Axa Carnes aka Axa Palacios is an American retired educator, prayer leader, and anti-transgender activist. Carnes is affiliated with anti-trans hate group Genspect and signed an anti-trans brief submitted to the US Supreme Court defending Tennessee’s ban on trans healthcare for young people.
Background
Axa Palacios Carnes taught in the Lexington-Richland School District Five in South Carolina. Carnes taught Spanish at Dutch Fork High School and featured as an instructor in South Carolina Educational Television’s (SCETV) First Steps Español program.
Carnes has served as a prayer leader at Cornerstone PCA in Columbia, South Carolina.
Anti-trans activism
On April 26, 2022, Carnes (as Axa Palacios) attended a meeting with the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights (HHS OCR) requested by Genspect. The other three Genspect representatives were Kathleen Dooley, Derek Duval, and Stella O’Malley.
In 2024, Carnes signed an open letter by FAIR protesting the American Psychiatric Association for publishing the book Gender-Affirming Psychiatric Care.
Carnes was a signatory on a 2024 amicus curiae brief prepared by Terry Lee Fowler and presented to the US Supreme Court in US v. Skrmetti, a case challenging Tennessee’s ban on trans healthcare for young people.
References
“Jones, Zinnia” (2022). Genspect 2022-04-26 meeting with HHS OCR. Atomic Gender https://atomicgender.com/events/genspect-2022-04-26-meeting-with-hhs-ocr/
US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights (April 26, 2022). EO 12866 Meeting 0945-AA17: Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities. https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/viewEO12866Meeting?viewRule=true&rin=0945-AA17&meetingId=132173&acronym=0945-HHS/OCR
Staff report (December 2020). Revitalizing a Weary Church Through Prayer. Prayer Current https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bb32939ab1a623f7ab4e0f3/t/5fc607243c02f22b9ddb6daa/1606813492122/2020-12+Prayer+Current+update+email.pdf
Selected writing by Carnes
Carnes, Axa and signatories (October 15, 2024). BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE THE LARGER DETRANSITIONERS COMMUNITY INCLUDING PUBLIC OFFICIALS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND RESEARCHERS IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENTS. US v. Skrmetti , No. 23-477 https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-477/328719/20241018182632065_241012a%20v2%20AC%20Brief%20for%20efiling.pdf
Carnes, Axa and signatories (January 2024). An Open Letter to the American Psychiatric Association Regarding the Publication of Gender-Affirming Psychiatric Care. Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism https://www.fairforall.org/open-letters/open-letter-apa/
Resources
Facebook (facebook.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)