Four Sisters Publishing prints and sells books, artwork, and other merchandise that embrace the feminist ideal of equality for all people. In our newsletter, we bring you stories that are relevant to this mission. We also update you on our newest products, coupons, and sales so that we can continue to spread the feminist perspective! |
|
|
Why Should You Support Trans Rights? |
|
|
Republicans' hateful and ignorant rhetoric targeting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender Americans, endangers people's lives and our republic. In November, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted that Senator Scott Wiener (who is gay) was a "communist groomer." In February 2022, she called transgender people a "perversion" in an interview with Alex Jones. She then said that trans people were "grooming children to believe things that are lies and that are completely wrong." In response to questions about Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, Ron DeSantis' press secretary, Christina Pushaw, stated last March, “If you’re against the Anti-Grooming bill, you are probably a groomer or at least you don’t denounce the grooming of 4-8 year old children.” Right-wing media personalities like Laura Ingraham and Tucker Carlson reach millions of viewers every night. Ingraham has called schools "grooming centers." Tucker Carlson has said, "Trans women are not women. Women are women, and men are men. And that's unalterable. And if you think otherwise, you were delusional. And they are delusional and therefore dangerous." The consequence is that trans people are 2.5 times more likely to experience violence than cisgender people, and hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community are continuing to increase. | | |
|
|
Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes, especially against trans Americans, increased between 2017 and 2022. Since January 2017, 221 transgender people have been murdered in the U.S. In 2019, there was a 43% increase in anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups. This coincides with the rise in "groomer conspiracies" during the Trump presidency when he openly supported QAnon. | | |
|
|
On top of the outright violence right-wing extremists have subjected trans Americans to, they are now trying to deny trans people healthcare. So far, 17 states have completely banned gender-affirming care for minors, and another 16 states are considering banning gender-affirming care. Republicans are enacting these laws despite multiple studies showing that medical gender-affirming care improves trans people's mental health. This care has been shown to reduce "depression, anxiety and additional adverse mental health outcomes." One study showed gender-affirming care reduced the risk of suicide in trans and nonbinary youths by 73%. Leading medical groups in the U.S. overwhelmingly support gender-affirming care as a medical necessity. Anti-trans legislation will only increase the number of deaths in the trans community. | | |
|
|
Only 5.1% of young adults in the U.S. say they are transgender or nonbinary. Trans people make up a tiny segment of the U.S. population. There is no way for such a small minority of people to defend themselves against an attack by the majority unless they are protected by law. We live in a republic, a form of representative government ruled by a constitution. The Constitution is supposed to all Americans from overreach by the government. It's also supposed to protect minorities from the tyranny of the majority. An attack on the rights of any minority is an attack on our republic. | | |
|
|
The First Amendment to the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech." The way people dress is a form of expression and is therefore protected as free speech. Yet, at least 15 states across the U.S. are trying to pass legislation targeting drag shows because Conservatives don't like cross-dressing. You would think the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, which states "No State shall...deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws," would also protect trans people from laws targeting them for the way they dress or laws attempting to limit their access to healthcare, but that's still being fought in the courts. The right to privacy (which was protected by the First, Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments) might have safeguarded the availability of gender-affirming care, but the Supreme Court stripped it away in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which was the case that also stripped pregnant people of the right to control their bodies. The theme is that right-wing extremists are fighting to deny certain groups their constitutional rights. |
|
|
Our founders wrote in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Yet, the people claiming to be most patriotic openly fight to deprive trans people and pregnant people of these "unalienable Rights." If conservatives will deny human rights to these two groups, what's to keep them from going further? What's to keep religious zealots from deciding to take away access to birth control? Are they going to start policing people's bedrooms? Is sodomy going to become a crime once again? Will women be able to keep their jobs, or will they be forced back into the home to bear and raise children? Our democratic republic will not last if only certain groups of Americans can enjoy "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." An attack on one group must be seen as an attack on our way of life. If we want America to succeed, we must stand together and defend the rights of ALL Americans. | | |
|
|
MAPS: The state of Equality in the U.S. |
|
|
Gender-Affirming Care Bans Impacting Youth (by hrc.org) | | |
|
|
Interactive Map: US Abortion Policies and Access After Roe (Guttmacher Institute) | | |
|
|
State Affirmative Action Information (ballotpedia.org) | | |
|
|
CRT Bans (worldpopulationreview.com) | | |
|
|
Get LOUD on the 4th of July!!! |
|
|
We have to make our support for trans rights and abortion rights visible! The more Americans openly support LGBTQ+ people and abortion access, the faster we will get our country back on track. Support our allies in the fight for equality!!! “Your silence will not protect you.” ― Audre Lorde |
|
|
