transdayofvisibility &mdash; Fight Back! News https://fightbacknews.org/tag:transdayofvisibility News and Views from the People's Struggle Sun, 19 Apr 2026 21:27:34 +0000 https://i.snap.as/RZCOEKyz.png transdayofvisibility &mdash; Fight Back! News https://fightbacknews.org/tag:transdayofvisibility On Trans Day of Visibility, Minneapolis calls for real sanctuary for trans people https://fightbacknews.org/on-trans-day-of-visibility-minneapolis-calls-for-real-sanctuary-for-trans?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[By Janelle Carlson Protestors hold a banner calling for “Trans Liberation Now!” as supporters gather on the Walker Library Lawn. Minneapolis, MN - On Tuesday, March 31, more than 100 community members rallied outside of the Walker Library on Trans Day of Visibility to protest national policies targeting the rights of trans people. !--more-- The rally was called by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee in response to anti-trans measures, including the Trump administration’s executive orders E14168 and E14187, which have been used as templates to remove access to healthcare for adults and minors, remove protections against rape for trans prisoners in jails and immigration detention centers, and expose trans prisoners and detainees to conversion therapy, which is considered by the United Nations to be a form of torture. Earlier in the day the U.S. Supreme Court announced a decision that would overturn the right of states to ban conversion therapy. Yann Chen, an organizer for the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, spoke about how the U.S. government is not only forcing trans prisoners to endure conversion therapy, but also withholding medications from over 2000 trans people. In addition to these attacks on transgender people by the federal administration, legislators across the U.S. have been proposing and passing state laws targeting trans peoples’ ability to change or maintain their legal documents, or even to use the bathroom safely. In February, the state of Kansas revoked the drivers licenses of around 1700 trans people. 27 states across the U.S. have now imposed some kind of ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth. These repressive laws and policies have led to a mass migration of trans people to trans refuge states like Minnesota, where the Minnesota Human Rights Act enshrines trans rights as human rights. Lizzie Palmer, an organizer with Communities Against Transphobia, pointed out that trans people now make up 1% of Minnesota’s population, and received an audible positive response when she asked the crowd to applaud if they had moved to Minnesota from another state. However, organizers at Tuesday night’s rally argued that, in order to become a genuine refuge for trans rights, Minnesota must also ensure the ability to live with dignity. Natalie Berger, an organizer with the Minnesota Abortion Access Committee, listed three demands as part of the group’s campaign for trans rights. The first was to make Minnesota a real trans refuge, with local agencies creating and advertising structures of support for trans refugees like housing and job placement, as well as assistance with navigating the healthcare system. The second demand was to make the name change process cheaper, non-invasive, and private, with Berger pointing out that name changes cost $322 on average in Minnesota and are matters of public record, meaning that trans people’s deadnames, or names given at birth, are accessible by public records requests. The third demand was to fund gender-affirming care at the state level. “It's one thing to say trans people are welcome here. It's another thing to mean it and practice that solidarity,” she said. Michelle Hanlon, an organizer with Minnesota 50501, spoke about the experience of working as a healthcare provider for trans people, reminding the crowd of the importance of real support for trans people in an era when trans people are under attack more than ever. “Visibility without support makes you a target,” Hanlon said, pointing out that Children’s Minnesota, a vital children’s hospital within the Twin Cities area, had been forced to end their gender-affirming care program due to politically motivated attacks against their organization. Jae Yates, a member of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, the Taking Back Pride Coalition, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “I see the same choice before us now. Will we submit, or will we resist? Will we hide, or fight? Will we accept a life where we are second-class citizens, afraid to take a damn piss in public, or will we demand the same respect, dignity and privacy that many cis people take for granted?” The mood then turned solemn in remembrance of Sam Nordquist, a Black trans man from Minnesota who was tortured and murdered by a group of people in upstate New York in 2025 after he moved away from his support network in Minnesota. Khrys Wetzel, a member of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee, read a speech written by Kayla Nordquist, Sam’s sister, who asked that protesters remember her brother as more than what happened to him. “Being seen should never come at the cost of someone’s life,” Nordquist wrote. “No one should have to choose between being themselves and being safe. Sam deserved to be seen. He deserved to be respected. He deserved to live a full, long life, without fear.” Rae Rowe, the cofounder of the Paper Lantern Project, spoke about the organization’s work providing mutual aid and name-change clinics for Asian American and Pacific Islander trans people Rowe stated, “They’re afraid of a love that shows ways to exist beyond capitalism, beyond tyranny, beyond the powers that be. And the last few months, we have seen what happens when we are powered by love instead of hate.” As the rally came to a close, the protesters lined the streets with signs calling for the protection of trans youth and for justice for Sam Nordquist. Drivers honked in support as organizers led the crowd in chants of “No hate! No fear! Trans people are welcome here!” and “We’re not here to compromise! Hands off trans lives!” #MinneapolisMN #MN #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #MNAAC div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> By Janelle Carlson

Protestors hold a banner calling for “Trans Liberation Now!” as supporters gather on the Walker Library Lawn.

Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, March 31, more than 100 community members rallied outside of the Walker Library on Trans Day of Visibility to protest national policies targeting the rights of trans people.

The rally was called by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee in response to anti-trans measures, including the Trump administration’s executive orders E14168 and E14187, which have been used as templates to remove access to healthcare for adults and minors, remove protections against rape for trans prisoners in jails and immigration detention centers, and expose trans prisoners and detainees to conversion therapy, which is considered by the United Nations to be a form of torture. Earlier in the day the U.S. Supreme Court announced a decision that would overturn the right of states to ban conversion therapy.

Yann Chen, an organizer for the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, spoke about how the U.S. government is not only forcing trans prisoners to endure conversion therapy, but also withholding medications from over 2000 trans people. In addition to these attacks on transgender people by the federal administration, legislators across the U.S. have been proposing and passing state laws targeting trans peoples’ ability to change or maintain their legal documents, or even to use the bathroom safely. In February, the state of Kansas revoked the drivers licenses of around 1700 trans people. 27 states across the U.S. have now imposed some kind of ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth.

These repressive laws and policies have led to a mass migration of trans people to trans refuge states like Minnesota, where the Minnesota Human Rights Act enshrines trans rights as human rights. Lizzie Palmer, an organizer with Communities Against Transphobia, pointed out that trans people now make up 1% of Minnesota’s population, and received an audible positive response when she asked the crowd to applaud if they had moved to Minnesota from another state. However, organizers at Tuesday night’s rally argued that, in order to become a genuine refuge for trans rights, Minnesota must also ensure the ability to live with dignity.

Natalie Berger, an organizer with the Minnesota Abortion Access Committee, listed three demands as part of the group’s campaign for trans rights. The first was to make Minnesota a real trans refuge, with local agencies creating and advertising structures of support for trans refugees like housing and job placement, as well as assistance with navigating the healthcare system. The second demand was to make the name change process cheaper, non-invasive, and private, with Berger pointing out that name changes cost $322 on average in Minnesota and are matters of public record, meaning that trans people’s deadnames, or names given at birth, are accessible by public records requests. The third demand was to fund gender-affirming care at the state level. “It's one thing to say trans people are welcome here. It's another thing to mean it and practice that solidarity,” she said.

Michelle Hanlon, an organizer with Minnesota 50501, spoke about the experience of working as a healthcare provider for trans people, reminding the crowd of the importance of real support for trans people in an era when trans people are under attack more than ever.

“Visibility without support makes you a target,” Hanlon said, pointing out that Children’s Minnesota, a vital children’s hospital within the Twin Cities area, had been forced to end their gender-affirming care program due to politically motivated attacks against their organization.

Jae Yates, a member of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, the Taking Back Pride Coalition, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “I see the same choice before us now. Will we submit, or will we resist? Will we hide, or fight? Will we accept a life where we are second-class citizens, afraid to take a damn piss in public, or will we demand the same respect, dignity and privacy that many cis people take for granted?”

The mood then turned solemn in remembrance of Sam Nordquist, a Black trans man from Minnesota who was tortured and murdered by a group of people in upstate New York in 2025 after he moved away from his support network in Minnesota.

Khrys Wetzel, a member of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee, read a speech written by Kayla Nordquist, Sam’s sister, who asked that protesters remember her brother as more than what happened to him. “Being seen should never come at the cost of someone’s life,” Nordquist wrote. “No one should have to choose between being themselves and being safe. Sam deserved to be seen. He deserved to be respected. He deserved to live a full, long life, without fear.”

Rae Rowe, the cofounder of the Paper Lantern Project, spoke about the organization’s work providing mutual aid and name-change clinics for Asian American and Pacific Islander trans people

Rowe stated, “They’re afraid of a love that shows ways to exist beyond capitalism, beyond tyranny, beyond the powers that be. And the last few months, we have seen what happens when we are powered by love instead of hate.”

