cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/59479
The LGBTQIA+ Commission of the American Party of Labor–
“Let’s Go Washington” founder Brian Heywood speaks at a rally. (Aspen Ford/Washington State Standard)
In an effort to develop a generation of poorly educated and socially isolated workers, the most reactionary wing of the American ruling class has been engaged in a well-documented crusade against both the rights of transgender students and the already underfunded public school system as a whole. A state-level front in this ongoing war has been opened by the “Let’s Go Washington” coalition formed by right-wing billionaire hedge fund manager Brian Heywood. A longstanding financial supporter of the Trump regime, Heywood and “Let’s Go Washington” have introduced a number of legislative campaigns in favor of typical capitalist and reactionary interests. These range from limiting property taxes, securing state funding for home schooling (which, if enacted, would essentially amount to defunding public education), and strengthening legal protection of “parental rights.” It is at the intersection of several of these campaigns that Heywood’s committee has introduced two initiatives into the Washington House of Representatives.
The two initiatives in question are IL26-001, “Restoring Parents’ Rights,” and IL26-638, “Protecting Girls’ Sports.” IL26-001 is a reactionary attack disguised as a defense of parental rights. The measure would allow parents access to their children’s medical and mental health records from their schools. At first glance this may seem like a reasonable measure, but it conceals the true aim which is to enable parents to police the private discussions between LGBTQIA+ youth and their counselors. This represents a clear violation of students’ rights to the privacy and safety which so many of these vulnerable children rely on. In fact, studies show that many adolescents experiencing mental health crises are also dealing with abuse, neglect, hostility, or other serious problems at home. The privacy afforded to students in counseling settings exists for a reason: it provides a lifeline for young people who cannot safely turn to their families for support. IL26-001 would tear away those protections, placing not only queer youth, but all vulnerable students like victims of child abuse, under greater surveillance, making it more difficult for them to access the help they need. Far from protecting children, it would leave many with nowhere safe to turn. This initiative is the latest in a long line of attacks made by Heywood against changes made to the so-called “Parental Bill of Rights” in order to make it compatible with state laws protecting the privacy of children.
The other bill championed by Heywood, IL26-638 would mandate physical examinations of children’s genitals to document their sex assigned at birth if they wish to play in interscholastic sports. It would prohibit schools and nonprofit organizations from allowing transgender girls from playing in girls’ sports. Any institution or individual found in violation of this law would be subject to penalties deemed by the applicable school board to be “proportional to the offense,” leaving enforcement intentionally vague.
While often touted as upholding fairness or “biological reality,” laws banning transgender girls from girls’ sports are based on scientifically unsound claims. A metanalysis published in Feb. 2026 found that transgender women using feminizing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had comparable fitness to cisgender women, and that available evidence “does not support theories of inherent athletic advantages for transgender women over cisgender.” What is well supported by the available data is the fact that gender-affirming care greatly improves the health and well-being of transgender and nonbinary children. It is also documented that the increase in state-level legislation targeting transgender rights has been associated with an increase in suicide attempts among youths. If there is no scientific basis for sports bans targeting transgender girls, then we are left with the reality that they are part of a larger campaign to present reactionary positions as “common sense” measures. This becomes abundantly clear when the Washington ballot initiatives are viewed alongside legislation introduced in other states.
Despite overwhelming popular support, landmark legislation in Colorado that enshrines protection of transgender rights, popularly known as the Kelly Loving Act, came under fire from reactionaries. A common theme shared with the messaging of “Let’s Go Washington” was the ever-present call for protecting “parental rights.” However, a far more insidious motivation was communicated by the right-wing extremist and Colorado State Representative Brandi Bradley, when she described her fellow bigots as the “tip of the spear” in introducing reactionary rhetoric into law. While ultimately unsuccessful, the campaign against the Kelly Loving Act resulted in considerable political gains for reactionary elements in Colorado. With the support of various fascist elements on Social Media like “Moms for Liberty” and “Libs of TikTok,” the struggle against the Kelly Loving Act has been used as fodder in a national effort to manufacture outrage against LGBTQIA+ people and garner support for other causes that harm populations of working people, including legislation targeting undocumented immigrants.
It is also important to examine the role that strengthening so-called “parental rights” has played in this “tip of the spear” strategy. In 2023, at a rally entitled “Parents Matter,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin reduced this position to a simple slogan: “Children belong to parents, not to the state.” The reduction of the status of children to the property of their parents is alarming yet central to both the nuclear family and its role in reinforcing the coercive power of capitalism. In this regard it should be noted that a key element of the far-right Project 2025 is the weakening of laws protecting children from exploitative labor practices.
It can no longer be denied that the recent proliferation of legislation targeting transgender youth has been a powerfully effective tool for the most reactionary wing of the American bourgeoisie. Through these initiatives, billionaires like Brian Heywood have distracted workers from our shared interests and instead attempted to foment culture wars and animosity towards some of the most vulnerable populations among young people, and even sowing division where there previously was none.
Laws targeting access to life-saving gender-affirming care play a similar role as abortion bans and other attacks on healthcare. To the same extent, the fanatic crusade for “parental rights” is leading us down the path toward funding inadequate homeschooling programs and public-school austerity. It is no coincidence that the rapid spread of such hateful propaganda coincides with the rapid increase in costs of living and instability for the vast majority of American workers. The intended effect of such plans is to rear a new generation of less educated, more religious, and socially isolated workers fit for maximum exploitation by the bourgeoisie. It is critical that the working class not take this bait, and, more importantly, that we maintain a commitment to standing up for the rights of all oppressed people in their struggles for liberation.
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I wonder if the means of discovery has changed significantly too. Most of the stuff I discovered in my teens and 20s was via the radio, attending music festivals, or recommendations from people in my circle of friends at the time.
As I've gotten older I've listened to less and less radio. Listen to mostly Spotify out of convince. My circle has shrank and changes. I go to less music festivals as my time and money is dedicated elsewhere.
I can't imagine I'm that unique in my experience.