Drew Martel
Mar. 5, 2023
Drew Martel
‘To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1859
According to Axios, Republican Lawmakers have proposed 340 bills across the nation targeting LGBTQIA+ individual’s rights in the first two months of 2023 alone. Iowa has led that charge, with a record breaking 19 bills proposed in the legislature.
It’s not just the state targeting vulnerable gender minorities, various religious lobbyist groups, who seek to impose their beliefs on others, as well as Former Vice President Pence’s ironically named Advancing American Freedom advocacy group, which is planning to run ads in Iowa to, well, restrict individual freedoms of gender minority individuals.
Minority Stress Theory posits that negative experiences and health disparities can result from being a member of a marginalized group (when your state systematically targets your rights with multiple bills, you are a marginalized group). Targeted groups are more likely to experience chronic stress due to the social, economic and political inequalities they face, which in turn can lead to a range of negative health outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse and physical health problems.
Sexual minority youth, in particular, are especially vulnerable to this stress, with suicide attempt rates 4X higher than heterosexual counterparts, according to the CDC. A study out of Massachusetts found that sexual minority youth were substantially more likely to experience thoughts of suicide, make a suicide plan, and attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts. An analysis in the journal Pediatrics found that one third of sexual minority youth reported a suicide attempt in the past 12-month period covered by the study.
A common argument made by those attempting to curtail the individual rights of sexual minority individuals is that mental distress is a function of identifying as a sexual minority. That is to say, that somehow identifying as LGBTQIA+ you inherently are more likely to have thoughts of suicide.
This argument is not supported by any actual evidence, and to the contrary, the leading theory of suicide, The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (Joiner, 2003) identifies a lack of belonging and the perception of being a burden to others among the factors that drive suicide thoughts and behaviors. No part of the interpersonal theory of suicide identifies sexual identification as a suicide driver.
This presents an inconvenient truth to policy makers, the various bills they are proposing, with the stated purpose of “protecting” youth, are actually marginalizing them. This reductive view is the result of confluence of factors, including ignorance about the etiology of suicide and mental health, a lack of expertise and curiosity on the topic, and a general belief among conservative policymakers that their personal values are the only values worthy of a free society.
On the contrary, a significant body of evidence has demonstrated positive outcomes of gender affirming care for transgender and nonconforming individuals. A study out of The Journal of The American Medical Association in 2022 found that gender affirming care was associated with a 60% decrease in odds of depression, and 73% decrease in odds of experiencing suicidality in a cohort of transgender and nonbinary youth.
This can only lead to one question: What is the actual purpose of these bills? As already outlined, the research indicates substantial harm to the wellbeing of these individuals occurs as a direct result of societal marginalization, while simultaneously indicating access to gender affirming care is a buffer against negative health outcomes.
My grandfather was a World War 2 Veteran, and a tough as nails type of guy. He rarely spoke about his experiences in WW2, which I really only learned about after I was given his service record at his funeral when I was on leave from the military myself.
I remember sitting at his house shortly after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and watching a news segment showing American’s burning flags, amidst calls to make flag burning a crime. To my surprise, my grandfather muttered “What the hell did I fight for if that’s made a crime..”
It’s not supposed to be about what you personally approve of, agree with, or like, it’s supposed to be about personal freedoms. We are a country that proclaims to be a freedom loving people. We are a country whose trajectory has almost always been in the direction of respect for the individual, and the right to pursue life in the individual ways we see fit. My grandfather knew this, having fought fascism abroad, where the only values and rights allowed were those of the ruling political party.
Gender affirming care and treatment is about freedom, it’s about the right to pursue life at the individual level, and it saves lives.
“Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain” – State motto of Iowa.
Drew Martel is ]chief clinical and training officer at Foundation 2 in Cedar Rapids.
Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. You can join the conversation by submitting a letter to the editor or guest column or by suggesting a topic for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com
I am a teenager asking you to learn about the experiences of trans youthThat might sound like hyperbole, but with the recent bill making its way through the Iowa Legislature, it would be illegal to announce, promote or instruct on LGBTQ+ issues in kindergarten through eighth grade. This effectively silences any communication related to sexuality or gender in the classroom. What’s worse, schools would also be required to communicate any information a student shares about their gender to their parents if it differs from their “biological sex.”
Let me give you some perspective: I’m a gay teenager attending a Catholic high school in Iowa, ground zero for this war against LGBTQ+ kids. I’ve witnessed what spawns from limited education on gender and sexuality. I’ve become jaded to the relentless bullying, assault and death threats brought upon my peers. I haven’t met a gay or trans student who hasn’t thought of harming themselves because of this treatment. Silence isn’t saving children: It’s killing them. Gay and trans people exist. We’re not going away any time soon, which is why hosting open discussions about LGBTQ+ topics, particularly in middle school, is essential to developing healthier communities.
When Gov. Kim Reynolds and legislators peddle the idea of such discussions “corrupting” youth, they treat us like frogs ready for dissection. LGBTQ+ identity is more than clinical language and anatomy. When you talk about a husband and wife, you don’t immediately jump to thinking about their sex life. That’s inappropriate and invasive.
Similarly, acknowledging our existence does not mean you have to explain the logistics of intercourse to a 5-year-old. It’s as simple as saying some girls love other girls or not all girls look the same. Middle school is often the first place we begin thinking about sex and gender. It’s an incredibly vulnerable journey of self-discovery that needs proper guidance in a fact-based, educational environment.
I was fortunate enough to have parents to fill in the gaps of knowledge that Catholic sex-ed could not, but I know others who weren’t as lucky. Some of my friends have parents who’ve kicked them onto the streets for even questioning their gender identity. With this bill requiring teachers to report children’s preferences concerning gender to their guardians, we run the risk of losing more kids to violent abuse and homelessness. What’s the point? Why censor vital education on the realities of LGBTQ+ people?
The answer, as history has often informed us, is fear. By nature, parents agonize over the best choices for their children, leaving them vulnerable to bigoted language from manipulative people seeking personal gain. They’ll fall back on old stereotypes and claim to be protecting your children from “corruption.” They’ll deliver justice. They’ll keep your kids safe. It is easier to hate than to learn, to hear a politician say a certain group is “indoctrinating” children and become consumed by fearful speculation. People like Kim Reynolds know this and use it to fuel their careers.
I too have felt how intoxicating it is to unleash all your anxieties onto someone else. But in the aftermath of that high, there comes the crushing realization that you have hurt another human being. Is this the way we want to live?
I am not a politician with some sinister agenda. I’m not a leftist who wants to brainwash your kids. I am a teenager asking you, the reader, to try. Try learning about the experiences of trans youth. Try talking to acquaintances who are gay, bi, or trans. Try advocating for their rights. I hope you find we’re more than a scary statistic, that we’re, quite possibly, on the same side.
Kenna Wolbers is a student at Wahlert Catholic High School in Dubuque. Her column first appeared in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald.
Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. You can join the conversation by submitting a letter to the editor or guest column or by suggesting a topic for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com
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