Today’s Action: Tell States to protect transgender people

Last week, unhappy with the results and speed in lower courts, Trump asked the Supreme Court to fast-track cases involving his ban on transgender troops in the U.S. military. Asking for this type of extreme judicial intervention was a highly unusual request before the Trump presidency — but he has now attempted to bully the courts four times in recent months over the additional topics of DACA, climate change, and his discriminatory 2020 census plan.

Trump is a major threat to the constitution in many ways, and we will see how the Supreme Court respond. But before we get complacent and think the courts will stop this disgusting move against the transgender community, remember: Trump issued three versions of his Muslim Travel Ban, and although the first two were stopped by the courts, the third version of his ban is now in effect.

We can’t take anything for granted here either. We need to go on the offensive against Trump’s bigoted plans for transgender people…and with the current Congress, it’s the perfect time to take it to the states.

Call or email your State Representatives and Governor, and tell them to pass laws that proactively protect transgender people. Tell them it’s critical that states stand strong for the trans community while their president is on the attack.

Trump’s ban is unjustified on all grounds, no more than an oppressive and deeply harmful party favor to the right-wing. A 2016 RAND Corporation study found that transgender troops “have minimal impact on readiness and health care costs.” In fact, the military spends 10 times more on E.D. medication than it does on the grand total of projected transgender health costs.

There are between 2000-11,000 transgender troops serving in the military, and they do so with courage and valor. They deserve to be treated equally, not with discrimination and shaming by their own government.

Email or call your State Representatives and Governor, and tell them to battle Trump’s plan to ban transgender troops by passing state laws that give further protection to trans people. We must refuse to tolerate intolerance.