It's Not Just About Rainbows

On Monday, June 5, 2023, the Louisiana Senate passed a bill that bans gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth that includes prohibiting hormone treatments, gender-affirming surgery, and puberty-blocking drugs for transgender minors in Louisiana.

For our family, June and LGBTQ+ Pride month are more than wearing rainbows and posting on social media. As an ally and proud parent of a transgender daughter, it is about making sure our child is proud of who she is, feels beautiful inside and out, and remembers Jewish values in her daily life – not just in June, but year-round. As a resident of New Orleans and all that it encompasses, I won’t say there’s no celebrating. I will march with the Jewish Pride NOLA in our city’s Pride parade, and our daughter will lead the charge at Pride Shabbat as a counselor at URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp. Sometimes being her parent means stepping up and stepping in. And sometimes, it means being quiet, listening to her, and making space to lift up her voice.

When our daughter first came out to my husband and I, we worried about transphobia and the violence that can occur with this type of intolerance. Would she be ridiculed at school? Was it safe for her to walk home? Because it’s New Orleans, her friends, and her school were much more accepting and inclusive of her new name and pronouns than we anticipated, but it was still a constant worry. She was accepted and embraced as a Religious School teacher at our temple and camp counselor at Jacobs Camp. She went on to be elected to her school’s homecoming court, and we breathed a sigh of relief when they called her by her correct name (not her dead name) at graduation. But still --

Our Jewish faith teaches us we are all created B’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God – and to be unkind to a person is to denigrate the Godliness within them. So, it was no surprise that during the summer at her beloved URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp, she felt most included, respected, safe, and loved. While so many of our trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive children don’t have a safe space like camp, we are reminded time and again of the importance of the Jewish camping experience.

What can we do to support trans kids?

Saving a life, or Pikuach Nefesh, is the greatest mitzvah in Judaism. What our children need most is to be embraced by our Jewish communities, our Federations, our temples, our sisterhood and women’s groups, and for us to stand up and say, ‘We support you.’ Use your voice and your organization’s voice to pass resolutions defending transgender people and encourage your group to demand elected officials to take action for trans rights and LGBTQ+ equality. If your state is directly affected by anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, fill out the automated letter that goes to your representative, phone them and share your story, and give testimony at your state legislature.

As an indication of the importance of this issue in the U.S., the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization in the United States, declared a national state of emergency this week for the first time in its four-decade history. The LGTBQ+ community is facing an alarming level of discrimination, violence, and marginalization, and it is our duty to be protective allies and offer unwavering support and affirmation.

I could not be prouder that WRJ has always been at the forefront of drafting progressive resolutions, with our Transgender Rights Resolution passing over 20 years ago. I am also beyond proud to be part of the WRJ legislative body that modified our constitution to clarify that those who identify as a woman are eligible for service on WRJ’s Board of Directors. This organization is standing up to do our part because, as Jews know, none of us are free until all of us are free. As allies, regardless of our background or identity, please join me in waving your rainbow flag wide high to stand up for a future of equality and justice for our trans and LGBTQ+ kids to be able to live their lives fully.

Urge Congress to Pass the Equality Act

Most states do not have laws protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, and federal civil rights laws do not explicitly include protections for gender identity and sexual orientation. This Pride Month, tell your members of Congress to reintroduce and pass the Equality Act to provide explicit and consistent nondiscrimination protections for gender identity and sexual orientation.