The Moorestown Library hosted We Will Not Be Erased: Trans Rights and Existence last month, an event that featured Galia Godel, program manager of the LGBTQ Initiative at the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia (JFCS).
“One of the things that I want to base this conversation on is that we are in a place of incredible progress when talking about LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning) social rights,” Godel explained. “About 80% of Americans say that they support the rights of LGBTQ individuals, which is up about 20% from 20 years ago.
“ … Unfortunately, there are some very powerful people in that 20% who are doing their absolute best to drag us aggressively back from this great moment of expanded civil rights that we’ve seen in the last several decades,” she added.
Godel’s presentation gave an overview of current and proposed legislation against transgender people designed to eradicate trans communities.
“We are only halfway through the year, and there are already 560 proposed anti-trans bills all over the United States,” said Godel, who also noted how 84 of the measures have already passed.
“When one municipality on the smallest level manages to pass any kind of legislation against trans individuals, they document how it was done, they make a map for other municipalities to do that, and they pass that playbook on.”
According to Godel, there are generally six types of anti-trans legislation in the following categories: health care, bathroom use, education, sports, parental rights and freedom of expression.
“ … There are a lot of negative outcomes that come from these laws and community norms, these community rules,” she noted, including bullying, child welfare, forced detransition and negative mental-health outcomes. “There’s a lot of isolation that comes from living in a place, living in a country, living in a state or a city that thinks that you shouldn’t be allowed to exist.”
“These are a lot of the negative outcomes (when) we are discussing all of this potential legality.”
Godel also analyzed trans-supportive laws, policies and community norms, and discussed how people can use the information to support transgender people in their communities.
“There is legislation that protects folks from discrimination in employment, that protects people from getting fired because they are trans, or that they come out as part of the LGBTQ (community),” she pointed out. “There is legislation that prohibits discrimination in housing … There is insurance that will support medical transition-related care …
“There are some really phenomenal rules in place that codify LGBT rights.”
A JFCS initiative supports LGBTQ individuals, their family members and friends, and organizations and agencies who seek to be more accepting of LGBTQ community members. They include adult, teen and youth services, community events, training and workshops, support groups, counseling, connection to resources, and the Dear Ally anonymous Q&A forum.
Godel is the organizer of J.Proud, the greater Philadelphia consortium of Jewish organizations committed to LGBTQ inclusivity, and she also teaches LGBTQ workshops to Jewish and secular organizations. Her library presentation highlighted possible group norms that include celebrations of identity; normalization of diverse experiences; and gender-neutral language, among others.
Godel also shared her recipe for an inclusive space, which includes non-discrimination policies, clear group norms, clearly communicated values and avenues to learn.
“No one person can fix everything, but every person can do one thing,” she maintained. “Take everyday steps and small changes to make your space a better place. That will create a community movement. The people around you will see what you are doing, and they will do it, too, and that is how we create widespread change.”
For more information on JFCS, visit https://jfcsphilly.org.