As the rally came to a close, the protesters lined the streets with signs calling for the protection of trans youth and for justice for Sam Nordquist. Drivers honked in support as organizers led the crowd in chants of “No hate! No fear! Trans people are welcome here!” and “We’re not here to compromise! Hands off trans lives!”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #MNAAC

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/on-trans-day-of-visibility-minneapolis-calls-for-real-sanctuary-for-trans Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:11:05 +0000 Dozens rally for Trans Day of Visibility in Milwaukee https://fightbacknews.org/dozens-rally-for-trans-day-of-visibility-in-milwaukee?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[ Milwaukee, WI - On Tuesday, March 31, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee held a rally for Trans Day of Visibility. The event took place at the UWM library and was co-sponsored by Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. !--more-- This rally started on a somber note, with local trans musicians playing songs of solidarity and hope. Sasha Gurin from SDS spoke to his experience as a trans youth and the importance of the student movement’s fight for equality of gender in schools. He too spoke of the need for the queer and trans community to fight back against Trump’s agenda, telling attendees that the struggle for trans liberation is principally one against the Trump agenda, and it is on us to unite with the struggles for Palestinian liberation, immigrant rights, and countless others. A member of Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee stated, “Our work for reproductive justice does not exist without the fight for trans rights.” They then spoke to today’s present fight, and the work to be done. “While trans folks are visible, they're not all protected, and visibility without protection just leaves people vulnerable. It leaves people vulnerable to attacks, and harm, to hate and violence, vulnerable to supreme court rulings like the one that just came in this morning.” This event came the same day as a dangerous Supreme Court ruling which overturned Colorado’s law banning conversion therapy for minors. This dangerous ruling sets precedent for similar rulings in 26 other states with similar laws. While the attacks from the Trump administration continue, so do the defenses of the people. #MilwaukeeWI #WI #TransDayofVisibility #LGBTQ #Trans #SDS #StudentMovement #WomensMovement div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]>

Milwaukee, WI – On Tuesday, March 31, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee held a rally for Trans Day of Visibility. The event took place at the UWM library and was co-sponsored by Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

This rally started on a somber note, with local trans musicians playing songs of solidarity and hope.

Sasha Gurin from SDS spoke to his experience as a trans youth and the importance of the student movement’s fight for equality of gender in schools. He too spoke of the need for the queer and trans community to fight back against Trump’s agenda, telling attendees that the struggle for trans liberation is principally one against the Trump agenda, and it is on us to unite with the struggles for Palestinian liberation, immigrant rights, and countless others.

A member of Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee stated, “Our work for reproductive justice does not exist without the fight for trans rights.” They then spoke to today’s present fight, and the work to be done. “While trans folks are visible, they're not all protected, and visibility without protection just leaves people vulnerable. It leaves people vulnerable to attacks, and harm, to hate and violence, vulnerable to supreme court rulings like the one that just came in this morning.”

This event came the same day as a dangerous Supreme Court ruling which overturned Colorado’s law banning conversion therapy for minors. This dangerous ruling sets precedent for similar rulings in 26 other states with similar laws. While the attacks from the Trump administration continue, so do the defenses of the people.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #TransDayofVisibility #LGBTQ #Trans #SDS #StudentMovement #WomensMovement

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/dozens-rally-for-trans-day-of-visibility-in-milwaukee Mon, 06 Apr 2026 01:27:35 +0000 Tacoma rallies for trans rights https://fightbacknews.org/tacoma-rallies-for-trans-rights?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[ Tacoma, WA – On March 31, over 30 people took to the streets to rally for transgender rights. Community members spoke on the importance of Transgender Day of Visibility, and how it intersects with the working class, climate justice, and indigenous sovereignty. After speeches, a short march, and an indigenous cultural offering from a two-spirit person, people filled the municipal building to speak during the city council meeting. !--more-- On the city’s agenda was a Transgender day of Visibility proclamation fought for by community organizers and signed by the mayor and city council. This rally and march were called by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and also came in response to a Supreme Court decision to re-legalize conversion therapy. Many community members feared how this could impact them at home and at work. Haze Bender, a union warehouse worker with Teamsters Local 174, said, “Everything we do is informed and impacted by our relationship to production. As workers under capitalism, we have a lot more commonality than differences with the people we work alongside. Remember, most of our oppression is coming from the people above, rather than the people alongside us.” Bender stressed the importance of trans and working class solidarity. “The United States government sent us \[to boarding schools\], along with all Indians, where they criminalized our languages, changed our names, and attempted to erase our way of being,” said River Bandi, a two-spirit speaker from the Ojibwa and Odawa First Nations. “They did not succeed. My existence is a testament to the resilience of my ancestors.” “My mom told me growing up, if you marry another woman, or if you marry somebody that is not Latin, I will disown you,” said Amelia Isabel Escobedo, a two-spirit person with the Brown Berets. She rejected that narrow view, saying instead “You are a part of me and I am a part of you. And we are family.” Tacomans made it clear that they would not sit down while the Trump administration continued to attack trans rights. After chants of “Trans rights now,” over ten people took the energy of the rally into city council chambers to demand material protections for trans people in Tacoma. “So on this Transgender Day of Visibility, I ask you to do more than see us,” Dez Chalfant said to the city council in chambers. “Stand with us. Fight with us. Protect us. Because we are not going anywhere.” Chalfant is a rank-and-file member of UFCW 367 and a representative on the Pierce County Central Labor Council. During the council meeting chants of “When trans rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” echoed through the building, reminding the council that the residents of Tacoma is ready and willing to fight for trans people. The city of Tacoma passed the proclamation for Trans Day of Visibility. #TacomaWA #WA #TransDayOfVisibility #LGBTQ #Trans #WomensMovement div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]>

