So we have come around to another National Coming Out Day. Each year, I give hope that as more and more people become educated that acceptance will follow and this day will no longer be needed. To think I started my series, Not Quite A Life Choice back in August of 2016! It was done in part to chronicle my own coming out after doing so at work that July, but also to give hope to those still in the closet. It was also intended to educate people and let them know there is hope.

We seemed to be moving in the right direction for quite a while, but then, unfortunately, Donald Trump managed to get himself elected and moved to undo everything that Obama had put in place with little regard to whether it was good or right. He did try to throw transgender folk out of the military but while a preliminary injunction was put in to stop it, the fight continues as CBS reports today:
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Lawyers for President Donald Trump urged a federal appeals court in Portland to allow the administration to prevent certain transgender people from serving in the U.S. armed forces.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the U.S. Department of Justice argued Wednesday for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to lift a federal judge’s preliminary injunction that halted the administration’s plan and to declare it constitutional.

Brinton Lucas of the Justice Department argued the policy under former President Barak Obama that allows transgender people to openly serve in the military “imposes a risk to military readiness.”

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We have heard their argument before and even the Generals have said this is not true, however, hate always presses their agenda. Which is why we are back again pleading people to #VoteYesOn3 as those who hate pushed to get a referendum to repeal the protections for transgender people put on the ballot for this November. I continue to write in hopes to educate and remove the ignorance that often inspires hate. The worst of it is that there have been zero reports in the State with regards to a transgender person attacking anyone in a bathroom. WBUR reported on their website:

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“Massachusetts General Hospital doctors combed public records and recently published their findings in the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Their review turned up 14 cases of straight men posing as women in bathrooms and locker rooms in the U.S. since 2004 — none in Massachusetts.”

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So that is 14 cases in the ENTIRE US in 14 years. NONE! I repeat NONE, in Massachusetts! Yet we have had transgender rights for two years!
Those opposing this will probably ramp up their hate and ignorance program over the next month. They will try to scare everyone into rescinding the protections. Mind you, this is not just about bathrooms but any public accommodation from bathrooms to hotels and even hospitals. Bathrooms are a small part of this as most transgender folk do try to avoid public restrooms.
Please do not cave to hate and ignorance! We cannot allow them to rescind the protections and allow discrimination in this State! The facts just don’t support their allegations.

One last thing, the Federal court ruled North Carolina cannot ban trans people from restrooms. There is now a legal precedent. So on the chance that the purveyors of hate and ignorance do manage to convince people there may be legal recourse to reinstate the protections. We cannot allow hate and ignorance to prevail.

If you live in Massachusetts, be sure you are registered to vote and get out there and vote YES ON 3!! If you aren’t registered, I believe you have until October 17th. We need all the support we can muster.

Sad to think that here we are yet another year later and still fighting the same fights. I have devoted myself to trying to educate people by sharing my journey. I have received some good feedback, so I know it is helping some.

There are people out there that just hate. If we prevail, they may just move onto some other group to attack.  All we can do is try to educate. Remove the ignorance, remove the reason for hate. Be a light in the darkness!

My heart to your heart, one heart, one spirit!

Emma Morgaine Croft