Full-Court Press

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On this Transgender Day of Visibility, the Supreme Court decided free speech trumps queer kids' right to be themselves.

The justices sided 8-1 with a Christian counselor who claimed Colorado's law banning conversion therapy violated her First Amendment right to tell gay and trans youth that they're going to spend eternity in the fires of hell. (Okay, I presume she didn't put it that way.)

This means that the bans on conversion therapy enacted by bunches of states are up in the air. So brace yourself for the return of "Christian" therapy aimed at changing teens' sexual orientation or gender identity. To be followed by guilt, depression, and suicidal ideation.

On the upside, we all know of cases where a gay kid goes to conversion camp and meets his first boyfriend.

Terminated

Image:  Facebook

Since the nation's Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988, launched three years ago, it's fielded over 16 million calls, texts, and chats. Gay and transgender youth accounted for nearly 10% of those contacts.

The system is working. So . . . let's shut it down!

Last week the Trump administration pulled the plug on the "press 3" option, which connected queer young people with a counselor trained in their specific challenges, like discrimination, violence, and heightened suicidality.

I see this as a twofer for Trump and his suckerfish. First they actively vilify our community, especially transgender folks, and now they get to shutter a primary resource for coping with that vilification. So neat and tidy.

More and more I sense the need for a national Trump Crisis Lifeline so people can get emotional support dealing with the almost daily calamities he creates. Since 911 is taken, we need a different number. Funny, where Trump is concerned, all I can think of is 666.