Minnesota is doing the right thing.
Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order Wednesday directing state agencies to take action to protect and support access to gender-affirming health care across the state.
“All state agencies must, to the fullest extent of their lawful authority, pursue opportunities and coordinate with each other to protect people or entities providing, assisting, seeking or obtaining gender affirming health care services in Minnesota,” the order says.
Gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based care that uses a multidisciplinary approach to help a person transition from their assigned gender – the one the person was designated at birth – to their affirmed gender – the gender by which one wants to be known.
Walz’s order comes as Republican-led states around the country push restrictions on such care, with at least four states this year having passed measures to outlaw gender-affirming care for minors. As part of the order, the governor is prohibiting the state from cooperating with investigations by states that aim to penalize such care, saying their actions “pose a grave threat to the health” of members of the LGBTQ community.
Yeah. Basically, Republican-led states have turned evil and want to actively harm their own citizens, but Minnesota will stand strong as a refuge. Join us!
It’s nice to get good news once in awhile. Especially as one of the people I know who could be affected by such things lives in Minnesota. They’re an adult so technically shouldn’t be in danger in any case but it sure feels like our laws get a lot less lawful around Republicans lately. They’re the party of
excuseslaw & orderwhen they feel like itwhen it’s convenientwho stands with the blueuntil they feel like beating them with a flag to get in a building they don’t belong in.Something a video-blogger posted a couple days ago: this isn’t a case of executive order that the legislation will sue over. The legislation to make this permanent law is on its way. The governor was just being preemptive on getting this ready because it is hard to follow all the zero-day deadlines that the Republican states are setting, given the 400 bills in motion across the country.
Damn, if only the Scottish parliament had that level of autonomy.
Minnesota is definitely a state I’m eyeing. I’m in Wisconsin right now, and if things start going south, it’s one of the primary places I’ve got on my list of places to flee to.
Or come to Michigan! https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/historic-day-lgbtq-rights-anti-discrimination-bill-goes-whitmer
PZ it is so nice to hear of a state that doesn’t let bigotry and hatred run rampant all the time. I would look into moving there, but at my age, I’m not tolerant of cold and I would probably have a heart attack before I finished shovelling the driveway.
@4 Emily says:I’m in Wisconsin right now, and if things start going south, it’s one of the primary places I’ve got on my list of places to flee to.
and @5 estraven mentions Michigan
To which I reply: the phrase ‘going south’ now has many negative connotations! (think Texass and Floriduh) We are in Scarizona, but, we have a list, too, but are looking at milder climates (than Minn and Mich) that aren’t fully infested with Rtwing Nat’Cs. There aren’t many areas like that that don’t face fire, drought, earthquakes or are too expensive, etc.
@6 shermanj
Have you considered New Mexico? I won’t pretend we aren’t facing megadrought and unusually frequent wildfires, but in exchange for limited money, limited oxygen and increased background radiation/UV, we have practically unlimited access to weed, abortion and green chile…
This makes me happy I moved to MN two years ago.
A friend from college (who just happens to be a pastor) has a child who is trans. The whole family is freaking out now hat Iowa has passed all those trans bills. Someone told her that Minnesota could use more good pastors. Someone else floated the idea of getting the meds in Minnesota while still living in Iowa, but she’s worried that her insurance won’t cover it unless she actually lives in Minnesota.
My wife and I are considering it as we are living? surviving? in KY right now. We did live in La Crosse, WI for 6 years. Enjoyed living near the river. Maybe we will move across the river to La Crescent. They have a fun Apple Fest every fall.
Do you have a border with Canada?*
If things really turn bad maybe the state could join them? It would mean being the nominal subject to royals but that is a small price to pay.
* I am Swedish. I know Maine, North Dakota and Washington state is up there, that’s it. Also Montana aka North Alabama.
@7 beholder said: Have you considered New Mexico?
I reply: Thanks for the idea beholder, Yes, I am still considering New Mexico. While there are mountains and rivers that supply water I am concerned about the drought and wildfires. It seems most predictions are that they will only get worse here in Scarizona as well as Calif. and New Mexico. Recent heavy storms with snow and flooding in so many places cause so much damage and will set so many places up for wildfires during a likely super hot summer So, I see no clear superior choice. Where we are, there is a slightly more reliable water supply since we don’t rely on Colorado river water. But, Scarizona, the state , and our locale are constantly threatened by Rtwing conspiracy supporting maniacs. Any move we make will have to be very carefully thought out, since at my age I won’t want to go through more than one move. Minn. is nice and green, except for the cold and snow which I wouldn’t tolerate well.
@11 birgerjohansson talked about Canada
I reply: yes Canada is better than a lot of the united states, but, based on many news articles, they are facing an increase in rtwingnuts causing deterioration of their good national health system and other things. And, changing citizenship or becoming an ex-pat. in Canada causes a lot of complications (tax filings, financial institution and pension availability complexity, etc). Would I have to curtsy and take a blood oath of allegiance King George?
I just looked at a map. It is as if Minnesota and North Dakota both wanted to claim Fargo. Who wants Fargo? That is where you go to be murdered.
