Recently, it was brought to our attention that transphobic rhetoric was posted in 2 separate opinion pieces, written by Kim Kieler, a well-known person in the Palm Springs community as the owner of Lesbians of Palm Springs and Coachella Valley Outings and Events - a newsletter that is sent out periodically for LGTBQ+ persons within Coachella Valley. These transphobic articles are both disheartening and disappointing and quite frankly, scary; especially in the current climate for our trans family.
While we support our fellow lesbian and queer community ventures, businesses, owners, and non-profits, we cannot, will not, and refuse to allow this type of anti-trans speak within our own community. We can't just ignore it. We won't just let it blow over. We must completely refute it. Kim Kieler must be taken accountable for her actions.
The articles posted opinions that claim trans people pretend to be trans to expose themselves to folks in public places, moreover, a 2nd piece was posted, adding fuel to the fire, that talked about puberty blockers in children which was spoken in a fashion that was ignorant and dangerous.
It's this same rhetoric that has led to the "gay defense" which has KILLED folx within our community and has led to additional violence on our trans family. Lastly, it's leading to actual legislation that's putting our trans family in harm's way.
We absolutely cannot have this within our community. We ask that Kim Kieler speak up, take accountability, and The L-Fund revoke her Visionary award she received last year. We believe that true visionaries should be looking to the future, not looking behind. Please sign this petition and ask with us if The L-Fund will please hold her accountable is revoke her award and Kim to speak up and make it right.
Updates
May 5, 2024
The feedback from our community confirms that this rhetoric has no place in our local groups. I am currently organizing a formal demand for accountability and documenting these harmful statements to present to the organizers of the newsletter. Send the link to this petition to your local representatives and text three friends to alert them about the situation.
May 5, 2024
The momentum behind this petition proves that our community will not tolerate transphobic rhetoric from local leaders. Post this link on your Facebook feed right now to keep the pressure on. Send a text to three friends and ask them to add their names to our demand for accountability.
16 Comments
There is no room here for anti-trans TERF bs, nor racism, ableism, classism, or any of the other social diseases that unfortunately still plague some groups within the queer community. Kitty City stands with @lacehardware in vehemently rejecting and condemning anyone in our community disseminating ignorant, hateful, violent anti-trans rhetoric.
This speech is still hate speech. Trans women are women. Instead of looking at the individual, look at their environment, their access to care, their access to mental health services.... There are a lot of nuances and many truths can exist. But the trauma-informed and holistic approach is proactive not reactive. Look and address the systems that are harming folks and not meeting their needs. When all our basic needs are met, it's amazing the human potential we all can achieve. This is transphobic, point blank. And this woman shouldn't be in any community serving chair if she isn't for ALL the community and is spitting hateful rhetoric from not great sources. There's SCIENCE behind this and gender IS a social construct.
Dehumanizing and pedo-jacketing Trans folx is identical to what was done to gays and lesbians in the 60's, including by their own community in service to a myth of being an "acceptable gay" for conservatives. Make no mistake, there will never be an "acceptable gay" to them. The LGB nonsense serves only to divide us and gets innocent, marginalized people killed. Our lives matter; respect Trans existence, or expect our resistance.
As a lesbian trans woman, to see this is very disheartening. In addition to the many, many hurdles that trans folk have to endure just trying to be ourselves, being queer or lesbian is another one that is very challenging. Trying to find a life partner as a lesbian trans woman is difficult enough, with many trans women ending up being single and alone. This type of false rhetoric adds fuel to the already large bonfire of ignorance.
I am a local queer non-binary social worker. Trans rights are human rights. Transphobia is dangerous, and even deadly. Kim, please be educated, honor the humanity of trans people, and join us on the right side of history.
Why put so much energy into bullying 1% of our population? Use that energy for good!
No TERFs in Palm Springs!
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Recently, it was brought to our attention that transphobic rhetoric was posted in 2 separate opinion pieces, written by Kim Kieler, a well-known person in the Palm Springs community as the owner of Lesbians of Palm Springs and Coachella Valley Outings and Events - a newsletter that is sent out periodically for LGTBQ+ persons within Coachella Valley. These transphobic articles are both disheartening and disappointing and quite frankly, scary; especially in the current climate for our trans family.
While we support our fellow lesbian and queer community ventures, businesses, owners, and non-profits, we cannot, will not, and refuse to allow this type of anti-trans speak within our own community. We can't just ignore it. We won't just let it blow over. We must completely refute it. Kim Kieler must be taken accountable for her actions.
The articles posted opinions that claim trans people pretend to be trans to expose themselves to folks in public places, moreover, a 2nd piece was posted, adding fuel to the fire, that talked about puberty blockers in children which was spoken in a fashion that was ignorant and dangerous.
It's this same rhetoric that has led to the "gay defense" which has KILLED folx within our community and has led to additional violence on our trans family. Lastly, it's leading to actual legislation that's putting our trans family in harm's way.
We absolutely cannot have this within our community. We ask that Kim Kieler speak up, take accountability, and The L-Fund revoke her Visionary award she received last year. We believe that true visionaries should be looking to the future, not looking behind. Please sign this petition and ask with us if The L-Fund will please hold her accountable is revoke her award and Kim to speak up and make it right.
Updates
May 5, 2024
The feedback from our community confirms that this rhetoric has no place in our local groups. I am currently organizing a formal demand for accountability and documenting these harmful statements to present to the organizers of the newsletter. Send the link to this petition to your local representatives and text three friends to alert them about the situation.
May 5, 2024
The momentum behind this petition proves that our community will not tolerate transphobic rhetoric from local leaders. Post this link on your Facebook feed right now to keep the pressure on. Send a text to three friends and ask them to add their names to our demand for accountability.
16 Comments
Love is love, including loving yourself as you are. Trans people have to fight the hardest to clear this hurdle. That self-possession and resilience in the face of rejection and violence, should be celebrated and supported...and it's all of our responsibility to help cultivate a welcome, safe, and vibrant community. Trans hate = violence.
There is no room here for anti-trans TERF bs, nor racism, ableism, classism, or any of the other social diseases that unfortunately still plague some groups within the queer community. Kitty City stands with @lacehardware in vehemently rejecting and condemning anyone in our community disseminating ignorant, hateful, violent anti-trans rhetoric.
This speech is still hate speech. Trans women are women. Instead of looking at the individual, look at their environment, their access to care, their access to mental health services.... There are a lot of nuances and many truths can exist. But the trauma-informed and holistic approach is proactive not reactive. Look and address the systems that are harming folks and not meeting their needs. When all our basic needs are met, it's amazing the human potential we all can achieve. This is transphobic, point blank. And this woman shouldn't be in any community serving chair if she isn't for ALL the community and is spitting hateful rhetoric from not great sources. There's SCIENCE behind this and gender IS a social construct.
Dehumanizing and pedo-jacketing Trans folx is identical to what was done to gays and lesbians in the 60's, including by their own community in service to a myth of being an "acceptable gay" for conservatives. Make no mistake, there will never be an "acceptable gay" to them. The LGB nonsense serves only to divide us and gets innocent, marginalized people killed. Our lives matter; respect Trans existence, or expect our resistance.
As a lesbian trans woman, to see this is very disheartening. In addition to the many, many hurdles that trans folk have to endure just trying to be ourselves, being queer or lesbian is another one that is very challenging. Trying to find a life partner as a lesbian trans woman is difficult enough, with many trans women ending up being single and alone. This type of false rhetoric adds fuel to the already large bonfire of ignorance.
I am a local queer non-binary social worker. Trans rights are human rights. Transphobia is dangerous, and even deadly. Kim, please be educated, honor the humanity of trans people, and join us on the right side of history.
Why put so much energy into bullying 1% of our population? Use that energy for good!
No TERFs in Palm Springs!
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Love is love, including loving yourself as you are. Trans people have to fight the hardest to clear this hurdle. That self-possession and resilience in the face of rejection and violence, should be celebrated and supported...and it's all of our responsibility to help cultivate a welcome, safe, and vibrant community. Trans hate = violence.