Canary in the Coal Mine by Anonymous
It can happen here, and it is happening here.
This piece is published anonymously with permission of the original author.
Hi,
I wrote the following this morning, and I'm hoping you'll read it. If it resonates, please feel free to remove my name and share it widely.
You already know this about me, but several years ago I realized that I am transgender. When I was a child, before I understood how other people expected me to look and behave, I was as I am now. I built my closet to protect myself, but I was in pain. Being myself again is incredible-- I am comfortable, stable, grounded, and happy.
The stage has been set to erase me and people like me. It’s in the executive orders explicitly, and even more clearly if you know your history and if you can read between the lines. They say that I don’t exist, and that I am a threat. I think that you know me better than they do. I’m reaching out to you now because I need your help.
They say this is about science— it is not. They can’t even name the sex cells involved in conception, and they defund, dismantle, discredit science even as they claim to defend it. They say this is about defending women; again, it is not— they actively, enthusiastically remove critical healthcare and protections for women. It’s not even about spirituality or morality—they can’t abide the bishop asking for mercy on the vulnerable. This is about fear and control. I am the canary in the coal mine.
I’ve worked hard to understand myself in a world where there were no positive examples of people like me. I have brought myself, as I know me and as I love me, into this world. I know the joy and the power of self-creation, and many of my friends do as well. It is possible to move from distrust, self-loathing, and fear toward love. I have done it. We can work together now to do this as a community.
This past week, we’ve received emails to cease all work related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We’ve been told to make lists and name names of anyone who has done work under the broad umbrella of “DEIA.” My name will likely show up on those lists, and I assume it is not to give me an award. We’ve been told to report anyone who continues to uphold these principles– to rat out our friends and colleagues. They’ve handed positions of power to people with vested interests in dismantling regulations that protect human health and the environment. They’re disenfranchising academic institutions, stigmatizing “others” as enemies, and they’re embracing an increasingly warped version of religion. If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. It can happen here, and it is happening here.
Please listen to your intuition. Lean into your personal agency in this, and lean into love, joy, and creativity. Lean into your community– we can act together to create the world that we want to see. Shun fear and scarcity. Please don’t let me and people like me do this alone. We need each other more than ever.
With love and hope,
Your friend and colleague who came out as transgender after we worked together.
January 2025