Tacoma, WA – On March 31, over 30 people took to the streets to rally for transgender rights. Community members spoke on the importance of Transgender Day of Visibility, and how it intersects with the working class, climate justice, and indigenous sovereignty. After speeches, a short march, and an indigenous cultural offering from a two-spirit person, people filled the municipal building to speak during the city council meeting.

On the city’s agenda was a Transgender day of Visibility proclamation fought for by community organizers and signed by the mayor and city council.

This rally and march were called by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and also came in response to a Supreme Court decision to re-legalize conversion therapy. Many community members feared how this could impact them at home and at work.

Haze Bender, a union warehouse worker with Teamsters Local 174, said, “Everything we do is informed and impacted by our relationship to production. As workers under capitalism, we have a lot more commonality than differences with the people we work alongside. Remember, most of our oppression is coming from the people above, rather than the people alongside us.” Bender stressed the importance of trans and working class solidarity.

“The United States government sent us [to boarding schools], along with all Indians, where they criminalized our languages, changed our names, and attempted to erase our way of being,” said River Bandi, a two-spirit speaker from the Ojibwa and Odawa First Nations. “They did not succeed. My existence is a testament to the resilience of my ancestors.”

“My mom told me growing up, if you marry another woman, or if you marry somebody that is not Latin, I will disown you,” said Amelia Isabel Escobedo, a two-spirit person with the Brown Berets. She rejected that narrow view, saying instead “You are a part of me and I am a part of you. And we are family.”

Tacomans made it clear that they would not sit down while the Trump administration continued to attack trans rights. After chants of “Trans rights now,” over ten people took the energy of the rally into city council chambers to demand material protections for trans people in Tacoma.

“So on this Transgender Day of Visibility, I ask you to do more than see us,” Dez Chalfant said to the city council in chambers. “Stand with us. Fight with us. Protect us. Because we are not going anywhere.” Chalfant is a rank-and-file member of UFCW 367 and a representative on the Pierce County Central Labor Council.

During the council meeting chants of “When trans rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” echoed through the building, reminding the council that the residents of Tacoma is ready and willing to fight for trans people. The city of Tacoma passed the proclamation for Trans Day of Visibility.

