Governor Kristi Noem is shipping South Dakota National Guards to Texas to respond to a fictitious emergency. Maybe other states should deploy their National Guards to protect South Dakota’s gays, lesbians, and transgender residents. The Human Rights Campaign says LGBT Americans face a real emergency:
Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — officially declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States for the first time in its more than 40-year history, following an unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year. A new report released by HRC today — LGBTQ+ Americans Under Attack — details more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been signed into law this year alone, more than doubling last year’s number, which was previously the worst year on record.
The sharp rise in anti-LGBTQ+ measures has spawned a dizzying patchwork of discriminatory state laws that have created increasingly hostile and dangerous environments for LGBTQ+ people, prompting HRC today to also issue a national warning and downloadable guidebook for the LGBTQ+ community — including health and safety resources, a summary of state-by-state laws, “know your rights” information, and resources designed to support LGBTQ+ travelers as well as those already living in hostile states. This guidebook will arm LGBTQ+ people with resources and information to help ensure safety in all 50 states [Human Rights Campaign, press release, 2023.06.06].
HRC President Kelley Robinson says millions of Americans—both LGBT and their families—face “real, tangible, and dangerous” threats to their health and safety.
But believe it or not, by HRC’s tally of state laws affecting LGBT rights, South Dakota isn’t the worst place to be gay or transgender. South Dakota is on the wrong side of tolerant justice in just four of HRC’s ten legal criteria: we don’t have a non-discrimination law or a conversion-therapy ban, and we do have bans on gender-affirming healthcare and transgender sports participation. To the good, South Dakota hasn’t gotten around to enacting a statewide bathroom ban, LGBT “erasure” law, a Florida-style “Don’t Say Gay” law, pronoun refusal, forced student outing, or a statewide ban on drag shows (Rep. Chris Karr’s House Bill 1116 failed this Session, but Governor Noem is still dragging the issue). If anyone has Rainbow Guards to deploy, they maybe ought to head first to Montana, which fails nine of HRC’s ten criteria for LGBT rights. Tennessee is right behind with eight black marks. North Dakota ties with four other states for third-worst with seven legal dings against LGBT residents and visitors.
Minnesota is one of 21 places (also California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, D.C, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington) that does everything right legally on HRC’s scorecard. Minnesota may not deploy troops to South Dakota to protect Pride marchers, but it does offer folks the freedom to be themselves amidst those 10,000 Lakes.
We may not have some of the more restrictive laws (yet)…but let’s not pretend that legislators like Fred Deutsch, Jon Hansen, Scott Odenbach and other bigoted SD lawmakers don’t have some of these same bills ready to go for the next session.
Plus we have Kristi Noem and her EO pen, who will hate on & discriminate against anyone if it will get her face on Fox News or an interview on a right wing podcast.
What is so restrictive about enforcing a public bathroom policy that protects Little Girls, let alone does not allow men into female bathrooms?
What is so restrictive about enforcing the fact, that ‘we’ do not want “Men” dressing like women in the field of Women Sports?
When a legislature endures members trained in chiropractic who haven’t earned prescriptive authority and deny the efficacy of western medicine voters and residents remain at risk. The most obvious cognitive dissonance set up by legislation like South Dakota’s HB 1080 is removing parents’ ability to provide informed consent in states where Republicans preach parental rights.
DDT, other ag chemicals and BPA in baby food have already altered the genes in at least three generations not to mention what toxoplasma gondii has been doing to human genetics since time immemorial. But, allowing minors without parental consent access to powerful drugs that alter body and mind is not good governing. If legislatures really want to help kids they should fund research and lawsuits to push back against the Earth haters who manufacture poisons, for mental health professionals to treat adolescents with gender dysphoria and codify age of consent rather than issue blanket denials to all minors.
In South Dakota minors can apply for therapeutic cannabis permits with parental or guardian consent, ffs.
A pregnant female not yet at the age of consent is the victim of a crime so if a minor is suffering from gender dysphoria criminalize the cause and identify the perpetrators.
