News and Views from the People's Struggle
Milwaukee, WI – Over the weekend of March 7, Milwaukee’s International Women’s Day Coalition held two large community events honoring the ongoing women’s struggle. The decision to make the holiday a two day event came from the success of last year's march, taking place shortly after Trump’s second inauguration.
By Chloe Ovendale and Aife Pasquale
Tacoma, WA – Over 300 people took to the streets on March 8, International Women’s Day, to fight back against women’s oppression. As the crowd marched to the city’s municipal building, they chanted “One struggle, one fight! Immigrant justice, women’s rights!”
Grand Rapids, Michigan – 30 community members gathered at the East Church on Saturday for a panel discussion of International Women’s Day. The three panelists who spoke were Jessica Plichta of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Jess Westra of IATSE Local 26, and Kawiye Jumale of A Glimpse of Africa.
Tallahassee, FL – On Sunday, March 8, over 60 community members joined the Tallahassee Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) march to commemorate International Women’s Day.
Colorado Springs, CO – On March 2, members of the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered in front of City Hall to release a press statement on the investigation of Richard Arford and call out the CSPD for inaction in the six months since his death.
International Women’s Day is a day of struggle, and it is a day to resist Trump’s cruel campaign of abductions and deportations. In Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, and so many other cities and towns, history is being made. This year’s International Women’s Day will be one to part of the heroic, historic and powerful resistance that is unfolding to Trump’s agenda. In the streets and in meeting halls, we will let it be known that we stand with undocumented women. children and families. ICE terror needs to be stopped. Now.
New York, NY – On February 18, NYU Langone announced that it would cut gender-affirming care for trans youth. In a statement, the hospital said, “given the recent departure of our medical director, coupled with the current regulatory environment, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our Transgender Youth Health Program.”
In Sexual Relations and the Class Struggle, the Soviet revolutionary Alexandra Kollontai wrote: “Throughout the long journey of human history, you probably won’t find a time when the problems of sex have occupied such a central place in the life of society.”
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was created to honor Rita Hester, a black trans woman killed by an unknown attacker after being stabbed 20 times. It’s become a national holiday for the entire LGBTQ community and all who stand in solidarity with the struggle for trans liberation.
San Jose, CA – On November 22, the San Jose People’s Pride Coalition held a vigil and march for Trans Day of Remembrance, a day commemorating the lives lost to transphobia.
“Fight Trump’s Hate, Honor Their Names” was the theme of this year's action as Trump and Republicans’ attacks on trans people and other oppressed people continue to ramp up.
By Juniper Curtis
Tallahassee, FL – On November 20, organizers and community members gathered for Trans Day of Remembrance, a day of resistance and mourning for the countless lives lost to transphobia.
New Orleans, LA – More than a dozen students gathered outside Tulane University’s uptown campus on October 24, for a press conference to protest Tulane's decision to quietly shut down the “Q-Spot.”
Allendale, MI – The Progressive Student Union at Grand Valley State University held a teach-in event on Queer and Trans liberation on Monday, September 29. Despite attempts by the GVSU administration and the Office of Student Life to prevent the students from gathering by demanding $380 out of the students to use a room on campus, the PSU successfully held the event in the Arboretum outdoor park space on campus without disruption.
Lakewood, CO – The Lakewood city council meeting was packed full of community members on September 8. “There are people here from all across the state, people who canceled their plans, and traveled long distances to be here tonight,” said Jamie Frederick while addressing the city council members, “Trans people deserve to feel safe, feel heard.”
New Orleans, LA – On Friday, September 5, members of the Queer and Trans Community Action Project held a rally outside of the Louisiana Department of Health to protest Medicaid no longer covering hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This loss of coverage, combined with the recent anti-trans legislation introduced by Louisiana’s Governor Jeff Landry, has sparked outrage among the queer and trans community in New Orleans.
Seattle, WA – On August 30, over 200 people gathered for a protest at Gasworks Park in Seattle to say no to the Let Us Pray hate speech rally that was to be held there.
The hate group Let Us Pray is notorious for holding such events, where transphobia is a common theme. For this reason, they were banned from holding rallies and events in eight cities in Canada. They are also known to hire local white supremacists as private security to intimidate counter-protesters and rub elbows with the local cops. Their main focus has been spreading religious extremism by attacking trans and queer people. Their leader, Sean Feught, is an outspoken anti-trans, anti-queer bigot.
Concerned members of the queer community and others mobilized to confront this hate group. Passing Seattleites going about their day also joined the rally when they learned why folks were protesting. Camaraderie was in the air, despite the circumstances.
The purpose of the protest was to disrupt Let Us Pray’s so-called “concert.” Air horns, kazoos, whistles and megaphones were used to make a chorus of disturbance. From the hill behind the concert, the sounds of protesters could be heard over the attempted singing by Feught. No doubt their footage was ruined, and any hope of YouTube ad revenue along with it.
It was clear Let Us Pray expected significantly more turnout for their event. Instead, the numbers were evenly balanced between event-goers and protesters. Around 400 people in total showed up, and the eagerness of the “concert” organizers to pack up was proof that even they found the turnout to their event to be underwhelming.
At 7 p.m., two hours before their permit was set to expire, they called it quits, but not before asking for attendees to donate to their Venmo. Protesters accosted Feught all the way back to his car with well-earned messages from the queer and trans people of Seattle: that he was not welcome, his rhetoric was not allowed to exist without pushback, and that if he returned, so would we.
Tampa, FL – On Saturday, July 12, over 200 people gathered for a protest at Tampa City Hall to say no to the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) Student Action Summit that was held in Tampa over the weekend.
Minneapolis, MN – On June 28 Taking Back Pride (TBP) took to the streets ahead of the Twin Cities Pride (TC Pride) parade. The activists were demanding TC Pride cut ties with cops and with the corporations that profit from climate change, racism and the genocide in Palestine, and instead use its huge platform to stand against the massive wave of legal and physical attacks upon LGBTQ people, especially trans people.
TBP says TC Pride ignores the radical legacy of Pride and needs to continue fighting for LGBTQ liberation. Protesters want more than a rainbow State Fair that mainly appeals to corporate sponsors and conservative elements.
West Lafayette, IN – On Monday, July 7, after months of dedicated community action, the West Lafayette city council voted unanimously to pass a resolution protecting gender-affirming care.
Chicago, IL – On a stormy Fourth of July, 1000 Chicagoans marched to oppose Trump’s racist and reactionary agenda. The people marched to oppose Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” that he signed into law Friday.
The new law slashes safety net programs that feed and educate children and provided healthcare for the poor and disabled. It also adds an estimated $3.3 trillion in debt and gives billionaires tax cuts. More tax dollars will now go for deportations, police repression, Israel’s genocide in Gaza and war against Iran.