Hey y’all.

Welcome back to Queer 101 — Season 2 is here, and I’m switching things up.

This season, we are getting more real-time, more responsive, and more in conversation with you. Instead of only focusing on monthly books and interviews, I’ll be digging into the queer and trans issues showing up in the news, in our communities, on our feeds, and — unfortunately — in election-season attack ads.

And yes, I want to hear from you. Drop your thoughts in the comments, send me your questions, DM me your reactions, and tell me what you want us to unpack next. This is Queer 101, but we are not doing passive learning over here. We are building language, context, and community.

In this episode, I’m asking the question a lot of us are exhausted by but cannot afford to ignore:

Why do politicians keep targeting trans people?

I break down the anti-trans political playbook, how LGBTQ people get used as wedge issues during election season, why culture-war panic distracts from housing, healthcare, wages, and survival, and how we fight back through coalition-building, local voting, and real organizing.

But it is not enough to just listen you have to take action. So here are some of the action items we discussed in today’s show.

1. Research your local ballot.
   Look up who and what will be on your ballot before Election Day. Local races matter.
   
   
   
2. Text three people.
   Ask them if they have a voting plan. Not “are you voting?” — a plan. When, where, how, and what they need.
   
   
   
3. Get specific.
   Do not let politicians hide behind vibes. Ask what they support on healthcare, housing, wages, war, schools, trans rights, labor rights, and community safety.
   
   
   
4. Build across movements.
   Trans rights, labor rights, racial justice, healthcare, housing, and anti-war work are connected. The opposition knows that. We should too.

The anti-trans panic is loud. But our communities are louder when we are informed, connected, and ready.

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