30 anti-LGBTQ bills have been filed in the Texas Legislature this year — that is 50% more than last session.
So much of our life-force goes into fighting GOP bigotry and enduring the hate they seed, sew, nurture, and grow. The Republican Party is a relentless source of minority stress.
As we come to understand depression in the transgender community more accurately, it’s become clear that the major cause is what’s referred to as “minority stress;” that is, “stressors induced by a hostile, homophobic culture, which often results in a lifetime of harassment, maltreatment, discrimination and victimization.”
Source: When Worlds Collide – Mental Illness Within the Trans Community – Lionheart
Why are there greater mental health stresses on autistic people from gender-minority groups? To quote from the research paper,
“The increased rates of mental health problems in these minority populations are often a consequence of the stigma and marginalisation attached to living outside mainstream sociocultural norms (Meyer 2003). This stigma can lead to what Meyer (2003) refers to as ‘minority stress’. This stress could come from external adverse events, which among other forms of victimization could include verbal abuse, acts of violence, sexual assault by a known or unknown person, reduced opportunities for employment and medical care, and harassment from persons in positions of authority (Sandfort et al. 2007).”
Source: Ann’s Autism Blog: Autism, Transgender and Avoiding Tragedy
So. much. stress.
The Republican Party generates so much stress. It actively and directly harms productivity and life, at scale.
And it does so with the insistent ignorance of bigots that I know so well from childhood and from fighting for inclusion in our school district.
“SB 1646 (Perry) in Senate State Affairs, would add transition-related care to the definition of child abuse in the state of Texas and would target parents, guardians and anyone involved in administering that care.”
This turns science and care on their heads. This inverts the moral universe. This is government-mandated conversion therapy that would force transgender kids to go through the wrong puberty.
So enormously ignorant and cruel.
And so very stressful.
Previously,
- There’s No Glory in Dysphoria, Victoria
- Type Integrity: Falsification of Type, Prolonged Adaptation Stress Syndrome, Minority Stress, Masking, and Burnout
- Neurodiversity and Gender Non-conformity, Dysphoria and Fluidity
- The Breathtaking Bigotry of Unreconstructed America
- Trinity of Toxic Nonsense: White Supremacy, Misogyny, and Purity Culture
- Purity Culture, the False Gender Binary, and Abuse at Heritage Christian School
- “Those Burning Crosses Are Symbols of Evangelicalism”
- A Polarizing Diet of Engagement and Behaviorism
- There Should Be Social and Economic Costs for Bigotry
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