joy and pain
ways to fight the HHS rule, and how are you with your joy and pain?
The last few days (lifetimes) have been a nightmare for anyone who believes in and understands the importance of Gender Affirming Care as a human right that saves lives. These “United States,” aka Turtle Island, has increasingly become a hellscape for Trans people, Global Majority people, and anyone not adhering to cis-straight Christian norms. All of the Buddhist training I have participated in has taught me that hell is right here; there are many realms, and to release ourselves from suffering, we learn to be present in this moment: one breath, one step, one call, one protest. One ACTION.
Even if you’ve had your head in the sand, you know the Trump Regime is coming for every marginalized identity in this country.
As I sit with my Trans clients this week, I think of Ms. Major, Marsha, Silvia, Chase, and my friends who are deeply afraid for their lives. I hold close my trans partner and my trans family. I know we will fight. We have to. We are stronger together than this hate could ever be. The state will not save us; we will save ourselves. Many trans siblings have known this since way before I was born.
We need our cis allies NOW. I do not write polished political statements for nonprofit groups, even though I sit on a board that needed one. Thankfully, my colleague and friend wrote that statement! BUT I keep writing even though I’ve been told in online therapy spaces that “we can’t be political.” You know who gets to be “non-political” right now? People who aren’t being targeted—until they wake the fuck up and realize we are ALL being targeted. Unless you’re a billionaire, eventually, you will be on the list too.
My identity has been made political. If you can sit there as a healer, a helper, a therapist, and remain “nonpolitical,” it’s because the state hasn’t come for you yet…YET!
When I came out nearly a decade ago, I joked about paying the lesbian tax. I learned fast—even with all my privileges—that I’d have to fight to build my therapy practice while keeping my sanity. It’s still a struggle. Some days, I wonder if these political statements hurt me more than they help anyone.
But I can’t be silent.
So if you’re a cis human being: JOIN US. At minimum, share this post, and if you are a therapist, join Gaylesta.
This not-for-profit is expanding to explicitly include trans, queer, bi, asexual, and other gender minorities in our name and—more importantly—in our work with deep, radical inclusivity (or this is my hope for the org.).
Some days I want to stop. Stop calling, stop marching, stop looking, but I can’t. This fight has been building in me since I was small enough to read that famed nursery rhyme: “What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice.”
FUCK THAT NOISE.
Gender affirming care will continue one way or another. We’re in the middle of upheaval. We’re in a cultural revolution. All of our participation, no matter how big or small, is needed more now than ever.
Our activist committee at gaylesta and our partner Rainbow Families Action have posted action steps, and there’s more coming. But I need you to hear this from me, one human to another: I see you. I won’t give up.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THE HHS RULE:
Push back on multiple fronts: submit formal comments, support litigation, work with advocacy groups, pressure elected officials, and protect people in your community. All of this and what has happened is listed here:
google doc, what to do, Rainbow Families Action
What HHS is doing:
HHS has announced proposals to cut Medicaid/CHIP funding and Medicare participation for hospitals providing gender-affirming care to minors, and to roll back civil rights protections for gender dysphoria.
These proposals are part of a broader federal assault to exclude gender-affirming care from federal programs and ACA plans, and to redefine this care as outside accepted medical standards.
As I said above, FUCK that noise!
I hope whatever you celebrate, you feel safe enough to take a few breaths in peace. I am still running my ongoing mutual aid effort, which is here:
I am offering some very reduced-rate spots to meet with me in 2026. Let’s find a time.
https://www.bridgetbertrand.com/sessions/sliding-scale-time-to-meet
And if you can’t pay anything, I still want to meet you. Let’s chat! Community is everything.
Love, Bridget
all the things, cuz I am in a lot of places
Playlist for joy and pain: https://link.deezer.com/s/31XdKXdBHZm4w9ppIHXWh
Thank you friend for always speaking up and living in integrity with your values. You challenge all of us to be better.