Fuck Trump in Particular

Fuck everyone in this cruel, heartless administration. Yesterday, Tump and his minions rescinded federal guidelines protecting transgender students in public schools. The Obama-era directives stated that trans kids must be allowed to access bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. Now, in withdrawing those protections, Trump is leaving it to each state to decide where a trans student will be allowed to pee. And, make no mistake, this is not just about bathrooms but about the right for trans kids to exist in public spaces.

All through the election, and now even after, people have been yelling at me to relax, that Trump isn’t anti-LGBT. He loves The Gays. Remember when he held up that rainbow flag? I mean, sure, it was upside down. And sure, someone scribbled a sad little "s" at the end of LGBT because they did not know if it was plural or not. But, see, he totally loves you guys. See! Gee, where are those people now?

Look, we all knew Trump would come for LGBT people. Mike Pence is his vice president, Jeff Sessions is his attorney general. Old White Bigots is pretty much the name of his garage band. But it shows how vile, how downright reprehensible Trump and his cabinet really are for the first group for him to target with his blind hatred to be, literally, children.

This hurts trans kids. Period.

It is disgusting, unconscionable, fucking evil for Trump to go after one of the most vulnerable populations out there. Like, we knew he was a bully – we all knew that. But for his first action against the LGBT community be to bully trans kids. I just. I cannot fathom that level of inhumanity.

Let’s drop some statistics about trans students, those fact things he hates so much.

According to statistics from the National Center for Transgender Equality:

- 75% of transgender youth feel unsafe at school
- 59% of transgender students have been denied access to restrooms consistent with their gender identity
- 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt – and 92% of those individuals attempted suicide before the age of 25.

This is who he is hurting. This is who he chooses to attack. Children. Real, live children.

The rule in comedy, in writing and indeed in life is to always punch up. Make fun of, go after, fight against those with the most power, the most privileged. Take it to the people who can take – and in many cases deserve – a punch. What has always and continues to astound me is how Donald Trump, a man born into unimaginable wealth who has lived his life in a literal golden tower, whines constantly about being the victim.

You know who the true victims are, Donald? The trans students fearful for their lives, fearful to go to school, fearful of a president who gave states the OK to discriminate against them – they are the victims. They are your victims. Everything he has done is the very definition – both figuratively and literally (given his skyscraper perch) of punching down.

Well guess what, I will never stop punching up at this president. Ever. And neither will so many others who have your back. We promise.

Sending love to all the trans students out there. You matter. #ProtectTransKids pic.twitter.com/PTy2rTJmuV

— Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride) February 22, 2017

p.s. Yes, of course, this also hurts non-conforming, non-binary, genderqueer folks, too. But to the Trump administration that is just a fringe benefit. The goal, which cannot be denied, is to hurt trans kids.