminated against,” Allen said.
“Just like everyone else.”