The recent wave of anti-trans hatred being pushed in the media and legislation has, unfortunately, spilled over onto campus. In recent weeks, students have spotted a number of flyers asking about “transition regret,” which studies show is extremely rare, according to a meta-analysis by Bustos et. al. The purpose of these flyers is clear—they are looking for vulnerable students to turn into political pawns to attack the trans community and spread disinformation about transitioning. While absolutely horrific, this comes as no surprise given recent narratives in far-right media, arguing that being trans is a “social contagion” and depicting us as “groomers” for simply existing.
In fact, these narratives have been spread by certain student organizations, such as TPUSA at UTD, which allowed a disruption of a drag event last semester to be organized in its official GroupMe channels. Unfortunately, no official action has been taken against either the student who disrupted the event or the TPUSA members who encouraged him, which has only served to further embolden transphobia on campus.
UT Dallas has a reputation as one of the most accepting campuses for LGBTQ+ students in Texas. Unfortunately, this vocal minority continues to spread senseless, irrational hatred, and will continue to do so as long as their behavior is emboldened by the inaction of university administration. The trans community is under threat, and our support system is under threat from anti-DEI legislation. At this crucial time, the university must stand up and stand behind our trans community with action, not just empty words.
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