Lindsey Spero testified in front of Florida’s boards of medicine and osteopathic medicine last Friday with a dozen other trans organizers. Spero, who is 25 years old and non-binary, wanted their voice to be heard after Gov. Ron DeSantis’s increasing attacks on gender-affirming care for trans youth, so much so that they drove four hours from St. Petersburg to Tallahassee to testify.
When it was Spero’s turn to speak they said, “I could stand here and tell you about the times that I tried to end my life because I didn’t have access to gender-affirming care, but I know you don’t care. […] I see you sneering at us while we come here and talk to you. Instead, I’m going to take the rest of my time to demonstrate the sacred and weekly ritual of my shot in front of you in this body.”
@openlynews Here’s the unedited full testimony of Lindsey Spero (they/he), a 25-year-old non-binary person and transgender activist who used their allotted time before the Florida Board of Medicine to inject his HRT. Spero was one of the speakers who addressed the board at a public hearing on Friday – before the physicians refused to scrap new rules banning doctors from providing trans minors with gender-affirming healthcare. Florida governor Ron DeSantis has said these treatments endanger children, while trans advocates say they can be life-saving. #transrights #transawareness #hrt #florida ♬ original sound – Openly | LGBTQ+ news
They then took out a syringe, and injected testosterone into their stomach. After they finished the shot, they raised their fist and said, “Trans liberation today, tomorrow, forever.”
Spero told BuzzFeed News that although they were nervous, they felt a wave of calm when they got to the podium as they injected his testosterone in front of the board.
“I felt anger and this kind of holy rage that comes from knowing that you have no choice but to fight and that your fight is justified,” Spero told BuzzFeed News. “My hands stopped shaking and my voice became steady. I was able to slow down and look into each of their eyes. I could see the fear in their eyes and I could see in that moment how unsure they were of themselves.”
The clip of Spero has been posted to Twitter and has since garnered millions of views.
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