#TacomaWA #WA #TransDayOfVisibility #LGBTQ #Trans #WomensMovement

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/tacoma-rallies-for-trans-rights Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:37:45 +0000 La visibilidad es solo el comienzo https://fightbacknews.org/la-visibilidad-es-solo-el-comienzo?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[ Declaración del Día de la Visibilidad Trans por el Equipo de Trabajo del Movimiento LGBTQ y de las Mujeres de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad En el Día de la Visibilidad Transgénero, la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad se une a las masas de personas transgénero que se niegan a ser borradas de la vida pública. Este último año hubo una escalada de órdenes ejecutivas anti-trans del gobierno de Trump y legislación reaccionaria en estados de todo el país. La lucha por la visibilidad ha sido ardua y debe ser defendida. Ahora es el momento de salir a las calles para exigir la liberación trans. !--more-- Los ataques contra la atención médica para personas trans han tomado un lugar central en la agenda anti-LGBTQ de Trump. Mientras 27 estados ya han aprobado leyes para limitar la atención de afirmación de género para jóvenes trans, Trump busca prohibir esta atención médica en todo el país bloqueando los fondos de Medicaid y Medicare para todos los servicios en hospitales que también brinden atención pediátrica de afirmación de género. Trump ha dado a los hospitales un ultimátum: terminen sus programas de atención de afirmación de género para jóvenes o enfrenten la bancarrota. Esto ya ha resultado en una pausa de la atención en muchos centros, incluso en aquellos estados donde la atención de afirmación de género para jóvenes aún está protegida por la ley local. El Tribunal del Cuarto Circuito, cuyos jueces fueron designados por Trump, lleva estos ataques un paso más allá al dictaminar que el programa de Medicaid de Virginia Occidental puede excluir la cobertura de todos los procedimientos de atención de afirmación de género, incluso para adultos que dan su consentimiento. La decisión abre la puerta a prohibiciones similares en otros estados. Esto nunca se trató de proteger a los niños. Los ataques contra los jóvenes trans erosionan la autonomía corporal de todas las personas trans, y estamos viendo cómo los verdaderos planes de las fuerzas reaccionarias toman forma en tiempo real. Nuestros enemigos buscan eliminar por completo la atención de afirmación de género y borrar a las personas trans de la existencia, y debemos luchar contra ellos en todos los frentes. Los derechos civiles de las personas trans en Estados Unidos son extremadamente desiguales y precarios. Las leyes varían de un estado a otro. En Kansas, las licencias de conducir de las personas trans están siendo revocadas de manera masiva. Por el contrario, en Minnesota, se aprobó una ley de refugio trans para proteger a pacientes y proveedores de atención de afirmación de género. Dependiendo de dónde vivan, las personas trans enfrentan leyes sobre baños y prohibiciones en deportes, son desgenerizadas a la fuerza en las escuelas, quedan desprotegidas contra la discriminación laboral, y más. Pero esta polarización también ofrece un terreno fértil para las semillas de la lucha. La resistencia organizada es la única manera de derrotar estos ataques, defender nuestros logros y mejorar verdaderamente las condiciones de vida de las personas trans. En todo el país, miembros de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad han liderado la lucha por la liberación trans mediante protestas contra los recortes a la atención de afirmación de género, oponiéndose a leyes anti-LGBTQ, movilizando a sus comunidades contra los crímenes de odio y exigiendo justicia por las vidas trans arrebatadas. OSCL participa en eventos anuales por el Día de la Visibilidad Trans, el Día de la Memoria Trans, así como en protestas durante el Mes del Orgullo que reviven el espíritu revolucionario de Stonewall. Las campañas para reducir el costo de los cambios de nombre y fortalecer los recursos de santuario para refugiados trans mantienen viva la lucha por la liberación trans durante todo el año. Donde la gente se organiza y lucha, hay victorias por ganar. En su acelerado declive, el imperio estadounidense seguirá lanzando ataques represivos contra los pueblos trabajadores y oprimidos como un medio para evitar el cambio revolucionario. Debemos ayudar a quienes luchan por cualquier tipo de liberación a ver la liberación trans como entrelazada con la suya propia. La visibilidad es solo el comienzo. Un día, las personas trans serán más que visibles—tendrán el poder político para tomar sus destinos en sus propias manos. #TransDayofVisibility #LGBTQ #WomensMovement div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]>

Declaración del Día de la Visibilidad Trans por el Equipo de Trabajo del Movimiento LGBTQ y de las Mujeres de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad

En el Día de la Visibilidad Transgénero, la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad se une a las masas de personas transgénero que se niegan a ser borradas de la vida pública. Este último año hubo una escalada de órdenes ejecutivas anti-trans del gobierno de Trump y legislación reaccionaria en estados de todo el país. La lucha por la visibilidad ha sido ardua y debe ser defendida. Ahora es el momento de salir a las calles para exigir la liberación trans.

Los ataques contra la atención médica para personas trans han tomado un lugar central en la agenda anti-LGBTQ de Trump. Mientras 27 estados ya han aprobado leyes para limitar la atención de afirmación de género para jóvenes trans, Trump busca prohibir esta atención médica en todo el país bloqueando los fondos de Medicaid y Medicare para todos los servicios en hospitales que también brinden atención pediátrica de afirmación de género. Trump ha dado a los hospitales un ultimátum: terminen sus programas de atención de afirmación de género para jóvenes o enfrenten la bancarrota. Esto ya ha resultado en una pausa de la atención en muchos centros, incluso en aquellos estados donde la atención de afirmación de género para jóvenes aún está protegida por la ley local.

El Tribunal del Cuarto Circuito, cuyos jueces fueron designados por Trump, lleva estos ataques un paso más allá al dictaminar que el programa de Medicaid de Virginia Occidental puede excluir la cobertura de todos los procedimientos de atención de afirmación de género, incluso para adultos que dan su consentimiento. La decisión abre la puerta a prohibiciones similares en otros estados. Esto nunca se trató de proteger a los niños. Los ataques contra los jóvenes trans erosionan la autonomía corporal de todas las personas trans, y estamos viendo cómo los verdaderos planes de las fuerzas reaccionarias toman forma en tiempo real. Nuestros enemigos buscan eliminar por completo la atención de afirmación de género y borrar a las personas trans de la existencia, y debemos luchar contra ellos en todos los frentes.