Erasing Black History Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a legal and academic theory, or lens, for understanding reality in the United States. Its core concepts are that race is socially constructed and that racism is not limited to individual prejudice but is also ingrained in our "laws, policies and institutions." That means that racism affects every facet of life, from where you can live, to the quality of your healthcare and education, to your ability to find work. There are data to back up critical race theory's tenets, but rather than acknowledging reality, Republicans are painting CRT as discriminatory against white people and hurtful to peace in our country. Currently, seven states have banned CRT in their schools, and sixteen states are attempting to ban it. |
|
|
Since CRT is not explicitly taught in K-12 education and Republicans only seem to have a vague idea of what it is, their CRT bans have covered everything from discussions on privilege and oppression to instruction on race relations. They've even banned a book by Ruby Bridges (the first black child to attend a white elementary school in New Orleans) because she wrote about a "large crowd of angry white people who didn't want Black children in a white school." Whether or not conservatives like it, this is black history, and this is white history. Denying it will not right the wrongs that have been done. |
|
|
In their attempt to rally their base by denying the existence of racism, Republicans are silencing African American voices. They're denying black people's experiences and attempting to erase their perspectives. Parents in Texas petitioned to remove two graphic novels by Jerry Craft because they thought the books were aligned with CRT. New Kid and Class Act tell stories of black kids who struggle to fit in at schools where most students are white. In 2020, 6 out of 10 of the "most challenged books" were written by people of color. Denying the existence of racism, erasing people's experiences and perspectives, and pretending certain parts of our history didn't happen will only deepen the divide in America. Good, bad, and ugly, we must teach our children about the past; it's a map of how we got to where we are today. We also must be empathetic to other people's experiences to truly understand our past. Winston Churchill wrote, "Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." We must fight to include ALL Americans' stories in our history books and libraries. We need to be able to take an honest look at our past and have genuine discussions about how it affects us all today. We have to be willing to listen to move forward. The future of the United States depends on it! |
|
|
GET YOUR COPY TODAY!!! Your children can follow Bellatrix on her biggest adventures all while learning to love and respect themselves as well as those around them. They will also learn new and interesting words that will help their vocabularies grow! Don't forget to download your free activity book with each purchase!!! |
|
|
Bellatrix Meets The Saddest Little Man (a story about injustice) We’ve all felt the sting of injustice in our lives, and our kids are no different! Sometimes people (or institutions) seem out to get us, and it feels like no one will listen. Learn from Bellatrix's experience in this hilarious story that will have your kids cracking up but will also help them deal with the anger and helplessness they feel when confronted with unfairness. NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!!! | | |
|
|
Bellatrix Gets Her Wings The second book in the Bellatrix Series is in the works! We're so excited to share another of Bellatrix's adventures and can't wait to post more sketches. Updates to come! |
|
|
$1 million + Lawsuit for Helping Friend with Abortion Marcus A. Silva is suing three of his ex-wife's friends for helping her get abortion pills to end her pregnancy. At the time, Silva's wife had already filed for divorce. Silva discovered evidence of the abortion by searching his then-wife's phone and purse. Silva first filed a police report on his then-wife for taking abortion pills. ow, he's suing her friends for over $1 million each in a wrongful death lawsuit, claiming they harmed him by killing his unborn child and terminating his fatherhood without his knowledge. Whether or not you live in a state where abortion is illegal, be careful what you put in writing or keep on apps. The war on women is real, and text messages and period trackers could be used as evidence against women in criminal and civil cases. Protect yourself and keep no records! |
|
|
Equal Rights Amendment It's about time The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was first approved by two-thirds of both chambers of Congress in 1972. The next barrier to the amendment becoming law was that it needed to be ratified by three-fourths of the states, which would be 38. On January 27, 2020, the 38th state ratified the ERA. However, the Trump administration refused to certify the amendment. If certified, the ERA would read: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.” There are many legal hurdles to the ERA becoming law. However, that doesn't mean we should give up. Check out equalrightsamendment.org to see what you can do! | | |
|
|
For more ideas on what you can do to fight for equality, buy Fight the Patriarchy: A Survival Guide on Amazon!!! Did the overturning of Roe v. Wade make you sick to your stomach? Are you angry that women in America are still fighting for basic human rights? If so, this important guide will help you use your anger to affect real change in your life and in our society. It will provide perspective on the role patriarchy has played in creating inequality in America and give you tips on how to combat it from the ground up! I'd love your feedback. Leave me a review to help spread the feminist message! | | |
|
|
Legislation and Court Cases to Watch |
|
|
Book of the Month The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 8 starred reviews Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best William C. Morris Award Winner National Book Award Longlist Printz Honor Book Coretta Scott King Honor Book #1 New York Times Bestseller "Absolutely riveting " --Jason Reynolds "Stunning." --John Green "This story is necessary. This story is important." -- Kirkus (starred review) "Heartbreakingly topical." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A marvel of verisimilitude." -- Booklist (starred review) "A powerful, in-your-face novel." -- Horn Book (starred review) Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does--or does not--say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life. -thriftbooks | | |
|
|
Keep up on news that affects you and learn how you can fight for equality in the U.S.! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter! | | |
|
|
|
|