Minnesota has a very “continental” climate with cold winters. Washington state has not, but suffers from Britain-level damp weather with exception for an island that is in rain shadow. That might be an option if you don’t like cold.
Florida ? Home of Jeb Bush, Rick Scott and deSantis. Avoid at all costs.
BTW Minnesota might leave the union and claim it was just “South Ontario” all along.
I do not think anyone in Canada gives a damn about king whatever-his-name-is. Except maybe in Vancouver. The westernmost bit seems oddly more British, possibly because they are a safe distance from BoJo and his friends.
My uncle lived slightly inland from the Pacific in North San Diego County in California, the climate and topography there are beautiful. But the entire economy (housing, food, healthcare) is 200%+ higher than most of Scarizona. Can’t afford to live there on our income.
Very succinct. I mean, nothing to do with the politics of gender affirmation, but it does sum things up nicely.
Birger
It’s definitely Fargo, North Dakota, despite the confusingly named film.
Minnesotans consider ourselves The North, and going Up North means you are going to a cabin on a lake for a vacation. We have quite a few lakes to choose from, including Superior.
It’s a good step, but these policies badly need to be written into statute—that is, passed by the legislature—rather than existing only as executive orders that can be changed by the next governor (and certainly will be, if he or she is a Republican).
Thankfully, the Minnesota Legislature is currently controlled by Democrats (also known, here, as “the DFL”), and at least one bill currently before the legislature addresses many of these same issues: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/03/02/what-is-genderaffirming-health-care-trans-refuge-bill-would-help-kids-get-it
@14: C’mon, Birger—Minnesota is in large part a good, cosmopolitan place, with a tradition of progressive politics and also a whole lot of inhabitants who have Scandinavian ancestors. (Mine are Swedish, from Skåne and Småland.) We also have institutions like this one: https://asimn.org
You should be familiar with this state. We’ve got a lot of connections to Sweden.
As far as I’m aware southern Illinois isn’t very built up. If that isn’t important to you then it’s a pretty nice place to live. Carbondale is a college town as well. When I spent time there they didn’t have a good way to deal with a couple inches of snow quickly but half the university students come from Chicago. For whatever that’s worth. The state has some progressive laws in regards to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Wikipedia says there’s about 75% popular support for LGBTQ rights.
Rietz @ 20
Great!
I had been disillusioned by the many people in GOP or on Fox News with Scandinavian names. Tucker Carlson , FFS.
(And John Rambo would have been a descendant of Rambo homestead. But he died in the novel so he does not really fit into the Reagan-era ideology)
Right now, I would favor Arizona weather, BTW.
Tethys @ 18
I assume that in good times people buy a cabin if they can, and a lot of people simply rent them. People south of the glacial erosion terrain rarely have the benefit of plentiful lakes, creating north-south traffic in vacation times.
@shermanj : “Would I have to curtsy and take a blood oath of allegiance King George?”
Wait, King who? Its King Charlie Big-Ears – at least for now – albiet he still hasn’t been officially crowned?
Sadly, he’s King of Oz now technically too as well as Aotearoa etc .. Perhaps Canada and Oz among others will have the sense to become Republics soon? I’m wishing we get a First Elder chosen by our Indigenous Peoples and NOT a President but we’llsee. Its starting to be raised as an issue again anyhow. Who knows, perhaps even England might becoema Republic – would be embarrassing if they beat us to it..
@7. beholder : “..green chile…”
Did you mean Green chillis or is that something different I’m not familiar with?
@1.lanir :
Fixed It For You? Right first time?
Oh FFS! Make that :
Now works?
OT
Conservative state of mind
“Tory rot at the BBC spreads”
https://youtu.be/nWy6fycuEuk
Culure wars work. Until they don’t.
@24 StevoR said: Its King Charlie Big-Ears
I reply, Of course you’re correct. Just for fun, I was referring to the king in power when the ‘american colonies’ jumped ship. But, there are rumors that King Charlie Big-Ears, when he was young, posed for the Mad Magazine Alfred E. Newman ‘What Me Worry’ pictures.
@24 StevoR
It’s pronounced the same, but yes, we spell it “green chile”. Capsicum annuum, New Mexico cultivar group, grown in the Hatch valley, unripened and roasted. Very delicious and nutritious, just enough spiciness for a slow burn but not enough to mask the flavor, goes well with just about any dish. It is our pride and joy in this state; you should try it sometime.
Unfortunately, I think that while these moves are necessary – they also play into the long-game plans of the Right Wingnuts.
As I understand the demographics, many of your (I’m Canadian) key electoral districts are increasingly trending towards a majority of non Wingnut voters, such that they’re having to resort to ever-more gerrymandered voting districts in order to allow the reactionaries to retain power. Deliberately cruel and exclusionary policies are one way to convince nonWingnut voters to leave, or not to move there in the first place.
As far as the sane segment of your population moving to Canada to escape the reactionaries, I’m afraid that might only offer you temporary reprieve. Our politics often tend to follow yours by 5-10 years, so it’s possible that a lot of what you’d be fleeing is also coming up here. We have a bumper crop of our own wingnuts to deal with as well.
@ 28. beholder : Thanks.. Yes. Those do sound nice!