- When I'm at the capitol and speaking to senators,
representatives, I don't think
that I'm gonna change any of their minds.
That's not what I'm there for.
I'm there to put a face to the issue.
I'm there to be a trans young person, very publicly.
The sheer amount of bills designed specifically
to hurt me and my trans siblings
means that I do not get to rest.
We are so tired of constantly being humiliated, excluded,
and treated as a monolithic other to be feared.
Stop hurting us, like leave us alone.
We are not doing anything to you, and we don't want to.
We just want to exist.
You're actively hurting us.
You may not realize it.
You may think that you're doing good.
But you are harming so many people,
and you need to know that.
You can't hide behind
the pretense of protecting children forever.
Because it's just not true.
And the world is gonna realize that.
(suspenseful music)
- Recently, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation
focused on transgender youth
were introduced by state legislators nationwide.
These bills target an array of issues,
from sports bans to outlawing gender-affirming healthcare.
Following the defeat of over a dozen
anti-trans bills in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott
and attorney general Ken Paxton
ordered the Department of Family and Protective Services
to investigate parents of trans kids
under claims of child abuse.
Trans youth, their families, and allies are fighting back.
Indigo Giles is a non-binary student
and activist at the University of Texas at Austin.
They began their public advocacy
during the 2021 legislative session.
Giles was motivated to speak out
on behalf of trans friends and youth
who were too afraid or vulnerable
to advocate for themselves.
Giles was inspired by their parents, Mandy and Neil,
who are allies and fellow activists.
The Giles are one of many Texas families
speaking out and advocating for trans youth rights.
Their fight is long and challenging,
but they are showing no signs of faltering.
(dramatic music)
- I guess I got involved in advocacy for trans rights
and specifically trans kids' rights
first and foremost because of our twins
who are both non-binary.
It was important for me that they know
that I and we support them in every way.
By trade and education I'm a lawyer.
The proponents of these bills,
they were not based in the law.
- It's exhausting to keep fighting these all the time.
It's terrifying knowing that our friends
could be accused as child abusers
or that these laws can affect them
in very real and very personal ways.
Knowing that that the top and power
just don't care about our kids
and don't see them as citizens
who are deserving of full rights,
which is just really hurtful.
- Trans children just want to fit in.
And for many of them, sports is one of the only places
they feel like they can belong.
Sports is a safe place for children to deal with
their social and mental health,
and taking that away would deeply negatively impact
the health and safety of so many of them.
Do not take this from them.
The public opinion is overwhelmingly against
these anti-trans bills.
I think trans kids are being targeted specifically
because it's an easy issue to rally around
for uber conservatives, because it's easy
to make it seem like it's a different thing than it is
by rallying around the cry
of, like, "Protect the children.
Who's gonna think of the children?"
Like that's always been a tactic.
And it's easy to spin kind of what's happening
into kind of fear mongering and incorrect portrayals
to make it seem like a big, scary thing
that people need to fix, when that's not the case at all.
- It's soul-crushing is what it is.
And I can't even imagine being seven years old
and telling grownups, "I'm a real person.
Please leave me alone.
Please treat me with respect.
Please let me live my life the way I want to."
- The DFPS here in Texas is basically
what you would think of as child protective services.
I believe it was late February of this year,
Abbott and Paxton released a directive
basically saying that providing trans-affirming healthcare
and basically doing anything that affirms trans kids
could be considered child abuse.
And so it acted as a directive and a permission
for the Department of Family
and Protective Services to start investigating
families of trans kids
as to whether they were abusing their children.
This is a lot to handle for like seven year olds.
They don't need to know about how much of the world
hates that they exist.
But this is what did it.
This is what made them have to sit their kids down
and explain and say, "If people come to our door
to ask about you, you need to tell them,
no, I won't speak to you without my lawyer."
They had to be taught how to lawyer up at age seven,
which is so depressing.
Lots of families who have had to leave the state
for their and their children's safety.
So many kids deal with so many mental health issues,
crippling depression, debilitating anxiety,
because of their dysphoria.
And having that all alleved
creates that sense of gender euphoria
that can save them from those dark places.
We should all wish to accept more transgender children
instead of attending the funerals of dead ones.
Thank you for your time.
- It changed my life.
I don't know where I would be
if I hadn't been allowed to have that.
I received a chest reduction when I was 17.
Actually, three months away from turning 18.
So just barely in the scope of Texas's nasty laws,
if they had been passed at the time.
And it was incredibly affirming for me.
The first time I saw myself in the mirror
just wearing a normal t-shirt,
I started crying because I was like,
that's how I was meant to look.
I finally feel at home in my body.
I don't feel like there's a stranger in the mirror.
There's just so much joy in knowing yourself
and knowing yourself in such a true way.
- If I had to share the most important thing I've learned
about being a supporter and advocate for our trans kids,
it's that they're the leaders.
We have to follow their lead.
- Support begins at home.
Having that support of their parents
and caregivers and family can really boost all kids',
but in particular, transgender and non-binary kids'
mental health, help them be on a positive trajectory.
And that includes things like believing your kids
when they tell you who they are.
I think having those pieces as the foundation,
then everything else becomes a little bit easier.
And then it becomes a little bit easier
to advocate for your child.
(audience applauding)
- Hi, everybody.
I'm Indigo.
I use they/xe pronouns.
I'm our director of communications.
So if you see any really cute and funky and cool posts
on the Instagram, that's me.
Any graphics that you see, that's also me.
And the newsletter is me.
And I am a third year psych major
with a soon to be completed minor in Mandarin Chinese.
And I'm a big nerd.
So you can talk to me about anything nerdy and I'll love it.
(audience applauding)
I'm personally very optimistic about Beto.
We need a rehaul of the whole system,
basically, at its root.
And starting from the top is a great place to do that.
Especially a lot of young people
don't realize how much power that they have
to make that happen.
But I'm gearing up for the next legislative session,
'cause I'm bracing for that to be just as bad as last time.
And I'm gonna try and now mobilize
a lot of people to get ready for that
so that we can have even more people filling these seats.
(dramatic music)
Even if we're not changing their minds,
like, we're making their day hard.
Like, if there's like a hundred of us there to testify,
they have to hear all of us.
I've learned that I'm a very strong person.
There's not a lot of people who can stand up
in front of all of their state senators
and tell them how wrong they are.
It's really hard work.
And I learned that I have even more love in my heart
than I previously thought for the trans youth of Texas.
- The fight for trans rights will continue
as long as anti-LGBTQ+ politicians and groups
try to deny them of their healthcare, dignity,
and basic opportunities.
By electing and supporting candidates
who affirm their basic human rights,
we can ensure that our fellow trans citizens
are treated fairly and with respect from the government.
Visit vote.org for voter registration
and polling information.
Make your mark by ensuring your voice is heard.
The time is now.
(mysterious music)