I would like to talk about the event on February the First where the Women’s Liberation Front is coming to argue against the rights of transgender people to live as their authentic selves.
This event is extremely problematic as it takes transgender people, a protected class within Washington State Law and debates the humanity of them. We are human and we do deserve to be treated as such. The right of my existence is not up for debate.
This isn’t a case of free speech, this is a case of hate speech.
If white supremacists were to hold a meeting against marginalized group would they be allowed to do so at the Library?
Transgender men are men, Transgender Women are Women. This is in-line with what most feminist and human rights organizations follow. Fighting for the rights of transgender people and the rights of women are not mutually exclusive as the Women’s Liberation Front tries to argue. It is an old and tired argument not to mention fear mongering that giving rights to a marginalized group will endanger Women and Children. This argument has been used against black people, immigrants, gay people, and now transgender people.
I won’t go too much more into detail of why this event is problematic as I could speak forever on this, but I want to talk about what can be done in regards to this event.
We understand that this event puts the Library in a very tricky situation and while ultimately we do want the event to be shut down, but in lieu of that we ask that the Library speak out against the event and the organizers and host many trans positive events to help counter the narrative that the Women’s Liberation Front is trying to put forward. We have to send a strong message that their transphobia is hate speech and is unacceptable and it has no place in the city of Seattle.
We have an online petition asking for the Library and the City to take some sort of action. Within less than 48 hours this petition has already reached 1600 signatures and is still growing rapidly.
Transphobia is on the rise across the country. It is events such as these that embolden people to act upon their Transphobic beliefs. Just the other day a transgender woman was attacked by a group of teens in our own backyard of Tukwilla.
Washington State has time and again fought and won against transphobic groups. We hope that the Library will stand up for its values of inclusion and stand with Transgender people.
We hope that you will hear our voices and take appropriate action.