About 1 in a 1000 babies is born with ambiguous genitalia or intersex characteristics and with parents’ blessings pediatric surgeons routinely assign a single gender to newborns—with informed consent.
But South Dakota Republicans don’t want schools to even talk about the causes of gender dysphoria. Why? Because their campaign dollars come from white christianists like the Family Heritage Alliance and the LGBT-bashing Family Research Council and culture war lawsuits raise money for Earth haters like Mrs. Noem and Mr. Deutsch by design.
What about cochlear implants? Informed consent is the prerogative of parent(s) or legal guardian(s). It varies per state but in most minors cannot give medical consent until 18. Bariatric surgery isn’t even approved for patients under 18, just for instance so ‘gender affirming’ surgery that includes genital mutilation for anyone under the age of consent seems barbaric.
Puberty blocking medications are neither cheap nor without contraindications.
According to Mayo, to begin using pubertal blockers, a child must:
•Show a long-lasting and intense pattern of gender nonconformity or gender dysphoria
•Have gender dysphoria that began or worsened at the start of puberty
•Address any psychological, medical or social problems that could interfere with treatment
•Have entered the early stage of puberty
•Provide informed consent
Social contagion like the gender reveal sensation Americans are witnessing currently is a passing fad.
I submit that a parent who observes chronic gender identity issues early in an offspring and doesn’t seek out a psychologist is doing that child harm and South Dakota’s wretched governor and legislature are hurting parents and children by not funding universal
health care. Mr. Zitterich, you’re clearly only semiliterate so if you wish to be taken seriously by a majority of voters consider some remedial English lessons in syntax and learn which nouns to capitalize.
Mike, perhaps you have male and female only bathrooms in your house? Ever ride on a commercial passenger airliner?
There is a great trend in bars and restaurants labeling “restroom” – no gender need matter.
Kristi Noem is borrowing a page from the Vladimir Putin handbook.
(From Salon 4/12/22). “Despite Putin’s claims to the contrary, human rights advocates were right about the impact of his “don’t say gay” law: The Russian “don’t say gay” law has been used as an all-purpose excuse to crack down on LGBTQ rights, all under bad faith claims of “protecting” children. Public materials that portray same-sex couples have been censored. Gay rights activists have been arrested. People were fired for being out of the closet. Pride parades were banned. Right now, the Russian government is trying to shut down one of the nation’s biggest LGBTQ rights groups.”
You can see where we are headed.
Noem declared that Target is “fundamentally tearing down this country”. Yes. She really said that.
She is trying to be the next Desantis. And she’s only just begun.
Who ever thought a Snow Queen… could be so ugly.
Minnesota seems like a great place to go for advocacy of child transgenderism in the forms of hormone alteration, reproductive annhilation, and the promotion of gender confusion — in other words, unnatural law.
Meanwhile South Dakota remains a safe and peaceful place for everyone, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation who wish to live in harmony with their fellow South Dakotans.
Actually, the US Marshals Office and others in the law enforcement industry are warning of excessive violence at the Sturgis Rally this year.
Studying history concludes that once the conservative faction of voters turns on a minority group that group soon gets what it wants and needs.
Mike Z. asks,”What is so restrictive about enforcing a public bathroom policy that protects Little Girls, let alone does not allow men into female bathrooms?”
We don’t have “restrictive” policies requiring separate male and female bathrooms in private residences. Would it be “restrictive” to require that?
There are a lot of places that have “family bathrooms.” Should those be restricted?
When little kids gotta go, little kids gotta go. I took my little daughter into “daddy” bathrooms all over Pierre. Eventually, she became able to use public bathrooms by herself without daddy worrying about her falling in, not washing hands, etc. That’s when she decided she only wanted to go in the Women’s bathroom. I didn’t push it. She decided. When kids go to school, or perhaps day care, they get acculturated into separate bathrooms for the sexes, but when they come home, it’s all unisex. You wanna restrict daddy’s from helping their daughters in public bathrooms?
