1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I refuse to dress this letter up with flowery language - I am begging you to propose legislation to protect transgender people, including those seeking refuge in the state of Michigan. If I was physically able, I would be kneeling on the steps of the senate. Transgender people like myself are incredibly vulnerable. Whether you agree with our interpretation of our personhood or not, I am pleading with you to recognize our personhood, to protect it. The president-elect has made it abundantly clear that he does not want to tolerate the presence of people like me, that he is not willing to allow us our personhood, that discrimination and violence against us is acceptable and deserved. I will not wax poetic about transgenderism or my gender identity - I understand it can feel confusing. I’m appealing directly to the rights you as senator are charged with protecting in the writing of the law, rights that should be afforded to me and other transgender people by default - the right to life, the right to the pursuit of happiness, the right to safety. Please. For the sake of our rights as humans - do what you can to protect our existence and our right to medical care.