March
LETTER FROM THE CO-CHAIRS
| To our NTBA Community: March is here, with the vernal promise of growth, change, and renewal budding in the Northern hemisphere. This Spring reminds us all of the struggle that growth can pose to those who may not be ready to emerge from their Winter slumber. A record 38 states have proposed anti-trans bills in 2023. Some of these bills have passed; others are expected to pass soon. We cannot be erased. For those of you who have the capacity, now is the time to track anti-trans legislation and take action against the bills in your state, such as testifying about the harms the bills cause, writing to your governor, writing to legislators, or supporting local organizations that are doing that work. Reach out to us directly if you would like more ideas on how you can combat anti-trans legislation in your state, or what you can do to support others if you don’t have any anti-trans legislation pending in your state. For those of you who just need support, please also reach out so that we can connect you with people in our community. This year’s Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31 affords us all an opportunity to reflect on how much we have prospered despite the forces that have attempted to silence educators from discussing gender identity or prevent trans youth from participating in sports. Despite the volume at which they are announced, we know these bills do not capture public attitudes towards trans people. To the contrary, we continue to be seen and recognized as people. There is growing visibility of trans and non-binary people in the United States, with more Americans saying they know a trans person than in years past. Our realities are not new, even if some of our modern terms describing our experiences are and even if our existence is new to some. For all of recorded history, cultures around the world have recognized more than two genders. We refuse to let the narrative be rewritten to obscure that some societies revered our trancestors and the vast majority just let us live, as ourselves. We’ve been here, and we’re not going anywhere. And we are in the legal profession too. For the NTBA, that means we’re growing ever stronger. With six new members joining the Board of Directors this month, we are building ties with different parts of the legal profession, in different regions of the country. We’re so thrilled to welcome our new members: Lawren Burroughs, Milo Inglehart, Jen Jenkins, Milo Manopoulos Beitman, Jessie McGrath, and Riley Robertson. You can learn more about them on our website. We’re so excited about the diverse perspectives that our new Directors will bring to the Board, and grateful for their unified commitment to supporting trans lawyers and empowering trans communities across the United States. |
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| We’re thrilled that the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association is hosting this year’s Trans Law Institute at the Lavender Law Conference. If you want to help with planning TLI, now is the time to reach out! Email us at info@transbar.org to let us know you’d like to be part of planning this year’s institute and we’ll connect you with the Board members leading the charge. And, of course, don’t forget to register for Lavender Law! We’ll soon be inviting you to join in other Committee efforts that will happen throughout the year. We’re excited for what’s to come this Spring, and we hope you are too. Please take care, and let us know if there is any way we can support any of your trans advocacy efforts. Thank you for being part of this community and for standing strong as facing whatever comes at our community next.Yours in solidarity,D Dangaran and Rafael Langer-Osuna, Co-Chairs for the NTBA Board |
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