There’s a lot to be stressed about right now. We’re seeing the dissolution of our democratic norms and ideals before our very eyes.

But extremists don’t want us thinking about democracy. They want us thinking about the 5 trans kids who wanted to play soccer this year.

Just so far this year, over 900 anti-trans bills are under consideration across the country. The majority apply to kids, particularly in school. Some of the laws are frankly terrifying, like one in Florida that requires genital inspections for any kid suspected of being trans. Genital. Inspections. Of Kids.

But even anti-trans organizations can’t find more than five trans kids playing on girls’ sports teams. And at the college level, NCAA president Charlie Baker said that there are fewer than 10 transgender athletes who currently compete in college sports. That’s less than 0.002 percent!

There’s a lot of well-meaning concern for trans kids out there, but doctors are not giving children gender-affirming surgery. A Harvard study in 2019 found zero cases of gender surgery in kids under the age of 12. And for the small number of teenagers who were given surgery (2.1 per 100,000 teens), the vast majority are breast reductions for boys who aren’t trans. 97% of gender-affirming surgeries on minors are for boys who were born as boys and identify as boys and just want a smaller chest so they can continue to feel like boys.

Somehow that statistic rarely comes up when politicians are out there making speeches and passing bills against trans kids. By scaring people with fake information, politicians can drum up support while passing laws that actually harm Americans – not just trans kids, but all of us.

If you’re feeling burned out on bad news, or even burned out on empathy, we understand. But this Pride Month, we have to let trans kids know we’re paying attention and we care.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Thanks for listening to the Red Wine & Blue podcast. This week, instead of an episode of Okay But Why, we’re sharing a virtual event we recently held with a former Republican named Courtney. She used to be a Trump voter, but now she leads a TroubleNation group in Pennsylvania.

Courtney shared with us what changed her mind and how we can reach other MAGA voters. We always say that it’s never too late for someone to change their mind, and Courtney is proof that it really is possible.

We hope you enjoy this conversation.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

The federal minimum wage right now is $7.25. For someone working full-time, that translates to $15,060 per year, just $20 over the national poverty line.

The US minimum wage has been hotly debated since its beginning, so this week, we’re taking a closer look at its history, exactly who is making it, and dispelling some misinformation.

In 2023, almost a million hourly workers in the United States made minimum wage or less. And contrary to popular belief, they’re not all teenagers — many are moms earning half of their family’s total income. They’re working jobs you might expect, like retail and food service, but also jobs you might not have expected, like home healthcare workers. And here’s something important to know: the minimum wage doesn’t automatically increase with inflation. It has to be intentionally raised by Congress, something that hasn’t happened since 2009. Think about how much prices have gone up since then!

It doesn’t have to be this way. If we look at other countries around the world, or even America a few decades ago, we can see that wealth inequality has never been this bad. It’s not a fact of life; it’s not a necessary evil to have a good economy. It can change if we all talk to our friends and neighbors… and vote accordingly.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA