Trans Kids Deserve Better
| Abbreviation | TKDB |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2024 |
| Purpose | Transgender rights and access to gender-affirming healthcare |
Region served | United Kingdom |
| Website | transkidsdeservebetter |
Trans Kids Deserve Better is a British action network consisting primarily of trans youth. The group advocates for transgender rights in the UK including access to gender-affirming care for minors and protections from discrimination, deadnaming, and misgendering in schools. The group has protested by occupying the NHS headquarters and the Department for Education headquarters. It also released crickets during an LGB Alliance meeting.
History
[edit]The group's first protest occurred in July 2024 during the Pride in London parade,[1] when two activists with the group climbed the NHS England headquarters in response to their decision to cease prescription of puberty blockers for trans youth in May.[2][3][4][5] They held a sign above the building saying "we are not pawns for your politics" and were eventually joined by other transgender youth, with one holding a sign saying "The Cass Report is built on transphobia".[6] The group made three demands: equal access to gender-affirming healthcare, protections against misgendering and deadnaming, and to no longer be used as "political pawns".[3]
This sit-in lasted for four days.[3] The group was supported on Twitter with the hashtag "#TransKidsDeserveBetter" and raised nearly £7,000 from digital donations.[3] In an interview on the second day of the protest, one of the protesters said that "Decisions are being taken that affect our lives without any trans people in the room, let alone trans young people."[1]
In August 2024, the group led a week-long occupation of a Department for Education (DfE) building in London, saying that a draft guidance produced by the conservative government in December 2023 which had been delivered to British teaching institutions created "confusion" and an "unsafe environment".[7][8] In May, the DfE had introduced guidance that would ban lessons on the concept of gender identity, specified all lessons on trans people should focus on the legality of transitioning and that legal gender changes are reserved for those over 18, and mandated that while in school "boys cannot be legally classified as girls or vice versa".[7] In a statement to Them magazine, one of the activists explained the group decided to target the Department for Education "because in the UK, at the moment, trans kids are treated horribly in education."[7] Following national coverage of the protest, in a statement to ITV News, the department said that they would meet with the group "as soon as possible".[9]
In October 2024, the group drew notice when protesters released sacks of crickets during the conference of the LGB Alliance as one of the final talks was about to start.[10] The group released a satirical video during the incident where a trans youth dressed as a cricket reported on the protest and stated that the LGB Alliance has opposed bans on conversion therapy and platforms "proud speeches about shutting down trans healthcare". The group released a statement following the protest: "6 of us released about 6,000 crickets into hate group LGB Alliance's annual conference. The result of the conference, if it had gone ahead as planned, would have been an acceleration of transphobic hate and misinformation, which drives much of the attack on our healthcare and our dignity."[11][12]
Since August, the group has left cardboard coffins outside UK Health Secretary Wes Streetings office to protest his renewal of the government's ban on puberty blockers following the Cass Review. He has not responded to their requests to meet.[13][14] In November TKDB staged a die in at Victoria Station in London to protest the ban.[13] In December, they organized an encampment outside Streetings office to protest his decision to indefinitely extend it.[15][16] An 18 year old activist with TKDB said Streeting "has chosen politics over our lives" and "We are being put through an experiment, but the experiment is to deny us healthcare, not to provide it. He wants to see what happens to us when we grow up permanently altered in ways we never wanted, and we never consented to be part of that."[17]
Reception
[edit]Stonewall co-founder Lisa Power and Gay Liberation Front (GLF) veteran Roz Kaveney lauded their protest of the NHS and against injustice towards trans youth as reminiscent of the original Pride protests.[6]
Author JK Rowling, who spoke at the interrupted LGB Alliance conference, called the group's actions "homophobic".[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Young trans activists enter second day protesting at NHS England's London Headquarters". Diva. 30 June 2024. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Bock, Phoebe (3 July 2024). "Young trans activists stage four-day protest on ledge of NHS England headquarters". GCN. Archived from the original on 12 August 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d Crimmins, Tricia (2 July 2024). "'We are not pawns for politics': Trans kids occupy NHS building to protest puberty blocker ban". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Brooks, Libby (1 July 2024). "Campaigners lament 'completely off' UK election discussion of trans issues". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
- ^ Smith, Serena (2 July 2024). "Young trans activists have scaled the NHS headquarters". Dazed. Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ a b Perry, Sophie (1 July 2024). "Trans teens occupy ledge at NHS England headquarters". Pinknews. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "Trans Teens Are Occupying the U.K. Department For Education to Demand Policy Changes". Them. 27 August 2024. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Understand the LGBTQIA+ news: Trans Kids Deserve Better's latest occupation is inspired by queer activism's history". QueerAF. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Evans, Josie (30 August 2024). "Young trans people occupy Department for Education for entire week in protest". ITV.
- ^ Tait, Albert (11 October 2024). "Watch: Suspected trans protesters release crickets to disrupt gay rights conference". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ "Youth Activists Release Thousands of Live Crickets at Anti-Trans Conference in London". Them. 11 October 2024. Archived from the original on 13 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ a b Lazine, Mira (14 October 2024). "Youth activists release thousands of crickets to disrupt anti-trans hate group conference". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ a b Jupp, Lydia (2 December 2024). "UK Trans Youth Organise Die-In To Protest Puberty Blockers Ban". Retrieved 12 December 2024.
- ^ Smith, Serena (12 December 2024). "Meet the young trans activists taking on Wes Streeting". Retrieved 12 December 2024.
- ^ Jupp, Lydia (12 December 2024). "United Kingdom Bans Puberty Blockers For Trans Youth 'Indefinitely'". Retrieved 12 December 2024.
- ^ Lazine, Mira (12 December 2024). "United Kingdom bans puberty blockers indefinitely: It's a "death sentence"". Retrieved 12 December 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Lazine-12-12-2024was invoked but never defined (see the help page).