Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut gave a poignant, haunting address on the Senate floor on April 7, 2022. In about 15 minutes, Murphy walks his peers through the barriers and oppressions trans people, including trans youth, face every day, including how that can impact mental health. Murphy described, for example, the letter a parent received from their child, who died by suicide because they felt they could not live their life as a “lie” as a boy instead of the girl they know they “could become.” They said they lost faith in the world and could not see a “way out” of living in the “wrong body.”
This young person’s story is not in isolation, either. LGBTQ+ people, and especially trans people, live with higher rates of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. More than 40% of LGBTQ+ youth reported experiencing suicidal ideation in 2021, for example, with more than half of trans youth considering suicide, according to The Trevor Project.
This is a public health crisis in itself, but given all the anti-trans legislation Republicans have been pushing, the situation is only getting more worrisome. Conservatives are happy to tell already vulnerable youth they can’t play sports, access safe, age-appropriate health care, or use the bathroom like everyone else… And don’t seem to care at all what impact this could have on one’s mental health. It’s sick.
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You can catch a shorter version of Murphy’s speech here.
Murphy seamlessly transitioned into calling out Trump and his allies for bullying and isolating trans and non-binary youth and advancing more than 150 anti-trans bills in the last year. He also discussed Alabama’s heinous anti-queer bill that bans safe, age-appropriate gender-affirming health care for trans youth, including a felony ban on puberty blockers and hormonal therapy for people under the age of 19. Physicians prescribing such care could face up to 10 years in prison.
Vivian Topping, director of advocacy and civic engagement at the Equality Federation, and Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights
Murphy stressed that trans youth (and trans adults, for that matter) aren’t new. The only difference, as Murphy puts it, between today and 50 years ago is that now people have space to be open and out. (Or at least, relatively so.)
Murphy also pointed out that figuring out your gender is not a threat to anyone. It’s a process, and a fine one, and there is nothing wrong with questioning and exploring your gender identity.
“You might not know a transgender or non-binary kid,” Murphy continued. “But trust me! You do.” Murphy went on to say that these children are no different from anyone else, including their likes, interests, and behaviors. “They are just kids,” he repeated.
This is also a great point for everyone to keep in mind. If you’re thinking, “Well, I don’t know any trans men, or I can’t imagine what it’s like to share a bathroom with a trans woman,” you’re probably wrong. You’ve probably already known these people or had these experiences, but they weren’t out to you, and so you didn’t realize. And that’s okay! But a lack of your own awareness does not change reality as experienced by other people. Trans people are not boogeymen.
“These kids threaten no one,” he continued. “They hurt no one.”
Murphy’s address to colleagues and peers who are bullying trans youth is, put simply, to grow up and stop it. Which is a message I can certainly get behind.
Murphy also pointed out that saving women’s sports is not the reason conservatives are rallying against trans girls in sports. The real reason? Hate. He argued he could ask rooms full of people if their cis child has lost to a trans girl and feels confident no one would raise their hand, which is likely the case. (Though trans youth winning is also fair because everyone loses and everyone wins, sometimes!)
“Imagine how small and weak a person must be to have all that power… And use it to bully children,” he added in reference to people like Donald Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and others who spew their views and rhetoric.
You can watch Murphy’s full video below.
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If you or a loved one are in need of mental health support, please don’t hesitate to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, 24/7, and always free.
