Madison, WI – 400 people braved snowy conditions to join the Day of Resistance to Trans Genocide rally on March 18. The rally, organized by a grassroots coalition from southern Wisconsin, was held to demonstrate stalwart opposition to the recent flood of anti-trans legislation, rhetoric and violence across the United States.

Earlier this year, far-right commentator Michael Knowles announced at the Conservative Political Action Conference that “transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely.” Since the beginning of 2023, over 400 bills have been introduced into state legislatures across the country, including bills that would legally define womanhood via biology, ban gender-affirming care for minors, block insurance companies from paying for gender-affirming care, and in some cases even allow the removal of children from parents for allowing access to gender-affirming care.

Connolly, going by an alias for personal protection as one of the event organizers in light of the present conditions, said, “A lot of people just aren’t aware of the extent of the anti-trans legislation and how bad it is. The right likes to frame it as protecting children, but a lot of actors on the right have stated openly that their end goal is banning transition-related care for everyone of all ages. We are trying to make a visual impact that can’t be ignored so people have to at least be aware of what is happening.”

They hope that this can help prevent Wisconsin from taking the same path as other states, saying, “It is also important for the trans community to come together with allies and to see that there are people that do care and who are trying to stop this absolutely horrifying legislation from coming to Wisconsin.”

The rally started at Library Mall on the UW Madison campus. The crowd marched down the middle of State Street chanting “Defend trans lives!” and “Protect trans kids’ right to exist!” Volunteers linked arms to block busy intersections, allowing marchers to pass through on their way to the state capitol building. The march was led by a group of young people which included members of the Gay-Straight Alliance from a nearby middle school. The head of the march saw people carrying coffins representing deaths that will occur due to recent legislation.

“Banning gender-affirming care will lead to deaths. It will lead to deaths by suicide,” said Connolly. “If you withdraw hormone replacement therapy from someone who is on it, it leads to health problems plus psychological problems associated with having to be forcibly detransitioned.”

The march ended at the Lady Forward statue in front of the state capitol. Several speakers, including poet, activist and drag queen SunShine Raynebow, and Dina Nina, candidate for alderperson in Madison, focused on the joy of trans lives, the rights of trans people to exist publicly, and the need to recognize the scale and intent of anti-trans legislation.

“The Lemkin Institute, which was founded by the person who coined the word genocide, has said that this is a genocide in progress. So we are not exaggerating when we use the word genocide,” said Connolly. “I have seen people say, ‘I agree with you but you shouldn’t use the word genocide.’ If you support us, you have to support us without that ‘but.’”

#MadisonWI #Madison #antitransgender #antiLGBTQLegislation

When the tour kicked off in Kenosha, several hundred pro-union workers marched around the bus. Fewer than 20 Walker supporters were there. More people showed up to send the bus away, chanting “Kill the bill.” When the AFP wanted to leave, they drove the bus to the back of the building so staff could get on avoiding the militant crowd.

Then in Milwaukee on March 3, over 400 people lined Oklahoma Avenue and 51st Street outside Serb Hall. Four riders were on the bus, while a dozen or so individuals supporting Walker stood outside the hall before it began. Supportive drivers honked and drew in more anti-Walker protesters as the rally grew bigger. On the night of March 4 over 800 protesters greeted Walker as he slipped from his black SUV to a Columbus country club. This is not unusual: everywhere the Governor goes, protesters are there to meet him and growing in strength. People in Columbus loudly chanted, “Shame on you!”

On March 5, in Hudson, 500 more showed up to protest the AFP bus. The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), AFSCME, SEIU, Teamsters, parents and kids showed in numbers never seen in these parts to stop Walker supporters’ lies.

La Crosse had a spirited crowd of over 1000 to greet the bus. The Recall Dan Kapanke committee kicked off their campaign against the Republican state legislator and collected over 2100 signatures.

The finale for the bus tour was held in Madison on March 6, but not at the Capitol. There were far too many people protesting in the square that day (park officials said 7000 to 10,000 rallied). Despite hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on ads and bus tours to prop up Walker, everyday Wisconsinites can’t be fooled.

#Madison #WisconsinWI #GovernorScottWalker #publicSectorUnions #AmericansForProsperity #KochBrothers

Building on strong support in the plant, PACE Local 1202 engaged in a concerted campaign to mobilize community backing for their struggle, including outreach to other unions and the University community.

During previous contract negotiations, Rock-Tenn workers had beaten back the employer's demand for 12-hour shifts, but with the current contract about to expire, the 12-hour shift was still on the table.

12-hour shifts and a continuous production model are standard in about 70% of the paper industry, so workers had good reason to be concerned. Despite pressure from the employer, PACE 1202 stood firm because they know 12-hour shifts mean more accidents, more stress, and less time for family and other interests. They also knew they needed community support to help win the battle.

The South Central Federation of Labor (SCFL), the regional AFL-CIO council, activated its Street Heat Network of local union activists with impressive results. “SCFL has built up a sizable list of committed union activists who will turn out to support local labor struggles,” said Joe Mingle, a member of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 2412 and SCFL's Organizing Committee. “I think it's clear that this time they really made a difference.”

On the eve of their contract expiration, when Pace Local 1202 called for a rally to “save the 8 hour day in Madison,” union activists turned out in droves. According to SCFL President Jim Cavanaugh, at the peak of the rally, there were more that 350 activists picketing outside the plant including representatives from 38 different local Unions!

Student Support

Students from the University of Wisconsin also took up the call and worked to support PACE 1202. Several student organizations built a Solidarity Committee on campus and helped educate the university community about the paper workers' battle. In addition to leafleting at the student union for the rally, UW students organized two public forums for PACE 1202 workers to come share their story with campus activists.

“The students of today are the workers of tomorrow,” says Bob Hemauer, a member of the Student Labor Action Coalition. “Unions and the Labor Movement set the working standards for everyone in the country, workers, professionals, even management types. I don't want to work 12-hour shifts when I enter the workforce, so this is my battle too!”

As a result of the solidarity of workers in the plant, and the support of the community, Rock-Tenn management withdrew their demand for 12-hour shifts just before the holidays. Unfortunately, many difficult issues remain on the table, so the struggle isn't over yet. Negotiations are ongoing and the possibility of a sharper conflict still looms. Regardless of what the future holds, PACE 1202 workers can celebrate a small victory.

#MadisonWI #Madison #News #SouthCentralFederationOfLabor #PACELocal1202 #12hourDay #RockTenn