David Bell, in response to how clinicians can “roll back”, insisted on targeting the schools instead. All of the presenters seemed in agreement that schools were a source of “indoctrination”. In their eyes, the only solution was to erase as much reference to trans people from the schools as possible, from positive representations of trans life to our very presence. Among their targets are the various GSAs and other clubs formed to support LGBTQ+ kids in attempts to remedy decades of isolation.
As soon as Bell said the words “those schools that have been captured […] that’s where most of the damage […] is being done”, my brain went into OH FUCK mode. I abandoned my desk, burst into the neighboring bedroom as I proclaimed to my husband something along the lines of “they’re going after school boards,” and grabbed a hefty bag of potato chips before heading back into the office. I knew something was going to go down soon and there was no way I was getting through it without some snacks.
Unfortunately, I was soon proven right. Two days later, a new lawsuit dropped in Waukeska county, Wisconsin. Headed by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL), the suit (
CN: link contains misgendering)
sought an injunction against Kettle Moraine school district on behalf of two parents after their kid changed his name and pronouns at school. Genspect later announced that
they had met with lawyers from WILL about the case and provided “extensive affidavits from expert and Genspect advisor Dr. Steven Levine.” Yes, you read that right: Genspect is directly collaborating on ADF cases to cut off trans kids at school from supports. I only expect it to get worse from here.