Civilities: The Human Rights Campaign's Sarah McBride joins to talk about the State of LGBTQ in a Trump World. Plus: A Duke senior talks about being trans (02 07)

I'd put the reactions I've seen mainly into two different categories: "hopeful" and "hateful." Many people reached out to me personally to say that they were quite thankful for me sharing my experience, and that it helps to see representation of other trans people. However, there were also a lot of hateful comments and reactions, saying things like "a man is born, no matter what they wear," which is really frustrating to see, given the absolute inaccuracy of statements like this.

Awesome question! So, I was studying abroad at the time, so I had to actually call my mom to tell her, because for me, it wasn't something that could wait until I got home three months later. From there, she told my dad. They were both really accepting and understanding (and still are), even though they started out not even knowing what being trans means. I don't think there's anything that I particularly wish they did differently, except maybe asked more questions. I think it's easy to make a lot of assumptions about what being trans means, especially given the lack of info in mainstream media about trans experiences. I have tons of resources to recommend--I'll see if I can link some to the end of the article! Not enough time to find those lines right now...but My Gender Workbook is a good starting point (can't remember the author...sorry!) 

I think it's sometimes best for my mental health to just ignore hurtful or hateful comments (or to delete them if they're emails). However, I do respond sometimes, because I know other people read comments other than me, and I think it's important to provide an alternative perspective. I know their mind might not change, so I NEVER respond with anger or vitriol, but ALWAYS kindness and empathy. I state clear facts, and calmly question misguided assumptions that might take place. Often, people say hateful things because they just don't understand, and I see it as my job to be a platform for helping people understand (however, this is not the responsibility of all trans persons, to be clear, it's just my own personal style).

I'm so happy you brought this up! So, as a white person and as a person of a middle-ish socio-economoic status, with supportive and loving parents, and at a generally accepting school, I am quite lucky. Many, many, MANY trans people don't have the same love and resources that I do. Trans women of color are disproportionately high victims of violence, with almost all murders of trans people happening every year having trans women of color as victims. In addition, having a supportive family dramatically reduces trans suicide attempt rates (which, on average, are at 41%). Not having a supportive family or support system skyrockets that to over 50%. (Check out the National Transgender Discrimination Survey for more info and stats)

In general, here's the difference:

Sexual orientation = who you are attracted to (people who generally present as male, generally present as female, both, neither, something else, etc.)

Gender Identity = how you identify yourself (generally masculine, generally feminine, both, neither, etc.).

There is very little relationship between sexual orientation and gender identity. You can be trans and heterosexual, trans and homosexual, trans and pansexual (like me), or something else entirely. The important thing to do, in general, is not to make assumptions about gender or sexual orientation--for anybody.

Thanks so much for having me, Steven! Yup, I'm going to rush off to class now--I hope you have a great rest of the chat! By for now!

Thank you so much for inviting me to join you, Steven. It's an honor. And let me just say thank you to Liz for sharing her story and helping to educate so many people.

That's a great question. Many LGBTQ Americans woke up the day after the election feeling scared and fearful about what  is to come, something we certainly share with many across America who find themselves under threat by the new Administration. For the last eight years, we've had an Administration and a president who stood up for LGBTQ people. In particular, transgender people had an ally in the White House for the first time. We saw President Obama and his Cabinet defend our rights, from health care to education. And while we  still do not know exactly will come our way, I think many of us remain vigilant about the potential fights ahead of us.

We are speaking moments after Betsy DeVos' nomination barely made it through the confirmation process. The fact that the nomination required a first-of-its-kind tie-breaking vote by Vice President Mike Pence, I think, reflects the fact that our voices matter.  And the closeness of the vote demonstrates that, as she now assumes the helm of the Department of Education, America will be watching.  HRC had serious questions about her vision that remained unanswered throughout the confirmation process. We certainly hope that Secretary DeVos will work on behalf of every student and ensure equal access to a safe and quality education for LGBTQ young people. A lot is at stake, particularly for transgender students. We, along with millions of Americans, will remain vigilant as the Administration continues and we will be ready to fight should they seek to undo the rights of LGBTQ students.

I think President Trump was hoping that he would receive praise for announcing that he would not rescind an Executive Order that provided vital protections from discrimination for roughly 1 in 5 workers nationwide. That's a pretty low-bar. And while the White House made a limited announcement regarding the 2014 Executive Order, they have not denied rumors that they are considering an action that would grant a breathtakingly expansive license to discriminate against LGBTQ people and women. HRC, along with our coalition partners, joined together the other day to proclaim from the steps of our office that we would not stand for any attempt to roll back the clock. Vigilance is the word of the day and it remains so on this topic sadly. 

I would take issue with the assertion that President Trump has reached out to a diverse group for his cabinet secretaries. In fact, his cabinet is one of the least diverse in modern history.

As a transgender person, I certainly hope that President Trump is not listening to Milo Yiannopoulos, a self-described internet troll who continuously spouts racists, sexist, and anti-trans comments.

But this question gets to an important point about President Trump's Administration: who you surround yourself with speaks volumes about who you are. In Ben Carson, we have a nominee who denies the existence of LGBTQ people. In Jeff Sessions, we have a nominee who was denied a federal judgeship in the 1980s because the Republican-controlled Senate deemed him too racist. And as a senator, he has consistently voted against LGBTQ equality. These nominations, and others, should give any American serious pause about the vision and goals of this Administration.

During the campaign, Donald Trump committed to appointing anti-equality judges to the federal bench and that is the type of nominee we have in Judge Gorsuch. That is why HRC took the unprecedented step of opposing Judge Gorsuch's nomination even before his confirmation hearing, because his record is just egregious. As a federal judge, he has ruled against providing medically necessary care to a transgender woman and in favor of providing a license to discriminate to for-profit companies. The latter decision, Hobby Lobby, has been the foundation of many of the discriminatory bills we've seen pop up in states across the country, including the legislation signed by then-Governor Mike Pence in Indiana. There are going to be many important issues coming before the court in the next few years, including on transgender rights. Our victory on marriage equality does not assure us victory on other issues moving forward. We need a Justice who is going to protect everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful. 

Thanks for the great questions!