Where are Trans Lives in Calls to Action?

Now is the time to specifically name and fight for trans lives, rather than throwing us to the Right and paving the way to even more repression.

Please -- no matter what your community, organization or networks are -- speak out TODAY AND EVERY DAY to specifically NAME TRANSGENDER PEOPLE as leading targets in Federal attacks. Insist that we MUST be centered and protected by progressive, left, LGB and other justice groups, and NAMED in broad coalition calls or mobilizations

I am seeing many calls to actions or briefs that mention a range of issues and communities and neglect to include trans people. Our organizations and networks are absolutely being targeted, and escalating rhetoric is criminalizing more trans lives and making us at higher risk of vigilante and systemic violence. This one below is from the NoKings toolkit - their entire site does not mention trans people.

This image is from the No Kings mobilization toolkit, which has NO mention of trans people.

Saying this not to point fingers at any one effort but, to urge the HIV and left Jewish communities I’m a part of, and everyone else, to recognize the distinct threats to trans lives as laid out in Project 2025 and escalating in the rhetoric and orders of this administration, and to specifically name and fight against the trans-focused harms happening now, and likely to increase.

The right does not believe that trans people are real - they think we are delusional criminals and antisocial forces that risk their way of life and that make an easy target for their lawlessness and autocracy. This is different than how they feel about LGB people, and it is why the Stonewall movement language dropped the T but not the LGB - there may be further attacks on LGB people down the road but RIGHT NOW TRANS PEOPLE ARE IN ACUTE DANGER.

The plan is to attack and seek to shut down high profile trans organizations and their leaders - destroying our access to services, gender care, competent healthcare, and advocacy. Then we will be more vulnerable to the systems of incarceration and institutionalization, surveillance and oppression that make them money and that are about to get a HUGE budget increase on Oct 1 thanks to Congress and Trump. And this ALWAYS means the greatest harms will fall on Black, brown, indigenous, immigrant and disabled trans people.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

- Whenever you see an alert that does not mention trans people, write back saying WHAT ABOUT TRANS PEOPLE?

- Speak up in your families, organizations, networks about the attacks on the humanity of trans people, the drive to criminalize us and paint us as violent, when the reality is that trans people are MUCH more likely to be the victims of violence.

- Reach out to trans beloveds, friends, colleagues, comrades to ask: How are you doing? Is there anything I can help with?

- Keep in touch with trans groups like Transgender Law Center (which hosts Positively Trans) and Advocates for Trans Equality

- Donate any amount of $ you can to mutual aid, advocacy and support projects for Black and Brown trans people like GLITS and TransLatin@ Coalition. find out what are the Black, Brown and Indigenous trans-led efforts in your area.

I’m sending this out quickly, but will update or send future missives with more about what you can and should do.