First, new words {press} is not going anywhere. We will continue to lift the voices of trans* voices.
What?
On September 19th Them magazine reported that The Heritage Foundation had delivered a proposal to the FBI suggesting that they create a new category under the existing NVE (nihilistic violent extremist) specifically for trans* people. The language reads: The group defines “TIVE” as “the belief that violence is justified against people who oppose [the trans community],” as well as the belief that opposing trans rights “itself constitutes a form of violence towards people who identify as [trans or gender nonconforming]… or poses an imminent threat to such persons’ emotional, psychological, or physical safety, including through self-harm or suicide.”
Why?
This language could clearly include any trans* person or ally, who speaks out against anti-trans* rhetoric, anti-trans legislation, and trans* activism.
Given the current administration’s speed at adopting unjust, inhumane, and anti-trans* policies, and faced with this immediate information, I made the decision to take down the citizen trans* {project} the next day. I felt it was my responsibility to take it down for those who may be fearful for their own safety or weren’t even aware of this development. With nearly 300 contributors, I didn’t want to extend the timeframe by navigating a likely time consuming and difficult individual outreach.
What Now?
I will, in fact, be reaching out soon to the contributors to determine who would like their work to stay and who would like to have their work taken down. This will not be a quick process. However, I do believe the project is even more important now and want to republish it. In the meantime, I ask that you bear with me.
