Guess who got their name and gender marker change done just in time for that to happen.
They're is literally making a list of us! I'm fucking scared. These kinds of lists don't get compiled for no reason, especially when they've spent the better part of a decade targeting us and it has only ramped up and gotten more severe.
Maybe it's the fact that I grew up in a Jewish family surrounded by Holocaust survivors, but when I hear that a state is putting together lists of their a group of people they're openly demonized, I start to get that "run the fuck away" senses going.
Here's the full article (not behind a paywall):
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/12/14/ken-paxton-transgender-texas-data/
I'm usually the person saying "This is not a reason to panic, do what you need to avoid anxiety keeping you from doing your day to day life stuff" when it comes to news about the state government of Texas and trans people. While it's been bad, it's been very public government actions that were taken to court and decisions that have often been appealed and struck down. This is different and it seems like an obvious escalation. For the first time I'm like, "OK, we need to be putting together networks to alert each other to an emergency and a plan for leaving the state on no notice."
No, we shouldn't have to consider leaving our homes. Yes, cis people should be taking this news VERY SERIOUSLY and work harder to get the specific people doing this out of office and away from state power. Because right now they have too much power, billions of dollars backing them, and they increasingly don't seem to give a shit about the legality nor the consequences of what they're doing. They could do so much damage before enough people who could stop them realized what was happening.
Be safe, make plans that hopefully none of us will ever need.
This is exactly why the movement for trans rights needs to advocate for the removal of gender markers on government documents. Not adding an "X" for non-binary, not exemptions to administrative fees. Complete removal of gender markers for everyone. They serve no useful purpose and open trans people, as well as all gender non-conforming people, up to legal and physical violence.