Heron "see pinned tweet" Greenesmith, Esq.

There was a sound issue at the beginning of the live stream and we were just BLESSED with another staff member (Joseph ?) telling us about the Equality Act is equivalent to Louis XIV revoking the Edict of Nantes. So that's fun.

And up first we have Natasha Chart, the ED of the Women's Liberation Front, the foremost anti-trans feminist org in the US. Natasha Chart starts by identifying as a bisexual woman on the autism spectrum and as "among friends" on this call with the Family Policy Alliance.

Chart is focusing on the importance of "deep friendship" and "connection" across different issues. "Democracy is not a game of Survivor." Again, the Family Policy Alliance does not agree that Chart should be able to raise children or access abortion care or repro health.

Next up is Inez Fletscher Stepman from the Independent Women's Forum, talking about how the Equality Act will "erase sex as an independent category." The law erases biological differences, which the law relies on to make distinctions. FALSE FALSE FALSE

Thankfully, this is false and the law doesn't actually rely on biology at ALL to make any distinctions. The law doesn't know what's currently in my pants. Or in my abdomen. Or in my adrenal glands. IMAGINE IF THE GOV HAD TO KNOW THESE THINGS TO MAKE DECISIONS!!

Inez Fletscher Stepman now talking about how "dangerous" it is for people to compete in contact sports, citing to Fallon Fox's fight in which her opponent got hurt. HAS Inez Fletscher Stepman EVER SEEN ANY MMA FIGHTS?????? PEOPLE. PUNCH. AND. KICK. EACH. OTHER.

Inez Fletscher Stepman: "This law will short circuit our ability to talk about this issue with one another." TALK ABOUT WHAT, Inez Fletscher Stepman????

Independent Women's Forum is a conservative policy org, btw.

Up next is Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Christiana Holcomband her client Christy Mitchell, mother of a girl student athlete, Chelsea Mitchell, who is suing Connecticut for its nondiscrimination protections for trans students.

The theme of today's event is "Exposing" the Equality Act. "Exposing" is a deliberate dog whistle. It evokes notions of the shadowy trans cabal. It evokes notions of, pardon my french, pedophilia and inappropriate sexual exposure to children.

Up next, Andrew Beckwith, the president of the Massachusetts Family Policy institute, who is going to talk about how MA has "suffered" under a law like the Equality Act for years. Waiting for someone to ask him if there are no girl athletes in MA. I'm pretty sure there are.

Beckwith now talking about the MA anti-discrimination laws. (nb, I live in Boston) Beckwith claiming that there are no cases of discrimination in MA? And he is trotting out the same bullshit that the MA Family Institute brought up when we passed gender identity protections.

Beckwith now claiming that MA Family Institute talked to "lots" of people who were harmed by MA's laws, and how "all of them" were "terrified" to come forward.

Up next is Beth Stelzer from the Save Women's Sports, the org supporting SO MANY of the anti-trans sports bills across the US. Stelzer sharing that power lifting helped her recover from her PTSD, but after a year of training, her first contest was "ruined" by a trans woman.

Beth Stelzer is now talking about how "men" (she means anyone with a penis, I think? Or maybe people with endogenous testosterone above a certain level? Unsure.) will *always* be stronger than "women." Women will NEVER be stronger than men. Ever. Remember that, girls.

Up next is Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life, to talk about how the Equality Act will impact the voice of the voiceless, "the unborn humans." REMINDER THAT WOMEN'S LIBERATION FRONT WORKS WITH THIS GROUP. THIS GROUP THAT WANTS TO *END* ABORTION CARE.

According to Mancini, the Equality Act will impact "millions of unborn humans," through "tricky" provisions that will fund abortion and erase medical provider's conscience clauses. "The Equal Rights Act is anti-life and anti-American."

Up next is Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) talking about how the Equality Act is "anything but equal." She's saying that the bill is going to "decimate women's sports." She's claiming that they're hearing from groups "around the country." About what, I'm unsure.

Hartzler again threatening that the Olympics will be impacted by the Equality Act (despite the fact that the IOC has permitted trans athletes to compete for like 15 years).

Hartzler is also citing to the FALSE claim that the majority of youth who experience "gender dysphoria" are not trans. THIS IS FALSE AND MISLEADING!!!!! THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!!!

There is SO MUCH to pick apart about this claim, not the least of which is the necessary portion of the claim being that trans-affirming care is accessible to the majority of trans youth. Which, as trans folks in the US will assure you, IS NOT THE TRUTH!!!!

Next we have Sharen Ford from Focus on the Family, who is claiming that the Equality Act is going to take opportunities away from kiddos in the foster care system away from children who need loving homes. The overriding claim here is that nondiscrimination will REDUCE homes.

Ford claiming that "shutting down" faith based adoption agencies will reduce the avaialable homes. AAHHH!!! Ford: The best way to support these children is to serve their birth families. Me: YES!! Ford: And the best way to do that is with the body of Christ. Me: ??????

In fact, in the states in which faith-based child welfare orgs did not want to follow nondiscrimination policies, there was NO pause in care for the youth in those states. This has happened in DC, MA, IL, (and a few others?).

nb I'm a parent of a kiddo with a foster history and as a bisexual, agender parent who is NOT married to my co-parent, I would not have been able to be a parent through any of these orgs. In fact, queers are WAAAAYYY more likely to adopt / foster than non-LGBT folks.

Which makes sense, since many of us aren't able to get pregs with the current configuration of our mutual organs (to be blunt). Of COURSE we'll want to provide safety and a loving space for kiddos who need a place to grow.

Up next, Sen Mike Lee (R-Utah), telling us that the Equality Act poses a threat to women, including "your daughters, your wives." Thanks, Mike.

Sen Lee claiming that the Equality Act will "potentially" force "medical professionals" to "remove healthy body parts" and "reconstruct body parts" on people, including "young children." No citations for this. Just, fear mongering then moving to talking about S P O R T S.

Sen Lee: [trans women] will end up DOMINATING women's and girl's sports and set up unsafe conditions. Did you know that Mike Lee cares about girl's sports? He's introduced a bill that restrict funding for states that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity.