Page 58 - CJNov_Dec24

Lift Every Voice
Lift E ve r y Vo i ce

but could also put them at risk for experiencing nega- tion. It’s important to make a concerted effort to know
tive outcomes such as the creation of a hostile living what bathrooms TGE singers are legally allowed to
environment, rejection from the family unit, or even use, whether there may be a risk to singers who have
homelessness. gender-affirming medication such as hormone replace-
ment therapy (HRT) or pubertal blockers (some states
have banned or have attempted to ban gender-affirm-
Familiarize yourself with the current legislation in your own area ing care for TGE youth), or if a TGE singer could face
as well as the area(s) to which you are traveling. repercussions for living authentically while in public.
For example, early in 2023, Tennessee passed an anti-
As choir directors, we already have a large number drag performance bill that was worded so generally that
of plates that we have to keep spinning. It is not realis- some could interpret it as restricting TGE people from
tic for you to know every single city, state, and federal existing in public while being their authentic self. This
policy when it comes to topics that involve LGBTQ+ bill was struck down by a federal judge as unconstitu-
and TGE people (including school district/school-level tional, but the Tennessee Attorney General released a
policies). However, when planning a trip, it is essential statement saying the state would eventually attempt to
for you to understand what laws are currently active, appeal the ruling. 6
particularly with the current rise of anti-trans legisla- Given the myriad safety concerns, it is your responsi-

56 CHORAL JOURNAL November/December 2024 Volume 65 Number 4