Another Dig

Once again an amendment was introduced to throw us out in the cold.

Democrats shoot down anti-transgender amendments to Violence Against Women Act
Republicans wanted to allow shelters to refuse to place transgender women in women-only spaces
Metroweekly
By John Riley
March 14, 2019

On Wednesday, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee approved a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act that contained protections for transgender victims of intimate partner violence.

The law, which funds programs and services for victims of domestic violence, rape, or stalking, lapsed in February after Congress failed to pass an extension of the act as part of a larger government funding bill. It has previously been reauthorized three separate times since its introduction in 1994, reports The Hill.

The final version of the bill that emerged from committee passed on a 22-11 party-line vote.

Republicans objected to two significant provisions in the most recent version of the bill that they say are overtly partisan: expanded protections for transgender victims, including access to shelters; and measures that could make it harder for convicted abusers to purchase firearms. They also wanted to adopt amendments that would ensure that funds from the act would not be used to pay for abortions.

U.S. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) said that keeping those controversial provisions would only endanger women in abusive relationships, whom the act was originally intended to protect.

Okay where to begin?

First trans women have not, repeat, not committed any crime in bathrooms or shelters but rather we were the ones attacked in shelters and bathrooms.

“There is no evidence to suggest that placing transgender women into shelters poses any danger to anybody,” he added. “In fact, all it does is ensure that transgender people are safe.”

Next, the Republicans think it is okay for someone who threatened or committed a violent act to be able to buy a weapon. Connecticut lead the way in having sane gun laws and as a result we have one of the lowest gun deaths in the nation (Connecticut is 46^th in gun deaths and is rated 3^rd in strengths in gun laws). It seems to me that the Republicans have watched too many westerns and want to bring back gunslingers and the wide west.

Lastly, the Republicans want to control women’s bodies. The Republicans mantra is “get government off our backs!” but they seem okay telling people what to do with their bodies and where to pee.