Anti-Transgender Legislation and Growing Old in the U.S.

The AIDS epidemic stole an entire generation of people from the LGBTQ+ community, and different aspects of life are still being affected by the lasting hatred and prejudice we historically faced. One area that’s become vitriolic in terms of queer life are the political attacks against the LGBTQ+ community, particularly anti-trans legislation affecting transgender people across all generations. I’m not the first person to compare the current political and social hatred of trans and nonbinary people to the AIDS epidemic in the late 1980s, and the current climate will undoubtedly impact how safely LGBTQ+ people can live and age in the United States.

So many of our “elders,”  which can be anyone 50-60 and older, couldn’t be out publicly during their younger years, and we’re missing many people from the 1970s-90s due to the AIDS epidemic. Having older people in our community that have happy and full lives shows us in the younger generations that it’s possible to be out and safe and live a long life. Being transgender, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, or having any expression or identity that doesn’t fit into the traditional binary still isn’t a safe existence in the United States. 

As a nonbinary person who has only recently come out and started navigating transition, it’s become deeply terrifying with the recent wave of legislative suppression and violence targeted against transgender people. The ability to safely come out or just explore your identity is a right that every person should have, and the threat against our safety socially and politically means that more people either aren’t going to come out or might choose to not stay in the United States or might face violence that means they can’t grow old. 

In April, activist and influencer Erin Reed created what she calls the “Anti-Trans Legislative Risk Map” on her website. It lists the danger level per state based on how likely they are to pass legislation suppressing trans people in different ways. This could include bills banning medical care or access; denial of name or gender marker changes; and regulations of how teachers and schools can respect or disregard a student’s name, pronouns, gender identity, participation in sports, and use of the bathroom. 

There are many states that have already passed these kinds of anti-trans legislation, and others are still considering whether or not they should engage actively in oppression. Erin Reed’s map is a great resource for trans/nonbinary people or families looking to relocate to a safer state. There are also nonprofits trying to help families relocate or visit other states for gender affirming care, like Elevated Access which is an organization of volunteer pilots who are willing to fly people to receive the healthcare they need.

With the very real threat to physical safety, social inclusion, and legal protections that transgender and nonbinary are currently facing I find it even more important to reconnect with LGBTQ+ history. In our community our elders are so important because of the live advice that they can provide us younger queer people and because they’re visibly LGBTQ+ and aging.

— K. Chandler