If you work with disabled folks, you sometimes find yourself having to assist them in the bathroom. Is a disabled person supposed to wet themselves because they can’t be assisted by a male?
Isn’t it wonderful that Cory produces a place where minority viewpoints like ”you know who’s” are welcome?
#NotSnarky
There is never anything sexy happening in the women’s bathroom. Trust and believe. Transgender people and pedophiles could not be further apart on the perverted spectrum. If you let your kid go potty in a church bathroom or a public bathroom in Summerset, SD, then you are risking your child to the predators. There has never been an assault by a transgender woman or man or perverted behavior in a restroom or locker room towards kids by them. There have been tens of thousand of assaults on kids from churches and mayors. I think the people who throw the biggest fit over people being different are the very ones trying to bury what it is in themselves they are too afraid and insecure to confront and accept….so they turn their self-denial into outward aggression. It is called projecting and is a very common coping mechanism. If you just learn to know thyself, other people’s honesty won’t frighten you and upset you. Go after the proven child abusers: religious institutions!
-Google ‘Summerset, sd mayor hidden bathroom cameras’
Look, another female impersonator stabbed her dentist dad to death
Who is really in danger here?
These people need mental care not more nazi death camp surgeries
LCJ- dentists are apt at being a bit quirky. Her father may have needed a good stabbing, as some bad guys do….. if you are scared of transgender people harming you, you should face your fear and actually meet one. I am afraid of big sharks and want to avoid them, but I don’t hate them. The more I learn about them, the more majestic and fascinating they become.
You all make my case for SINGLE STALL BATHROOMS more desirable. Getting away from Male vs Female Bathrooms all together, getiting back to “RESTROOMS” with only one sink, 1 Urinal, and 1 Toilet, with a LOCK on the door, just like Burger King has done today. No issues there…I prefer that concept, and will promote the Single Use Bathrooms going forward.
But in large public places – MALES can only use MENS room, and FEMALES can only use WOMENS rooms. No Changes. There is also no problem to a father taking his little daughter to mens room, the parent has his right to do so, same with the mother taking her little son to the womans room.
What we do not want is ADULT Males going into a WOMANS ROOM or vice versa. We are going to protect the Children whether you like it or not. I am sorry to burst your bubble.
If you do not my textin style, oh well, its a free country, and like me, I will continue to voice my opinions, regardless, without attacking people, nor slamming them, or using vulgar language.
I like South Dakota for how it is grounded in morals, values, and self discipline, and stays true to our God, mentioned in the S.D Constitution.
The fact that we do not allow voters in Sioux Falls to out vote any of the rural voters is a great way to govern over the State of People. ALL OF US together. Just like the Song.
Most of the petitions coming this summer, I do not see any worth affixing my name to them, throwing my support to them, I am sorry.
Met enough to know they should get help not surgery and drugs that make Dr.s, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies rich
The blood-brain barrier is the network of blood vessels and tissue made up of closely spaced cells that helps keep harmful substances from reaching the brain. The herbicide dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid) penetrates the blood-brain barrier as do other hormone disruptors like 2,4-D, DDT, atrazine, neonicotinoids, glyphosate, Metam Sodium/Potassium and Imazalil, a carcinogenic fungicide that can also affect gender identity especially in children and adolescents.
But Republicans scream RIGHT TO LIFE for human blastocysts as environmental pollutants occur more frequently in the umbilical cord blood of infants and in baby poop then cry government overreach while Waters of the United States or WOTUS architects regroup after a ruling in the Supreme Court of the United States and another round in Congress.
Man,
The Bigots heads are exploding over Transgender people.
Most of them do not know a Transgender person.
Guess what ?
Ted Klaut , Joel Koskans and all of the Priests and pastors that have sexually abused little boys for decades never dressed up like a woman.
There is more sexual abuse by people that look
like them, so there just must be a few bad seeds.
But Holy Crap if you think that a transgender person goes into the toilet to do anything except
to use the toilet, you are the sick bastard.
When you blow out someone else’s candle, yours
does not burn brighter.
Oh ya, I forgot to mention T Denny.