Los derechos civiles de las personas trans en Estados Unidos son extremadamente desiguales y precarios. Las leyes varían de un estado a otro. En Kansas, las licencias de conducir de las personas trans están siendo revocadas de manera masiva. Por el contrario, en Minnesota, se aprobó una ley de refugio trans para proteger a pacientes y proveedores de atención de afirmación de género. Dependiendo de dónde vivan, las personas trans enfrentan leyes sobre baños y prohibiciones en deportes, son desgenerizadas a la fuerza en las escuelas, quedan desprotegidas contra la discriminación laboral, y más. Pero esta polarización también ofrece un terreno fértil para las semillas de la lucha. La resistencia organizada es la única manera de derrotar estos ataques, defender nuestros logros y mejorar verdaderamente las condiciones de vida de las personas trans.

En todo el país, miembros de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad han liderado la lucha por la liberación trans mediante protestas contra los recortes a la atención de afirmación de género, oponiéndose a leyes anti-LGBTQ, movilizando a sus comunidades contra los crímenes de odio y exigiendo justicia por las vidas trans arrebatadas. OSCL participa en eventos anuales por el Día de la Visibilidad Trans, el Día de la Memoria Trans, así como en protestas durante el Mes del Orgullo que reviven el espíritu revolucionario de Stonewall. Las campañas para reducir el costo de los cambios de nombre y fortalecer los recursos de santuario para refugiados trans mantienen viva la lucha por la liberación trans durante todo el año. Donde la gente se organiza y lucha, hay victorias por ganar.

En su acelerado declive, el imperio estadounidense seguirá lanzando ataques represivos contra los pueblos trabajadores y oprimidos como un medio para evitar el cambio revolucionario. Debemos ayudar a quienes luchan por cualquier tipo de liberación a ver la liberación trans como entrelazada con la suya propia. La visibilidad es solo el comienzo. Un día, las personas trans serán más que visibles—tendrán el poder político para tomar sus destinos en sus propias manos.

#TransDayofVisibility #LGBTQ #WomensMovement

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/la-visibilidad-es-solo-el-comienzo Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:15:05 +0000 Visibility is Only the Beginning https://fightbacknews.org/visibility-is-only-the-beginning?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[ Trans Day of Visibility Statement by the Women’s & LBGTQ Work Team of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization On Transgender Day of Visibility, Freedom Road Socialist Organization unites with the masses of transgender people who refuse to be erased from public life. This past year saw an escalation in anti-trans Executive Orders from the Trump administration and reactionary legislation in states across the country. The struggle for visibility has been hard-fought and must be defended. Now is the time to hit the streets to demand trans liberation. !--more-- Attacks on trans healthcare have taken center stage in Trump’s anti-LGBTQ agenda. While 27 states have already enacted laws to limit gender affirming care for trans youth, Trump intends to ban this healthcare nationwide by blocking Medicaid and Medicare funding for all services at hospitals that also provide pediatric gender-affirming care. Trump has given hospitals an ultimatum: end their youth gender-affirming care programs or face bankruptcy. Already, this has resulted in a pause in care at many facilities, including those in states where gender-affirming care for youth is still protected under local law. The Trump-appointed 4th Circuit Court takes these attacks a step further, ruling that West Virginia’s Medicaid program can exclude coverage of all gender-affirming care procedures, even for consenting adults. The decision opens the door for similar bans in other states. This was never about protecting children. Attacks on trans youth chip away at the bodily autonomy of all trans people, and we are seeing the true plans of reactionary forces take shape in real time. Our enemies seek to eliminate gender-affirming care in its entirety and to stamp trans people out of existence, and we must fight them on every front. The civil rights of trans people in the United States are extremely uneven and precarious. Laws vary from state to state. In Kansas, the drivers licenses of trans people are being revoked en masse. Conversely, in Minnesota, a trans refuge bill was passed to protect patients and providers of gender-affirming care. Depending on where they live, trans people face bathroom bills and sports bans, are forcibly misgendered in schools, left unprotected from workplace discrimination, and more. But this polarization also offers fertile soil for the seeds of struggle. Organized resistance is the only way to beat back these attacks, defend our gains, and truly improve the conditions in the lives of transgender people. Across the country, members of Freedom Road Socialist Organization have led the fight for trans liberation by protesting cuts to gender-affirming care, opposing anti-LGBTQ bills, rallying their communities against hate crimes, and demanding justice for stolen trans lives. FRSO is involved in yearly events for Trans Day of Visibility, Trans Day of Remembrance, as well as protests during Pride Month that revive the revolutionary spirit of Stonewall. Campaigns to lower the cost of name changes and bolster sanctuary resources for trans refugees ignite the struggle for trans liberation year-round. Where people stand and fight, there are victories to be won. In its accelerating decline, the U.S. Empire will continue to launch repressive attacks against working and oppressed people as a means to prevent revolutionary change. We must help those fighting for liberation of any kind to see trans liberation as intertwined with their own. Visibility is only the beginning. One day, trans people will be more than visible—they will have the political power to take their destinies into their own hands. #TransDayOfVisibility #Trans #LGBTQ #WomensMovement #PeoplesStruggles #Statement #FRSO div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]>

