You know, these amendments, even before they get nixed or passed, impact people's lives in negative ways.
They certainly impact mine.
I'm a veteran, a public servant, and a transgender woman. My health care is provided through the VA and through the federal employee health benefits program (FEHB).
There is a rider on the VA bill banning funds for any gender affirming care. That does not just ban surgery (and the VA currently does NOT do gender affirming surgeries anyway). It bans endicronolgy and hormone replacement therapy. It bans mental health care for gender dysphoria. It bans voice training. These are all important elements of gender transition that veteran rely on.
Last year they tried to ban insurance companies who participate in FEBH from providing any coverage at all for gender affirming care. It seems they plan to try again from what I've read.
Just the threat of these bans is enough to force my hand, to seek out treatments while I still can. Which can cause financial stress, and extra time off work, and possibly increase the risk of some procedures. If I do not I could be in a situation where stopping care could result in a forced detransition which can be deadly, and is always dangerous.
You might forgive me if I feel a little personally targeted by these riders.
All of the procedures they seek to ban are and would be still available to cisgender folks without reservation or impediment.
These riders could not be more blatantly discriminatory if they tried.
Never in my life have I wanted to be a topic of debate in congress. I'm extremely disappointed that I am.
My point here though (and thank you all for reading!) is that these very brief riders have an incredibly far reaching and negative impact.
I hope and pray that cooler minds in congress will stop these injustices in their tracks.
I'm so sorry for what you are going through. I have a TG friend. No one seems to understand the condition. It's human biology screwed up by mother nature, folks. I'd like to think things will improve, but I fear Trump and his uber minions will make his last term look a baby's birthday party in comparison. Hang in there, and thank you for your service.
You're right, it can seem difficult to understand, and I keep searching for good analogies to help folks get there.
The best I've found so far is handed-ness. It used to be completely socially unacceptable to be left handed. Children were physically punished and publicly shamed for using their left hand.(conversion therapy, if you will) Most implements and tools assumed the use of right hands only.
To get a small taste of what gender dysphoria feels like, try it out by being left-handed for a day or so. (Folks who are already left handed will already have had this experience)
Every time you go to do something, you natural inclination will be to use your right hand. It will be an all day struggle to use your left instead.
Imagine that for your whole life you've been told that using your right hand is wrong, unclean, perverted, a sin, and unacceptable.
How would that urge to use your right hand make you feel now? What would you think about yourself?
Then one day you discover that it's actually ok to be right handed. You could claim that part of yourself with pride, you could shed those negative and dangerous feelings and live authentically as your right-handed self.
You may even seek out medical treatment (like handwriting therapy, muscle exercises, or maybe even surgery) to improve your right-handed-ness.
Of course, the Social, legal, medical, and personal obstacles for gender non-conforming and transgender folks are so much higher today than for left handed people (I'm left handed, btw). But at least it's a glimpse into the experience.
If the Convicted Felon is elected, it more probable that he refuses to leave office at the end of 4 years. He and his maga minions will change our form of government and we will lose our democracy, becoming an authoritarian nation.
When you are AG (see what I did there) I hope you can focus a bit on the preying of senior citizens by scammers and businesses only interested in making a buck. Their targeting is relentless!
I’m going to miss these weekly emails when you become AG. Your description of these astronauts got me choked up. We need more good, serious, knowledgeable/ educated/intelligent people like you in politics.
You might mention that all four astronauts are graduates of the National Outdoor Leadership School of Lander, Wyoming. We've had a program designed specifically for astronauts for many years.
Between your blog and Heather Cox Richardson’s daily articles, I feel very informed about what’s happening in our government. Thank you so much for communicating your experiences in Congress. Taking a look at so many opponents from the President to locals with their far right stances on issues is frightening that they would even have a chance to be elected. You have my vote!!
Jeff, thanks for your update! It was very informative and interesting as always! I don't know what we will do when you get to be Attorney General and not have these updates! But we will have you closer bt helping us!
Thanks Jeff, I live in SC but have a lot of family in NC, all Democrats and secure votes for you. I find myself constantly applauding the efforts of leaders who take on the GOP. Unlike some elected offices the AG serves constantly the needs of NC. and you'll do a great job. I wish I could say the same for SC but we are mired in the mediocrity and self-interest.
Your state taxes for 100 military disabled veterans is herendous shame on North Carolina not only that I'm paying city and county taxes here in Kinston.. Ridiculous oh and the home tax is a joke
You are so right. I live in rural Cherokee County, and the county tax on real estate is twice what I payed in SC for a lot less service. The inability to pay the county tax results in your home (even if owned free of mortgage) being auctioned off on the Courthouse steps. If you are poor enough, you can qualify for paying half and the rest is due when you die. Half is stiil around $500. Should you be disabled, as I am, and elderly, they will dropkick you to the roafside. If I could move out of state, I would.
God help us if we don't get these hard line right wingers out of office. Dan Bishop is as bad as they come. Good luck and we are behind you. (And will vote for you.)
Is it possible to have NASA screen politicians?
So glad you asked because that was what I was going to ask.
I agree!
You know, these amendments, even before they get nixed or passed, impact people's lives in negative ways.
They certainly impact mine.
I'm a veteran, a public servant, and a transgender woman. My health care is provided through the VA and through the federal employee health benefits program (FEHB).
