The modern rise of anti-queer ideology among American traditionalists is enabling the active process of systemic “scapegoatism” and the development of a farther right American right-wing. In “the land of the free” this increasing disdain for the individual rights of others has not only aided what can only be called ideological hypocrisy but also in the increase of anti-intellectualism and the rejection of science. This anti-queer trend has transcended the realm of social divisions and damaged political and economic discourse, as for many, the problem which needs to be addressed is the queer community. 

The inequality present between the social and legal treatment of the queer community and their non-queer counterparts is increasing, with hundreds of proposed bills all across the US in the past 2 years alone; perhaps the most infamous of these bills being the “Parental Rights in Education” bill colloquially known as the “Don’t say gay” bill made famous when Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida signed it into law in March of last year.  

This law, like many others, prohibits the discussion of gender and sexuality as there is a belief such topics are “inappropriate” or even “unnecessary” for students, as the name of the bill also suggests the right of parents to choose what their child learns is more important than the discussion about unavoidable topics in society.  

When asked about the increasing amount of anti-queer ideology and action, an anonymous high school student touched on the gratuitous nature of these bills and said, “It feels like there’s a target on your back.”

Of all the bills proposed to limit the social and medical decisions of trans people, the most recent comes from Tennesee; and like most of the bills of this nature, it specifically targets queer youth. Perhaps what is most malicious about these restrictions is that they are supposedly made to protect children on the basis that socially or medically transitioning is detrimental to a minor’s psychology. 

Firstly, the blatant misinformation present in the bill’s findings must be addressed. It claims not only that gender-affirming surgery is performed on minors but also claims that these surgeries and other processes of medical transition have no benefit and cause harm to trans youth. 

Apart from the fact that gender-affirming surgeries are not performed on minors and are scarcely performed on adolescents case by case these findings completely ignore the most prevalent research regarding trans healthcare. As well as this, in cases when minors do go on Hormone Replacement Therapy it is only done with parental consent, nullifying the claim that these treatments are done against the will of parents.

Another anonymous high school student when asked about these bills said, “It’s funny how they claim they’re trying to protect children and affirm parental rights but they ignore how it helps kids and how parents want their children to have that help.” 

Numerous studies show that social recognition and HRT(Hormone Replacement Therapy) decrease the rate of suicidality and the levels of depression in trans youth. As well as this, multiple organizations voice the importance of gender-affirming care for queer youth and have voiced their opposition against attempting to restrict access to such healthcare, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Despite the mountains of evidence showing that no harm is done by social and medical transitions and that they are beneficial, limiting the rights of the queer community remains an influential aspect of recent conservative agendas. It is this rejection of science, the claim that these facts are not true, which has manifested itself as a dangerous trend for political discourse, and as a result, it has caused continuous harm to marginalized groups like the queer community.