Time To Transubstantiate*

There are way, way, WAY more important issues at stake in this election — see, for example, this one . . .

. . . but with immigration now Trump’s liability — because he killed the bi-partisan legislation that would finally have fixed the border crisis . . .

. . . and with inflation now barely 1% above the Fed’s target . . .

. . . Republicans are sure to stoke fear of men in girls’ dressing rooms (well, except for Trump, for whom it’s okay), and all the other scary things about transgenderism.

But how scary should these things really be?

I’d bet not one American in a thousand has been harmed in even the slightest way by a trans person.  Certainly not physically.  (Not only were you not a female Olympic boxer beaten by this trans gold medalist — she turned out not to be trans at all!)

Nor even psychologically, by a glance in a public restroom (or whatever else Republicans want you to fear).

The problem — as it was with gay and lesbian Americans until relatively recently — is that few people know trans people.

Now that most Americans do know LGBT friends, neighbors, co-workers or family members — or at least “know” Anderson Cooper, Ellen DeGeneres, Tim Cook, and Brandi Carlile — they find us a lot less scary.

The same will gradually prove true of the trans community.

A great start will be Netflix’s Will & Harper, streaming worldwide September 27.  Watch the trailer and I think you’ll see what I mean. Whatever your politics, I think it will touch you.

If you have a few minutes more, “meet” Stephanie Fritsch of Wiconisco (pop.784) and a few other trans Pennsylvanians.

All that said, whatever your feelings on this issue, don’t let Trump and Putin fool you into thinking it has anything near the importance to you and your kids as the issue of whether we lose our democracy to a man bent on “vengeance” and “retribution,” whom Vladimir Putin desperately hopes will win.

*I’m sorry; this is entirely off topic.  But those of us who know Tom Lehrer’s iconic “Vatican Rag” can’t hear the word “trans” without immediately thinking, Two, four, six, eight — time to transubstantiate!   You’re welcome.