Forgive me if this is the wrong place to post.
With the government becoming what it is doing to discriminate against us, should we start running to Canada before we can not? I feel like eventually it will get to the point that we are not safe here, and will not have an other options. I have thought about it and I think I want to follow through, but honestly I do not know where to start. I do not know if we qualify for safety in Canada yet and I fear by the time we do, it will be too late.
If anyone knows how to or has moved to Canada, I would love some advice to look into it.
Run if you wish, if the Canadians will have you. It's probably better to stay and change things, though. Society and business are behind us. The people who want this are the same people who lost the war to own people over 150 years ago... and they'll lose this war, too. As the song says:
"The South's gonna do it again"
Let's wait to run away until there's a present, tangible benefit to doing so, and let's also make absolutely certain that the country we're running to will actually maintain a better standard over the long term. Canada's got its own problems, and anyone who leaves right now won't be around to fight the current American government to make sure that things don't get to the point where leaving is necessary.
If the democrats don't take the House, it might be time to start looking into it.
- karen
Quote from: Karen_A on October 21, 2018, 12:13:22 PM
If the democrats don't take the House, it might be time to start looking into it.
- karen
That is where my head is at right now.
My opinion:
If the Right retains control of the country, eventually HRT and other transgender treatments will be made illegal. Maybe not this year, or the next, but it'll happen eventually. Not long after that, it will become illegal to be transgender at all, to identify or present as anything other than one's birth gender. No government ever removes all of a minority group's rights at once, it's a gradual process, but if they continue in this direction eventually we will find ourselves deprived of our right to exist and identify as our own gender.
I'm sure some people here may disagree with my assessment of the situation, but my point is: if we can't get enough people willing to protect us into office, eventually we will find ourselves persecuted. We are one of the first minority groups on the chopping block. So, it's very possible that we may all need to escape this country at some point in the near future. Right now, I'm not sure if we would qualify for asylum if we tried to leave, but if the government does do something drastic, we may find that doors once closed to us will be opened. If we need them, other countries may step up to welcome and support us. That's what I'm counting on.
It's not much comfort, I know, but hope is always better than despair. I would sincerely advise you to move someplace more progressive as soon as you can.
Quote from: DustKitten on October 21, 2018, 01:21:30 PM
My opinion:
If the Right retains control of the country, eventually HRT and other transgender treatments will be made illegal. Maybe not this year, or the next, but it'll happen eventually. Not long after that, it will become illegal to be transgender at all, to identify or present as anything other than one's birth gender. No government ever removes all of a minority group's rights at once, it's a gradual process, but if they continue in this direction eventually we will find ourselves deprived of our right to exist and identify as our own gender.
I'm sure some people here may disagree with my assessment of the situation, but my point is: if we can't get enough people willing to protect us into office, eventually we will find ourselves persecuted. We are one of the first minority groups on the chopping block. So, it's very possible that we may all need to escape this country at some point in the near future. Right now, I'm not sure if we would qualify for asylum if we tried to leave, but if the government does do something drastic, we may find that doors once closed to us will be opened. If we need them, other countries may step up to welcome and support us. That's what I'm counting on.
It's not much comfort, I know, but hope is always better than despair. I would sincerely advise you to move someplace more progressive as soon as you can.
#Truth. I am right by the border so I can pick up when the time comes, but I shouldn't have to. Right now my goal should be, to be prepared and be active. This is NOT something we should be brushing off or ignoring.
Quote from: PhoenixGurl2016 on October 21, 2018, 11:07:49 AM
. . . should we start running to Canada before we can not?
Nope! It's not time to go to Canada. It's time to stand and fight.
Quote from: itsApril on October 21, 2018, 02:07:02 PM
Nope! It's not time to go to Canada. It's time to stand and fight.
True, but I am not a maryter and I am not going to become one
QuoteNope! It's not time to go to Canada. It's time to stand and fight.
Not at the moment. First we have to get rid of the Premier (similar to a U.S. governor) of Ontario, who's often called Trump Lite. There was a recent photo of him with a well known bigot and she claimed he supported her. It took a lot of objection in Provincial Parliament and elsewhere to get him to weakly distance himself from her. In the past week, there was a known bigoted U.S. Congressman, who endorsed her for the municipal election tomorrow. She wants to be mayor of Toronto. So, it's a growing problem that has infected Canada too.
Quote from: PhoenixGurl2016 on October 21, 2018, 02:19:45 PM
True, but I am not a marter and I am not going to become one
"Y" would someone want to be that? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I read the article and ended up seething with anger and frustration. I would not say disbelief. For a long time, I have been torn between just living my life as a woman, not bringing attention especially to my trans background and me wanting to be an advocate for trans people. I do not think I can sit like a clay pigeon waiting to be picked off by the haters. This has definitely tipped the scales for me. The thought of leaving the country is something that is emotionally appealing when we are slapped in the face with this assault. I would think a more practical approach is to push back. First of all vote. Consider a donation to someone fighting this if possible. Calls to politicians don't cost money. Consider writing the local paper with logic, keeping a cool head so as not to alienate allies with the anger we justifiably feel. Consider writing companies who might offer us support in the form of pressure. They have done it before (remember N Carolina.) We cannot afford to lay down and play victim without fighting.
I just wrote to my member of parliament asking that Canada make it easier for transgender Americans to claim refugee status here.
However, as your good neighbours to the north, we really need you to stay and fight. Trumpism is spreading internationally. We have Trumpists in power in some parts of Canada. We Canadians need you all to shut Trumpism down at its source, before the contagion spreads farther.
I really hope that this plague can be stopped, and that you won't need to come here. But, if you need to come here, we do have full protection against discrimination or hate speech on the grounds of gender identity, both federally and in each province and territory.
Thank you, Kathy. I'm not planning to leave yet, but it helps to know our friends in other countries are looking out for us. It's good to have those options ready in advance if we need them.
I agree absolutely, this NEEDS to be stopped here, before it spreads. We can't just roll over, forget about it, and pretend this is the "new normal" again. This crosses a very personal line for us, so let's use that as our call to act!