There is a rider on the VA bill banning funds for any gender affirming care. That does not just ban surgery (and the VA currently does NOT do gender affirming surgeries anyway). It bans endicronolgy and hormone replacement therapy. It bans mental health care for gender dysphoria. It bans voice training. These are all important elements of gender transition that veteran rely on.
Last year they tried to ban insurance companies who participate in FEBH from providing any coverage at all for gender affirming care. It seems they plan to try again from what I've read.
Just the threat of these bans is enough to force my hand, to seek out treatments while I still can. Which can cause financial stress, and extra time off work, and possibly increase the risk of some procedures. If I do not I could be in a situation where stopping care could result in a forced detransition which can be deadly, and is always dangerous.
You might forgive me if I feel a little personally targeted by these riders.
All of the procedures they seek to ban are and would be still available to cisgender folks without reservation or impediment.
These riders could not be more blatantly discriminatory if they tried.
Never in my life have I wanted to be a topic of debate in congress. I'm extremely disappointed that I am.
My point here though (and thank you all for reading!) is that these very brief riders have an incredibly far reaching and negative impact.
I hope and pray that cooler minds in congress will stop these injustices in their tracks.
I'm so sorry for what you are going through. I have a TG friend. No one seems to understand the condition. It's human biology screwed up by mother nature, folks. I'd like to think things will improve, but I fear Trump and his uber minions will make his last term look a baby's birthday party in comparison. Hang in there, and thank you for your service.
Thank you!
You're right, it can seem difficult to understand, and I keep searching for good analogies to help folks get there.
The best I've found so far is handed-ness. It used to be completely socially unacceptable to be left handed. Children were physically punished and publicly shamed for using their left hand.(conversion therapy, if you will) Most implements and tools assumed the use of right hands only.
To get a small taste of what gender dysphoria feels like, try it out by being left-handed for a day or so. (Folks who are already left handed will already have had this experience)
Every time you go to do something, you natural inclination will be to use your right hand. It will be an all day struggle to use your left instead.
Imagine that for your whole life you've been told that using your right hand is wrong, unclean, perverted, a sin, and unacceptable.
How would that urge to use your right hand make you feel now? What would you think about yourself?
Then one day you discover that it's actually ok to be right handed. You could claim that part of yourself with pride, you could shed those negative and dangerous feelings and live authentically as your right-handed self.
You may even seek out medical treatment (like handwriting therapy, muscle exercises, or maybe even surgery) to improve your right-handed-ness.
Of course, the Social, legal, medical, and personal obstacles for gender non-conforming and transgender folks are so much higher today than for left handed people (I'm left handed, btw). But at least it's a glimpse into the experience.
Thank you again for your kind words!!
If the Convicted Felon is elected, it more probable that he refuses to leave office at the end of 4 years. He and his maga minions will change our form of government and we will lose our democracy, becoming an authoritarian nation.
I'm not in NC, but I do have dear friends there. NC needs you for AG. To that end I'll be making a contribution to your campaign.
Funding veterans health care should not be political. The veterans deserve the best we can give them. Eleanor Larsen
When you are AG (see what I did there) I hope you can focus a bit on the preying of senior citizens by scammers and businesses only interested in making a buck. Their targeting is relentless!
I’m going to miss these weekly emails when you become AG. Your description of these astronauts got me choked up. We need more good, serious, knowledgeable/ educated/intelligent people like you in politics.
You should be running for the presidency. Just saying.
Maybe in a few years.
You might mention that all four astronauts are graduates of the National Outdoor Leadership School of Lander, Wyoming. We've had a program designed specifically for astronauts for many years.
I love learning about the best of the best our nation has to offer. Very refreshing.
Between your blog and Heather Cox Richardson’s daily articles, I feel very informed about what’s happening in our government. Thank you so much for communicating your experiences in Congress. Taking a look at so many opponents from the President to locals with their far right stances on issues is frightening that they would even have a chance to be elected. You have my vote!!
I hope you will write a book about your time in Congress. As a former student of poli sci, I have enjoyed your letters very much.
I look forward to your being Attorney General.
Jeff, thanks for your update! It was very informative and interesting as always! I don't know what we will do when you get to be Attorney General and not have these updates! But we will have you closer bt helping us!
Thank you for all you do....we truly appreciate you. It's too bad you won't get the "science" you love as AG. I pray you will prevail.
Thanks Jeff, I live in SC but have a lot of family in NC, all Democrats and secure votes for you. I find myself constantly applauding the efforts of leaders who take on the GOP. Unlike some elected offices the AG serves constantly the needs of NC. and you'll do a great job. I wish I could say the same for SC but we are mired in the mediocrity and self-interest.
I'm not in NC but I appreciate your emails. I also prefer generally reasonable-seeming people :)
Your state taxes for 100 military disabled veterans is herendous shame on North Carolina not only that I'm paying city and county taxes here in Kinston.. Ridiculous oh and the home tax is a joke
Write to your republican legislators and start going to city and town council meetings. Those areas are the roots of your issues with taxes.
You are so right. I live in rural Cherokee County, and the county tax on real estate is twice what I payed in SC for a lot less service. The inability to pay the county tax results in your home (even if owned free of mortgage) being auctioned off on the Courthouse steps. If you are poor enough, you can qualify for paying half and the rest is due when you die. Half is stiil around $500. Should you be disabled, as I am, and elderly, they will dropkick you to the roafside. If I could move out of state, I would.
God help us if we don't get these hard line right wingers out of office. Dan Bishop is as bad as they come. Good luck and we are behind you. (And will vote for you.)