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intheflow

(28,780 posts)
Mon Jul 22, 2024, 11:44 AM Jul 22

Question regarding Harris and trans rights

Hello, Beautiful People! I’m a cis woman (she/they) who has a white trans/queer couple as housemates. They are both 30+ years younger than me and often hear news of the LGBTQ+ world that passes my old white ass by.

One of them told me they weren’t happy with Harris because she sent trans people to prisons that corresponded to their assigned gender at birth. 😳 I have never heard anything about this!

Important to note that this housemate is an anarchist and doesn’t vote, so maybe they’re mixing up something they heard years ago? Also important to note, if it was back in 2015/16, they were a “straight, married Morman” but beginning to understand some truths about themselves, so that might have colored any recollections.

Anyway, I’m not trying to shit-stir. I’m behind Harris 100%! Just looking for outside context/perspective/reality check/etc. from DUers because it sounds so bizarre! Like, if it happened was it because of the law at the time and her hands were tied? 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thanks in advance, All!

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Question regarding Harris and trans rights (Original Post) intheflow Jul 22 OP
That seems pretty unlikely, since prosecutors normally don't determine Ocelot II Jul 22 #1
This is what I figured most likely. intheflow Jul 22 #3
Dont know, but she was a prosecutor in the 90's getagrip_already Jul 22 #2
Timeline is important! intheflow Jul 22 #4
Here is a good source LostOne4Ever Jul 23 #5
Thank you! intheflow Jul 23 #6
You say they don't vote TommyT139 Jul 23 #7
There are multiple reasons for them to not vote this election, intheflow Jul 24 #8

Ocelot II

(119,044 posts)
1. That seems pretty unlikely, since prosecutors normally don't determine
Mon Jul 22, 2024, 11:53 AM
Jul 22

which prison a person is sent to. Once the prosecution is complete and the judge renders a sentence, the specific terms of incarceration are mostly determined by a state's laws and its bureau of prisons, not by the prosecutor. Some states probably have laws or policies regarding who goes where, and in any event if a state's law requires a trans person to serve time at a prison housing people of their same biological gender, the prosecutor or AG would be obligated to follow that law whether they liked it or not. Some states seem to be more enlightened in that regard lately.

getagrip_already

(16,784 posts)
2. Dont know, but she was a prosecutor in the 90's
Mon Jul 22, 2024, 11:53 AM
Jul 22

Things have changed a lot. People have changed a lot.

Also, she would have been a junior prosecutor and under the supervision of others, so there are complicating matters involved, even if true.

But you do know which way a tsf administration would manage prisons, right?

Is it really a complicated thought process?

intheflow

(28,780 posts)
4. Timeline is important!
Mon Jul 22, 2024, 12:22 PM
Jul 22

And hallelujah that the times have changed! For some reason I was picturing she was a prosecutor in the Dubya years, but if it was the ‘90s it makes sense. The Ghost of Reagan relentlessly ran amok in that decade.

Thanks for the context!

TommyT139

(333 posts)
7. You say they don't vote
Tue Jul 23, 2024, 05:56 PM
Jul 23

Besides Harris' very decent record on queer and trans issues (albeit limited by her roles at times), there is another factor to consider.

If your friends (or their friends) have benefited from access to gender confirming hormones, surgery, civil protections, or document changes -- they need to understand that all that will go away very quickly, if Trumpists gain power.

Some of these predictions are based on explicit details from Project 2025, while others are more vague, yet have already been tried out by red states, who have been coordinating their efforts to see how extreme policies can go without pushback.

Insurance will no longer cover access to trans care. It's not clear if coverage will be outlawed, but it will go away for subsidized care (Medicaid, Medicare, VA). It will go away entirely for minors. Testosterone is currently under examination for de-scheduling (possession without prescription is a felony); that effort will cease. Indeed, any mention of sexual orientation and gender identity will be removed from policies and data collection(!) - so not only with queer folk be affected, but the fight to end HIV/AIDS too. (Oh, and forget PrEP - coverage for sure, access very likely.) It is possible that if Trump appoints a malleable, corrupt head of the FDA, prescribing hormones for gender confirmation - will be outlawed, regardless of the patient's age. That would be a very fast and simple change, by appointment.

Surgery will once again be out of pocket -- and mostly out of country. In January I spoke with a long-term, well-known surgeon (with both FTM and MTF patients, who also has taught many other surgeons). He is leaving the country if Republicans win, and knows of many others.

Some states are already halting (and at least one state reversing) gender marker changes. Of course it is already illegal for many of us to use public restrooms in some red states. I cannot travel to Florida - as a fully bearded man with a baritone voice - and legally use any airport bathroom unless it's the women's restroom.

I haven't heard projections about what people will do who either have state or federal ID with an "X" gender marker. At best, being "allowed" to get a replacement will likely be the outcome.

There is also language in Project 2025 that implies that LGBTQ people who are out -- or who do not pass at every level as straight/non-trans -- will be prevented from working with children, and excluded from other jobs. They are linked to "pornography," and pornographers will be imprisoned.

Those are just a few of the consequences that have publicly available "evidence" for being listed here. And as bad as Project 2025 is, one of the Heritage Fdn heads said the other week that there is a _lot_ more detailed plans which have not yet been made public.

If we end up with a trumpist regime, and there were trans or queer folk who abstained from voting at all, I hope they don't try to cadge some pity from the rest of us. Pity will be in very short supply.







intheflow

(28,780 posts)
8. There are multiple reasons for them to not vote this election,
Wed Jul 24, 2024, 12:15 PM
Jul 24

primarily that they're in a national job search and don't know where they'll be living by the election. They absolutely know all the dangers the current moment holds for them - including that they've converted to Judaism.

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