He just buys his way out of porn charges and gets a park named after him.
But once again, it’s OK. He looks like us.
Mr. Zitterich- not believing nor resting any trust in your God atall does not make me any less South Dakotan than you. Rural people are no more South Dakotan than urban dwellers. Why should your beliefs be South Dakota’s beliefs? I do not want South Dakota’s practiced morals and values because they are hazardous to women and children. You think I am making this up to instill fear. No, sir. I am only aware of what has been going on around me the whole time I have lived in SD. Mayors hiding cameras in public bathrooms, jesuit priests abusing kids on the reservation, attorney generals getting away with taking a man’s life, Native women dying in the county jails, policemen raping women and girls, government taking money from water polluters, police shooting unarmed folks every year, rich donors getting away with rape and pedophilia. That is what you are clinging to. Sucky morals I don’t want nothing to do with. The whole foundation of your SD constitution was written by a bunch of corrupt opportunists who stole from people they lied to and tried to exterminate by starvation and disease. Brutes are still preying on whatever they can get their fat, grubby mitts on. And they’re still raping, no denying that. Look at the facts. From a completely objective perspective; only going off of historical accounts, God and your SD morals are what are considered devil worship.
You do not have to be aware you are worshipping the devil to worship the devil. I love SD. I am SD. There is right and there is wrong and it is wrong to force your God onto anyone. It is right to love everyone. It is not wrong to be who you want to be. It is right to let people live peacefully while being themselves. It is wrong make a Sikh South Dakotan taxpayer pay for Catholic school education. It is right to keep the State and religion separate. It is wrong to provide support to organized child abuse. It is right to seek justice for the victims of contaminated water. It is wrong to force a woman to become septic and lose her reproductive system forever because her doctor cannot abort an ectopic pregnancy. It is right to keep the State out of medical decisions. It is wrong to expose women and girls to toxins that will ruin her ability to have a baby. It is right to use taxpayer dollars to feed every child and senior. These all seem simple and basic but your God goes against these inalienable rights.
Beat on people who can’t punch back without heavy retaliation. This is an American fascist principle and habit. The Nazis used this kind of persecution because it fed the growing group of haters who ushered and cheered Adolf Hitler into power. Kristi Noep’s and the Republican Party’s exploitation of anti-other hatred is not original, but that doesn’t mean it’s ineffective to entice and control weak-minded simpletons to join their goon squads.
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/series/gay-men-and-lesbians-under-the-nazi-regime
Perhaps to enhance Kristi Noep’s implementation of her fascist dictates, she could dictate that all LGBTQ+ residents and visitors in South Dakota could wear the pink triangle on their outwear. To continue in the Orwellian narrative she seems to enjoy, she can call it “Our LGBTQ+ Protection and Celebration Act.”
https://time.com/5295476/gay-pride-pink-triangle-history/
Well said, Donald. Again you show the deep chasm between reality and slogans when it comes to governance.
Kristi Noem loves to “kick down”. There is no easier target to swiftly kick than young people. Trans people and gay people who are young are just an irresistible target for the Governor’s contempt. Besides, they make her “feel sad”. She can’t be blamed.
Mike’s pitch is based on the mischaracterization of transgender people as predators. If we’re protecting children, it seems kids would be safer if we had one restroom for Joel Koskan and other Republicans and one public restroom for the rest of us.
Mark’s pitch is based on the false claim that everyone is safe in South Dakota and the tacit demand that everyone conform to Mark’s morality/religion to enjoy that safety. Again, ask Joel Koskan’s daughter: she seemed willing to “live in harmony” with her adopted family and other South Dakotans, but Joel Koskan didn’t keep her safe.
We are not going to allow women with “hairy legs” walk into women rooms, enough said. The law states, WOMEN rooms are for “Women” and MEN rooms are for “men”. When I walk down the street and I see a woman with hairy legs, a partial baird and mustache, I turn and walk the other way as fast as I can. Well, maybe I do not turn and walk away, I simply nod, and keep on walking, thinking to myself, I am glad I am 50 years old, I will be dead in 25 years, before this world gets more scary looking.
