Hundreds gather for Trans Day of Visibility in the Fox Valley
Neenah, WI – On Sunday March 30, Hate Free Outagamie hosted an event celebrating Trans Day of Visibility. Nearly 200 community members of all ages gathered at a local park shelter to celebrate the struggles of the trans community. Attendees created art and photos, listened to speeches and workshops, and networked with other community organizations.
In their opening speech, Green Bay Anti War co-chair Lana Ksionek spoke about the importance of calling upon the strength of our trans elders such as Sylvia Rivera, and to take inspiration from them in our fight for trans liberation today.
Ksionek told the crowd, “I will not cower before men who are terrified that their place at the top of society is being challenged, I sleep well at night because I’m taking an active role in what happens to me, and you should too.” She concluded her speech, “if they try to outlaw our public existence, we will hit the streets and loudly defy them!”
Members of Hate Free Outagamie promoted their campaign to establish Outagamie County as a Trans Sanctuary County. Members also gave speeches focused on maintaining revolutionary optimism during the era of heightened attacks and reactionary politics of the Trump presidency.
In his speech, Hate Free Outagamie member Mitch Erickson encouraged community members to not despair in the face of oppression, but rather, to come together and organize to support and uplift our community. This speech also highlighted how all struggles of working class people are innately tied to the struggle for trans liberation. Erickson cited civil rights activist James Baldwin’s optimism to join the civil rights struggle, telling the crowd “if one of the greatest minds of his generation could believe this about a bleak situation, we queers could and should too.”
Diverse and Resilient, a co-sponsor of the event, led a workshop creating safety plans and pod maps for queer and trans people. Appleton Area Now gave an impassioned speech on domestic violence, women’s oppression and the need to stand up and fight back in an era of heightened reactionary attacks. Green Bay Anti-War Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Appleton Area NOW, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, and Free Mom Hugs were also co-sponsors of the event.
The event ended with an inspiring discussion, led by a HFO member, who spoke about finding joy in his own trans experience and led a group share, where other trans and queer community members were able to share about their own experiences.
While queer and trans people are in the crosshairs of the Trump administration, we continue to see the community grow, and the struggle for liberation along with it. This event showed no executive order or bill passed by Congress can erase trans existence. Trans people have always existed and will continue to not only exist, and from this event we are sure we will see the struggle grow here in the Fox Valley.