An Open Letter to Iowa State Senator Tony Bisignano - Thank you for defending trans rights

thepoetmiranda (Wendy's editor) sends a letter

About the Letter

Over at thepoetmiranda.com, I share poetry. Here at Thistle and Moss, I take care of editing and write an article here or there about politics, trans issues, or religious trauma. This piece has it all, and I’ve crossposted it on my site.

Some of my poems do directly address the fact that I’m a trans woman and that trans rights are under attack in the U.S. While the GOP has attacked us federally and in every state legislature, Dems have mostly remained silent (except for the handful of trans politicians in state legislatures—those with literal skin in the game).

While I was browsing TikTok, I came across a powerful speech by Iowa State Senator Tony Bisignano. Though a bill erasing civil rights protections for trans Iowans passed yesterday, February 27, 2025, I appreciated the Senator’s speech in defense of our rights and decided to write him a thank you letter.

We need more people to stand up for us with this kind of passion. Here’s his speech, followed by my letter. Btw, …