Our S.D Constitution, the very first line in our Preamble, is a vow to “Our Lord, Almighty God…” do not forget this. “WE” as South Dakotan’s are blessed people to be such a moral, valued, upbeat, disciplined sovereign state – Those who come here, know, who we are, based on the state constitution.
Example: As I sell a vehicles each day, I once had a transgendered woman come to look at and buy a car, I think it was a trannsgendered, she had to correct me when I said “hello sir” so I corrected myself and say “maam” – she then thanked me, we got into a great conversation about a few cars I had, then she went on and told me what she was looking for, and we sat down in the office, had a cup of coffee, and signed the paper work for a nice 2005 Pontiac Grand Am with 180,000 miles that I sold her for $1,000 plus some repairs that followed, and we worked together to fix up that car, where she got 20% OFF parts and labor at my dad’s repair shop. To this day, she is perhaps my best customer, bought 4 cars from me to this date. Shes a good person.
So, just cause I do not like the behavior, I am respectful to them. And they know me better today, than before.
lol.
Mike, you’re friggin’ nuts.
Mike Z makes Sibby look like a brain surgeon.
Gender dysphoria has an organic origin, like obesity, like autism, like old age. When Republicans vilify a class or a group it’s to marginalize and not to include because Jesus? The Nazarene included everyone except the hypocrites with logs in their eyes.
Pick a lane, Earth haters.
So now Mike knows that a woman with hairy legs and some facial hair is really a man? There are plenty of women who subscribe to that ‘natural’ way of things and let their body hair grow. And transgender women know how to use a razor. Pretty sure God/Jesus wouldn’t want people to judge or make assumptions based on that…but then Republican God/Jesus seems to be more on the hateful side of things.
The law states, WOMEN rooms are for “Women” and MEN rooms are for “men”.
Where do boys and girls, who are neither men nor women, go potty? Magats gonna inspect women for leg hairs and force them to shave before using facilites? What about guys with hairy legs and backs?
All this bathroom talk is making grudznick itchy.
Mr. Zitterich, all anyone asks is respect, politeness and to keep offensive opinions to yourself. You have learned that in your business life.
It’s a nothing issue. For cryin out loud, I remember where I went to the bathroom back in the fifties. A public restroom was a single stool in a gas station and you took your turn. School was little different, separate rooms maybe, but no privacy, per se. The only place I remember separate rooms and stalls was the Municipal Building. If there was a urinal, it was likely a long trough, and everyone sidled up and got over any predilection for having a bashful kidney. They used to say such facilities prepared you for the Army. The facilities served all comers. Get in, get out and be sure to zip up.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/09/january-6-trump-political-violence-survey
University Chicago study: 4% of the adult population, believe violence is justified to restore Donald Trump. 12% believe violence is justified to restore federal right to abortion
related news: “Chicagoans Tell Fox News To ‘Shut The F— Up About Chicago’”
Like over 5,000 others, I am going to the Pride Parade tomorrow morning (Saturday) in Sioux Falls. Last year’s was awesome! And I hope some of those idiot protesters show up so I can completely ignore them – and enjoy the day’s festivities.
Mr. jim, do not engage if they throw things. Bring along a few of your goons, and when the protestor fellows taunt you or throw an egg at your knee have your big friends go over and explain things. That’s what grudznick would do. I know a few goons in Sioux Falls if you need introductions.
The far right gets all bent out of shape with gay people having a Parade. Big Deal. They are happy to put up with Trump’s macho sexual shananagans . I guess they figure an occasional rape by their political candidates creates a healthy, robust role model for young men and boys. But Gay people?? Walking in a Parade?? Get out your automatic weapons and brass knuckles.
To any LGBTQ2 person feeling alienated, marginalized or suicidal living in SD, please know there is state right next door door to the east of you that will welcome and accept you and give you the freedom to be who you are.
https://twitter.com/MNUFC/status/1665160088544264192/photo/1