You are receiving Ellie Krug's Monthly Newsletter, The Ripple
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ellie krug
writer, lawyer, human
Human Inspiration Works, LLC
The Ripple
Vol 8 No.2 February 2023
Inspired by the words and deeds of Robert F. Kennedy
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Working to Create a LGBTQ+ Youth Support Group in a Red-Purple County
Dear Friends:
Much has happened since this newsletter last showed up in your inbox—I have served at two school board meetings, become the target of some very conservative book banning websites, and attended a ceremony in New Orleans where the American Bar Association presented me (and two other persons) with its Stonewall Award. (See here.) Whew! That’s a lot even for me!
All in all, everything is good. I’m incredibly lucky in many regards.
On top of all of that, I’m working to create the very first LGBTQ+ youth support group in Carver County, MN, a red-purple county. As you know, I’ve been speaking to LGBTQ+ students for several years, and what I’ve found is that for those kiddos, having the support of other young persons who are going through the same things (coming out as LGBTQ+, maybe facing parental rejection, being bullied, or finding hope and thriving) is incredibly important. And while some schools here provide some support, there is nothing outside school hours/during the summer months to support these young humans.
Understanding that need, a group of other folks and I are working to create a stand-alone support group for LGBTQ+-identifying youth ages 12 to 17. I’ve already encountered some resistance (one person called me a “man with an agenda”), but don’t worry, if you know me, I will persist until successful.
The goal is to get the support group up and running in time for school summer break. Wish us luck! I will keep you advised, of course.
On another front, the pace of inquiries about my human inclusivity work both in Minnesota and elsewhere has slowed. Even though I live in very progressive MN, I think the pushback against DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) training in other parts of the country (can you say, “Florida”?) is rippling even to Minnesota. (See a story about the pushback here.) If I’m correct about this, it’s all very unfortunate, since training about human inclusivity is one of the few ways that America can get past its divisions. Ugh.
Okay, that’s all for now. Hang tight enduring one more month of winter. Remember, I care about you!
ellie
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One Small Step--A Story Corps Initiative | |
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Last week on my radio show, Ellie 2.0 Radio, I interviewed my friend, Stephanie Glaros, who is a facilitator for “One Small Step,” a brand-new initiative from StoryCorps, that wonderful organization that captures our human stories and shares them with the world.
The mission of One Small Step is this: “One Small Step believes it is our patriotic duty to see the humanity in those with whom we disagree politically.” (See this link to the website.)
The program does exactly that—it pairs two people with different political views and offers the structure/setting for them to get to know each other human-to-human, like an Oklahoma City pairing of 25-year-old Triston, “a conservative,” with 52-year-old Kristi, “a liberal with a fist.” It’s a wonderful concept and certainly much needed at this time in our history. Moreover, the stories and experiences that participants share will warm your heart—they demonstrate what I’ve always said: the vast majority (98%) of people have good empathetic hearts!
I think simply listening to a couple of the recorded sessions will restore your faith that yes, we can get past what divides us.
And Stephanie is just such a great choice as a facilitator! In the early 20-teens she founded Humans of Minneapolis and authored a book by the same title, which was about telling our personal stories. Listen to my interview with Stephanie and you’ll hear how she got the job after seeing a "60 Minutes" segment on the initiative! (Click here.)
Anyone can sign up to participate in One Small Step, and in fact, there is a sister initiative in Grand Marias MN. Why not consider taking a chance and get to know someone who is “Other”? I think you’ll be happy that you did! (When I get a free moment, I’m certainly going to apply to participate.)
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Inclusivity Tip of the Month
Understanding that Being LGBTQ+
Isn't a "Choice"
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As I write here, please know that more than 300 bills (!!) have been introduced into dozens of state legislatures targeting LGBTQ+ people, mainly transgender children and youth and their families. Many of those bills seek to deny trans kids access to school or public facilities, sports (presently 18 states ban trans youth from participating in sports all the way through senior public university year), and access to gender affirming medical care.
It’s quite unbelievable the level of governmental targeting—never since Jim Crow have we seen so much wide-spread legalized government oppression. Moreover, see this article on how that legislation impacts the health of LGBTQ+ humans.
Underlying all this marginalization is the idea that being LGBTQ+, particularly transgender, is simply a “choice.” The theory goes that if only the young human gets the right counseling or minister or anti-depressant, he/she/they will find their way clear of dysphoria and gender identity problems. This is what makes it so easy for legislators (mainly white, Christian men who’ve never even met a transgender person) to vote to oppress my community.
I’m here to report that being LGBTQ+ isn’t a “choice.” When I teach about how to be welcoming to LGBTQ+ humans, I have a saying: “Human authenticity won’t leave you alone until you listen to it.” Certainly, this applies to authenticity grounded in gender identity or sexual orientation, but it also holds true for a host of other things that help humans to feel “whole” or “complete”—things such as writing, or playing a musical instrument, or acting, or drawing/painting, or even hiking.
The next time someone shares with you that LGBTQ+ people are just “choosing” to be “that way,” ask the person what his or her hobby is. Let’s say the response back is woodworking—they have the saw, lathe and sander in the basement and they’re working on the wooden trainset for the grandkids. Then, tell that person they’ve not only got to sell every piece of woodworking equipment they own, but they also must toss anything they’re working on. When the person becomes indignant (which surely they will), just say, “Well, you don’t need to woodwork. It’ simply a choice on your part.”
This tool won’t work on everyone, but certainly it will jolt some into understanding that humans are complex beings. What makes one person feel whole or authentic won’t faze a different person and vice versa. In the end, assuming a person (including a child or youth who has exhibited consistent gender or sexual identification) isn’t harming someone else, who in the world has the right to tell that person they can’t be their true self? The answer: no one has that right!
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Here is a story about how Walmart shoppers in Colorado acted to save a child from being kidnapped. And—in a time of intense marginalization for LGBTQ+ people—see this wonderful story about how a Georgia community rallied around an “outed” school superintendent and refused her resignation! Then there’s this touching story of a mother’s love for her son who asked for Minnie Mouse underwear. | | |
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See this Storm Lake Times editorial by editor Art Cullen about how liberals should visit middle America restaurants to get a read on what’s bothering Americans—I totally agree! There’s also this piece about a Kansas City Costco settling a lawsuit over how their pharmacies discriminated against transgender customers. And too, see this article about how half of the women from marginalized communities experience discrimination in the workplace—the article also details some helpful steps that organizational leader can take. Please read this article, leaders! Finally, make sure you watch this clip of extraordinary advocacy against anti-trans legislation by ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio. Wow! | | |
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 | We begin this month’s Pain with a male Arkansas legislator having the gall and indecency to ask a transgender woman (who was testifying against a proposed anti-trans bill) if she still has a penis. Yep, that actually happened. (See the painful clip here.) Moreover, in case you wanted even more data about how the pain of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is having an effect, see this peer reviewed study by PLOS ONE that found a correlation between such laws and internet searches around depression and suicide. Things are so bad in Florida that even Roberto Clemente’s book (Clemente is one of baseball’s all-time greats; he was killed in a plane crash while on a humanitarian mission) has been pulled from Florida’s school libraries because it mentions the racism he endured. (See here.) Finally, lest we not forget about how hatred knows no boundaries, here is a November 2022 NPR story re the FBI warning about attacks on NJ synagogues. (See Support for a related story below) Christian readers, when is the last time the FBI warned about your place of worship being at risk for attacks? | | |
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Here’s a heartwarming video of a puppy bus in Alaska—how cool! See also this video of a Boston Dynamics robot doing incredible things. Finally, make sure to check in with the wolf trail camera in the Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota! | | |
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We begin this month’s Support with this story of a Pennsylvania school librarian who was ordered to remove posters with the Elie Wiesel quote, “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” (For those unfamiliar with Elie Wiesel, he authored the Holocaust-survival book, Night, and he was the recipient of the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize). But…after an outpouring of support for the librarian, he was allowed to rehang the posters. Nice! There’s also this NYT piece (I think you will need a NYT account—sorry) documenting an interview of 12 transgender Americans courtesy of super Ripple Reader and supporter Michelle Cohen. Thanks Michelle! And, just as the FBI warned late last year, a Bloomfield NJ synagogue was attacked in January; see this letter of support from the Livingston NJ Town Council. It doesn’t take much to write letters of support; we need way more of them to support various marginalized groups!
Lastly, several of you have recently donated to Human Ripple Works, Inc., the nonprofit which makes it possible for me to do more work for organizations that lack budgets for training (like talking to Gender and Sexuality Alliances at various schools across the country). Thank you for that! If you’d like to support this work, please click here on the HRW website. Thanks!
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Finally....
The Ripple is a work in progress, so please, I welcome your suggestions and comments! Please share this newsletter with others, too!
Please consider reading my book, Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change; if possible, order it through your local bookstore. And, if your book club reads my book, I'm happy to come for the discussion via Zoom!
Thank you for helping to make the world a better place! I'm at your side, cheering you on, I promise! Please have compassion for yourself and for others.
ellie
Encouraging Open Hearts and Thriving Human Spirits
Human Inspiration Works, LLC: We make "inclusion" an action word
elliejkrug@gmail.com
www.elliekrug.com
www.humaninspirationworks.com
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Ellen (Ellie) Krug
319-360-1692
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