"In sadness, I dissent"

Welcome to What’s Helping Today, a newsletter about the everyday work of staying alive on earth, written by author and journalist Sandy Ernest Allen.

Hi all,

It’s a really tough week to be a trans american; in particular I’m referring to the long-feared and indeed quite devastating Supreme Court decision yesterday.

Could it have been even worse? Sure, I suppose.

Is it still bad? Fuck yes.

What’s Helping Today: Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s powerful minority opinion, in which she wrote a line that’s echoed in my mind, these last 24 hours:

“In sadness, I dissent.”

I’m grateful to Justice Sotomayor and her two liberal colleagues who joined in dissenting. As Justice Sotomayor so deftly characterized her conservative colleagues’ reprehensible actions: “[The Court] … authorizes, without second thought, untold harm to transgender children and the parents and families who love them.”

Here are some other, Less-Depressing Headlines and other stuff to potentially read:

I’m sending you all love and strength — especially those kids, their families and their health-care providers directly impacted already by Skrmetti. Much horror to come, no doubt.

Here, again, is my advice for the worst days. Know I’m doing my best to try to follow such advice as well, right now...

Here, again, are my words about suicide itself — in case anyone out there needs to (re)read those ever…

Also re-sharing, just in case: My advice for cis allies who want to become more actively supportive of trans rights … and my long response to an adult concerned about a vulnerable trans teen in their community … and this older advice column, wherein I wrote back to a mom who was worried about her trans daughter.

In solidarity,
Sandy

p.s. After considering doing so for some years, as of today I’ve announced I’m now offering consulting services for mental health professionals (of all kinds… including therapists, social workers, counselors etc.), as well as media organizations interested in improving/updating their mental health-related coverage. I’m offering sliding scale rates and free, 15-minute preliminary chats to those who may want to work with me. Learn more here.

p.p.s. I’m grateful to all who want to forward/share the aforementioned consulting announcement, thanks!!!

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