NOTE:
I want to start by saying this to all the gender non-conforming, trans, LGBTQ+ - the whole queer community among Iowa’s kids: You are amazing and I love you. You have way too much on your shoulders. You are kids - it’s hard enough being a kid period but especially now? God I am so sorry that adults suck so much.
My son is gay. It took him until he was twenty-ish to come out. I was like, kid, your dad and I have known you were gay since forever. He came into my life when he was 10. I couldn’t be more grateful for him. He was lucky. He didn’t face the scrutiny, the attacks, the politicking with his life like you all are right now.
I also want to give you a heads up that this post will talk about suicide so if that is something you can’t deal with at the moment - go take care of you. Know this, though - I was a suicidal kid once and I didn’t know there were people out there who would/could help me. I couldn’t talk about it. It was like I was a freak. I didn’t understand why I felt so out of place in my own skin.
But there are people who are there for you (and resources listed below!) - me for example. If you feel like screaming at someone just because adults are horrifically uncaring you can always find me on instagram or twitter (andykopsa). I’m not kidding. My DMS are open
Now. I would like to get this thing started. I have things to say to Governor Kim Reynolds.
You are a coward, Kim Reynolds.
A coward. How dare you claim to give a shit about trans-kids claiming you are just so broken up about having to sign these horrible bills? Goddamn do you think we are a bunch of dumbasses? I know you are working your ass off to kill public education in Iowa but we aren’t stupid.
You will have blood on your hands - yes even more than you have now as a result of your willful mishandling of the pandemic - your seething, craven alliance with QAnon anti-masking anti-vaxxing nutters? How many dead Iowans is going to be sufficient for you?
Back to the blood on your hands redux.
According to a 2022 survey by The Trevor Project, Iowa LGBTQ+ kids mental health was already flagging - and not because they don’t like themselves but because of societal pressures.
In Iowa rates of LGBTQ youth who have been physically threatened or harmed was forty percent and seventy three percent were discriminated against because of who they are.
As of 2022 - when this study was conducted - 49 percent of Iowa’s LGBTQ youth reported current political climate directly impacted their sense of wellbeing “sometimes” and 38% said it impacted them “a lot”
Meanwhile suicide risk among Iowa LGBTQ youth in 2022:
How does that feel Kim? Does that pain you so that you had to sign the bills that will contribute to more Iowa kids dreading their lives than already do? Do you think these numbers will go down now that' you’ve put a target on their back? That’s on you, boo.
You and your little racist cadre of right wing zealots are destroying Iowans lives and you couldn’t care less so please, save your nonsense and shut your mouth. You’ve done enough damage. But, I am sure you won’t stop from doing even more.
RESOURCES
From The Trevor Project (the website has a quick exit option if you aren’t in a safe space and need to close out of the window) and here are some quick numbers:
LIFELINE - dial 988 for 24/7 help - they have LGBTQ+, youth, BIPOC specific resources.
Link for deaf, hard of hearing, hearing loss
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