Trans Day of Visibility Statement by the Women’s & LBGTQ Work Team of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization

On Transgender Day of Visibility, Freedom Road Socialist Organization unites with the masses of transgender people who refuse to be erased from public life. This past year saw an escalation in anti-trans Executive Orders from the Trump administration and reactionary legislation in states across the country. The struggle for visibility has been hard-fought and must be defended. Now is the time to hit the streets to demand trans liberation.

Attacks on trans healthcare have taken center stage in Trump’s anti-LGBTQ agenda. While 27 states have already enacted laws to limit gender affirming care for trans youth, Trump intends to ban this healthcare nationwide by blocking Medicaid and Medicare funding for all services at hospitals that also provide pediatric gender-affirming care. Trump has given hospitals an ultimatum: end their youth gender-affirming care programs or face bankruptcy. Already, this has resulted in a pause in care at many facilities, including those in states where gender-affirming care for youth is still protected under local law.

The Trump-appointed 4th Circuit Court takes these attacks a step further, ruling that West Virginia’s Medicaid program can exclude coverage of all gender-affirming care procedures, even for consenting adults. The decision opens the door for similar bans in other states. This was never about protecting children. Attacks on trans youth chip away at the bodily autonomy of all trans people, and we are seeing the true plans of reactionary forces take shape in real time. Our enemies seek to eliminate gender-affirming care in its entirety and to stamp trans people out of existence, and we must fight them on every front.

The civil rights of trans people in the United States are extremely uneven and precarious. Laws vary from state to state. In Kansas, the drivers licenses of trans people are being revoked en masse. Conversely, in Minnesota, a trans refuge bill was passed to protect patients and providers of gender-affirming care. Depending on where they live, trans people face bathroom bills and sports bans, are forcibly misgendered in schools, left unprotected from workplace discrimination, and more. But this polarization also offers fertile soil for the seeds of struggle. Organized resistance is the only way to beat back these attacks, defend our gains, and truly improve the conditions in the lives of transgender people.

Across the country, members of Freedom Road Socialist Organization have led the fight for trans liberation by protesting cuts to gender-affirming care, opposing anti-LGBTQ bills, rallying their communities against hate crimes, and demanding justice for stolen trans lives. FRSO is involved in yearly events for Trans Day of Visibility, Trans Day of Remembrance, as well as protests during Pride Month that revive the revolutionary spirit of Stonewall. Campaigns to lower the cost of name changes and bolster sanctuary resources for trans refugees ignite the struggle for trans liberation year-round. Where people stand and fight, there are victories to be won.

In its accelerating decline, the U.S. Empire will continue to launch repressive attacks against working and oppressed people as a means to prevent revolutionary change. We must help those fighting for liberation of any kind to see trans liberation as intertwined with their own. Visibility is only the beginning. One day, trans people will be more than visible—they will have the political power to take their destinies into their own hands.

#TransDayOfVisibility #Trans #LGBTQ #WomensMovement #PeoplesStruggles #Statement #FRSO

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/visibility-is-only-the-beginning Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:09:59 +0000 UCF students double fundraising goal for Trans Day of Visibility https://fightbacknews.org/ucf-students-double-fundraising-goal-for-trans-day-of-visibility?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[A group of youth sit and listen to a speaker during a fundraising event in a bar. Orlando, FL - On March 31, University of Central Florida (UCF) Students for a Democratic Society, Young Poet Society, and Young Democratic-Socialists of America came together to hold an open mic and fundraiser for Trans Day of Visibility, with all proceeds going towards Central Florida Mutual Aid’s Trans Safety Fund. The goal of this event was to platform trans and queer voices on campus amid attacks on LGBTQ rights, including the recent unanimous decision by the UCF board of trustees to make it a conduct charge to use a bathroom that does not correspond with one’s “sex assigned at birth.” !--more-- The open mic portion of the event had about 15 speakers, including members of the hosting organizations. Most of the speakers performed spoken word poetry and statements on the current political climate nationally and on UCF campus. One member of UCF Students for a Democratic Society opened up the event by breaking the news that the felony charges were filed against Chris Gibson, a UCF student and member of SDS. Many students came up to the UCF SDS table to ask for updates on the felony charges and how they can get involved. The fundraiser itself raised over $230 for the Trans Safety Fund by selling crafts made by UCF students from a craft night held by Students for a Democratic Society the week before on Thursday, March 27. Overall, the event was successful in bringing together UCF students and fundraising for the Trans Safety Fund, as over 50 attended to listen to poetry and statements from LGBTQ students and the fundraiser more than doubled its original goal of $100. #OrlandoFL #FL #LGBTQ #TransDayofVisibility #SDS #YDSA #YoungPoetSociety div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> A group of youth sit and listen to a speaker during a fundraising event in a bar.

