In the wake of violence targeted toward transgender and queer students, their voices are more important than ever as politicians write policy that directly affects their health care choices. We spoke with members from the LGBTQ+ community and they expressed their views on current social issues and the upcoming presidential election.
Kaiden Esteves, freshman, is a transgender man who wonders how the candidates will protect transgender people and the LGBTQ+ community. “There’s a lot of politicians who just don’t care,” he says. Transphobic laws are popping up across the country, especially in Florida and Texas, denying the gender affirming care that transgender people need. “It’s degrading,” Kaiden says. His view on healthcare accessibility extends to abortion as well. “I’m more lenient when it comes to abortion. It’s your body, your choice.” Kaiden believes everyone should be able to get the procedures and healthcare they need, as it is their decision concerning their own body.
Fun Fact: Thirteen members of Congress are LGBTQ+, while seventeen percent of adults younger than thirty-years-old identify with the community.
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Kaiden is a registered independent, and connects with policies of both parties. He thanks social media for providing him exposure to both democratic and republican views. “There are some things I see on social media that are really eye-opening, things I didn’t realize or think about until hearing someone else’s opinion.” Kaiden goes on to explain his opinion on trans inclusion in sports, “I can understand why you wouldn’t want someone who’s on hormones to participate in sports.” However, he also believes that if trans people are excluded from participating in sports, then a new league should be formed to include trans athletes so they can play.
Recalling when he came out to his conservative parents, Kaiden says, “They never wanted me to change my name, go on hormones, or get gender affirming surgery. I was 11 or 12 when I came out, so it was really difficult for them.” Since then, he explains how they’ve grown tolerant of his gender identity, and have paid for his name change, accompanied him on doctor visits to get hormones, and helped him recover from gender-affirming surgery. “They love and support me now. These past two to three years, they’ve never deadnamed or misgendered me. My parents see me as a boy now.”
Fun Fact: Among adults who are LGB, sixty-two percent are bisexual, and thirty-eight percent are gay or lesbian.
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Peyton Stehle, sophomore, feels strongly about LGBTQ+, women’s, and reproductive health rights. With the Supreme Court becoming increasingly conservative, she feels, “My rights are questioned in both marriage and regular living wise. I feel as though I cannot be my true self, and that really breaks my heart.” On social media Peyton experiences outward oppression and hatred towards women and the LGBTQ+ community. “I fight with everyday struggles of constantly being put down for existing as a queer woman.” She feels there’s a direct connection between this hostility and the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “These cis white men in charge are so naive and money hungry, they have no idea how overturning a law is going to kill and endanger people,” she continues. “They’re not concerned about that. It makes me very angry.”
Peyton is frustrated with the Democrats not listening to the citizens’ voices. “For a political party that preaches peace, end of world arguments, and climate change, they are not reflecting what their policy states,” she says. “The US gave money and bombs to Israel to bomb Palestinians. Innocent people are being slaughtered, and the bombs themselves are demolishing the ozone layer.” Peyton is anxious about climate change and the leaders in positions of power are not doing enough to lower our dependence on fossil fuels. “I find it of utmost importance, above my own concerns of being able to be myself. That’s all superficial compared to the overarching climate change and what we’re doing to the world as a whole,” Peyton says. She explains that everything we do, in one way or another, contributes to climate change and how it affects everybody around the globe. Peyton fears, “climate change is what’s going to kill us all, at the end of the day,” regardless of who is the next American president.
Interviews conducted and condensed by Noah Roy and Ivory Bernazal.
Featured image credit to Ian Taylor
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