This Increasingly Fascist Country

 I opened reddit this morning and saw someone had asked this question:

Background: I’m a stealth, fully passing transgender woman (40) whose documents are completely updated for a few years now. I have two sons who really want to go to Disney World and this year I promised them we’d go together. But with all that is happening in FL, I am terrified.

If someone found out that I’m trans could Florida take my kids away even if I am a resident of Washington State?

Can I use the women’s bathroom if I am post-op and all my documents say female?

I’m very worried that something really awful could happen, but I also don’t want to break my kid’s heart about the trip. What should I do?

Now, to be fair, she probably doesn't have much to worry about. This is the totally normal paranoia all mothers have for their children. Nobody is doing genital checks at the door, and if she's fully passing as she says, nobody is going to look twice at her.

But the part that totally pisses me off is that, thanks to the rise of Conservative fascism, someone feels the need to ask the question at all. We're giving up more and more freedoms every day, and many of us feel unsafe in our own country.

And why? Conservatives constantly tout how America is the best country in the world, and how we're the "Land of the Free" and so on. They look down on every other country, especially the ones with totalitarian governments. So why do they keep looking to those countries as guide for how to rule America?

If you think I'm being melodramatic, you're probably a straight cis white male. You're probably thinking, "Well, I haven't noticed any restricted freedoms." To which I have to ask, are you just totally incapable of stepping into someone else's shoes, even for a second?

As I write this, there are 471 anti-LGBTQ bills currently under consideration in the US. And let's not forget all the abortion restrictions going on. Americans look down on countries that allow religion to control their laws... "unless it's our religion." You might feel safe, because you're on "the winning team." But that attitude will backfire. If you keep letting religion to get its hooks into our laws that way, it's going to be impossible to get it back out. And sooner or later, you'll be a target too.

Do you drink? Some Christians are against it. Got a girlfriend? Some Christians look down on premarital sex. Do you look at porn? Don't get used to it. These are Christian values, folks. And if the right set of justices get on the Supreme Court, they'll look into outlawing all of it. And you won't be able to blame anyone but yourself, since you'll be the sap who voted them in.

That's why you should make the clean break now. Support the separation of church and state. Abolish laws based on religion. Just because you disagree with something, doesn't mean it should be outlawed. If something you hate is outlawed for religious reasons, don't consider that a win. At best, consider it a close call. It could have been one of your rights they axed.