The New Orleans Workers Group calls for the withdrawal of two anti-trans bills filed in the Louisiana State Legislature. SB172/HB466, which target trans youth in sports, are designed to humiliate, isolate, and encourage bullying of trans and gender non-conforming youth. The intention of the bill is to terrorize trans people and subject children to genital and hormonal testing by government officials.
This is an attack on trans people, gender non-comforming people, and all children in Louisiana. It is intended to scare trans people back into the closet by encouraging outrage and equating being trans with being a threat to children. It is intended to distract workers from the real predators–the capitalist class–preying on our children. We call for all workers to stand against these attacks and in solidarity with trans children.
These bills and others like it across the country, from South Dakota to Florida, are backed by five national organizations: the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the Family Research Council, the Heritage Foundation, the Kelsey Coalition, and the Alliance Defending Freedom.
These organizations are funded by the Koch brothers, the Coors family (as in the beer), the DeVos family, war profiteers, the Mellon family of bankers, and other capitalists. The Family Research Council is classified as a hate group.
None of them are from Louisiana, South Dakota, Kentucky, or other states where these bills have been submitted. No one in these states has asked for laws like these to be passed.
These are the same tactics anti-LGBTQ forces have taken for decades. They know they can paint LGBTQ people as dangerous to children and pit workers against one another. They test them out, state by state, to see what will create the most division and the least fight back.
Workers across the U.S. have stopped bills like these; Louisiana workers must not let these capitalists divide us and terrorize our children. Stand with trans people! Withdraw SB172/HB466!