Moral outrage can defeat moral panics
We should feel angry when we're told to fear our neighbors
We seem to be living in a golden age of moral panics. We are told to be afraid of unhoused people and drug users overrunning our cities. We are supposed to fear trans people and the adults who would provide gender affirming education or healthcare. We are meant to fear indoctrination of children in schools and libraries.
Each of these moral panics is being stoked by the Right with varying degrees of assistance from centrists. Meanwhile mainstream outlets like the New York Times are enabling the spread of these narratives. They routinely quote right-wing activists and police talking points in stories without labeling them as such. And now these right-wing stories have metastasized and taken over our public discourse. This year we are seeing a wave of harmful laws fed by these dangerous myths.
For those of us that believe in an inclusive society where there is dignity for every human being, the current climate can feel incredibly scary and overwhelming. And that’s understandable. But we can also tap into another important emotion, anger, and use it to push ourselves to act.
Moral panics are the result of manufactured fear. Moral outrage is the response to a very real wrong being committed. We should voice outrage and let elected officials, journalists, and other power brokers know that a line has been crossed. Furthermore, we can affirmatively articulate the alternative vision we believe in. That is a world that loves trans kids and adults, houses our neighbors rather than cages them, and provides young people and honest and accurate education.
We should be unafraid in calling out the lies, maliciousness, and cowardice of the Right and its media enablers. We should also be bold in speaking out on behalf of policies that create housing, protect gender affirming healthcare, and fund public education and libraries. Where can we start?
Here are three ideas:
This week is National Library Week. Conservative activists have successfully gotten books banned from libraries and are even trying to defund libraries in places where they’re failing at that. For the People is organizing people to show up in defense of libraries this week.
This website is tracking anti-trans legislation across the United States. You can use it to find out what is going on in your state and contact legislators. Meanwhile, I’ll admit I have a lot to learn about trans-affirming legislation exists or should exist. My sense is that there is much work to do, including in progressive states like California and New York. The Transgender Law Center has an agenda for Trans Liberation that offers a place to start. There are also numerous organizations across the country providing material support to trans people that can use support. Find one in your community to donate to.
In New York City we are fighting Eric Adams’ plan to defund libraries while keeping the bloated NYPD budget intact. In New York state we are fighting Governor Hochul’s plan to dismantle bail reform and implement a real estate developers’ housing plan.
Will we win? Is any of it enough?
I honestly don’t know, but we know what is happening is wrong. And knowing that is wrong is meaningless if we do not act. So I’m trying to let my outrage fuel me and push me to keep searching for ways to fight, because I know we cannot allow those fomenting manipulative moral panics to go unchallenged any longer.
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