I thought I had a reasonable understanding of what life as a trans person was like until I read the email below. This message came to me via email from someone I’ve known for 30 years who was born a girl and is now a man. Although we’ve never been close friends, I fully trust his views on this topic.

“Trump has based his platform on the erasure of trans people, young and old. Though youth have obviously been the primary target these past few years, Trump and many Republicans have publicly stated that they will entirely end health care for all trans individuals.

“I, and many adults like me, have no organs in my body that create hormones of any kind. Therefore, I am forever reliant on synthetic hormones in order to live — just as a diabetic is reliant on insulin. Without it I’ll die.

“If the government wants to erase trans people, there is no guarantee that it can’t access our medical records to find us. Various Republican politicians have said they will literally put trans people in camps, just like the Jews. The hundreds of laws they have passed in the past four years are meant to eradicate us. They are not being subtle, nor are they joking, though this news does not make the major media. See: newrepublic.com/article/178175/republican-anti-trans-laws-punish-eradicate

“If this is our future, it is not survivable. Everyone needs to know what is happening, so please do what you can to educate friends, family, etc.

“I’d love to be proven wrong. We may not lose the election. But if we do, I won’t be able to stay here, which is heartbreaking beyond words.”

John Freidin

Middlebury