Orlando, FL – On March 31, University of Central Florida (UCF) Students for a Democratic Society, Young Poet Society, and Young Democratic-Socialists of America came together to hold an open mic and fundraiser for Trans Day of Visibility, with all proceeds going towards Central Florida Mutual Aid’s Trans Safety Fund.

The goal of this event was to platform trans and queer voices on campus amid attacks on LGBTQ rights, including the recent unanimous decision by the UCF board of trustees to make it a conduct charge to use a bathroom that does not correspond with one’s “sex assigned at birth.”

The open mic portion of the event had about 15 speakers, including members of the hosting organizations. Most of the speakers performed spoken word poetry and statements on the current political climate nationally and on UCF campus.

One member of UCF Students for a Democratic Society opened up the event by breaking the news that the felony charges were filed against Chris Gibson, a UCF student and member of SDS. Many students came up to the UCF SDS table to ask for updates on the felony charges and how they can get involved.

The fundraiser itself raised over $230 for the Trans Safety Fund by selling crafts made by UCF students from a craft night held by Students for a Democratic Society the week before on Thursday, March 27.

Overall, the event was successful in bringing together UCF students and fundraising for the Trans Safety Fund, as over 50 attended to listen to poetry and statements from LGBTQ students and the fundraiser more than doubled its original goal of $100.

#OrlandoFL #FL #LGBTQ #TransDayofVisibility #SDS #YDSA #YoungPoetSociety

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/ucf-students-double-fundraising-goal-for-trans-day-of-visibility Mon, 07 Apr 2025 23:16:12 +0000 Colorado protest demands gender-affirming care https://fightbacknews.org/colorado-protest-demands-gender-affirming-care?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[A group of people protest on a street corner, holding a banner and trans pride flags. Denver, CO - On March 31, over 150 Community members gathered in front of UC Anschutz Medical Campus, to demand expansion and protection of gender affirming care. Recent cuts to trans healthcare in Colorado have put many trans patients unsure of receiving life saving, life affirming healthcare. Along with these demands protesters demanded that UC Anshutz cease its union busting tactics and forgive medical debt, after the launch of a cruel harassment campaign to demand payment from patients who cannot afford their treatments. Speakers passionately addressed the injustice they face daily in a system that regularly denies them respect and dignity. Kat Draken of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “We need to be telling people who the enemy is! It’s not trans people, it’s not immigrants, it’s the ruling class!” This rally comes after over 800 anti-trans bills have been filed across the United States, including a recently filed bill in Texas that would make identifying as transgender a felony. As the enemy ramps up its attacks on queer and other people across the country, many have chosen to stand up and fight back! #DenverCO #CO #LGBTQ #TransDayofVisibility div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> A group of people protest on a street corner, holding a banner and trans pride flags.

Denver, CO – On March 31, over 150 Community members gathered in front of UC Anschutz Medical Campus, to demand expansion and protection of gender affirming care. Recent cuts to trans healthcare in Colorado have put many trans patients unsure of receiving life saving, life affirming healthcare.

Along with these demands protesters demanded that UC Anshutz cease its union busting tactics and forgive medical debt, after the launch of a cruel harassment campaign to demand payment from patients who cannot afford their treatments.

Speakers passionately addressed the injustice they face daily in a system that regularly denies them respect and dignity.

Kat Draken of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “We need to be telling people who the enemy is! It’s not trans people, it’s not immigrants, it’s the ruling class!”

This rally comes after over 800 anti-trans bills have been filed across the United States, including a recently filed bill in Texas that would make identifying as transgender a felony. As the enemy ramps up its attacks on queer and other people across the country, many have chosen to stand up and fight back!

#DenverCO #CO #LGBTQ #TransDayofVisibility

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/colorado-protest-demands-gender-affirming-care Sat, 05 Apr 2025 02:02:59 +0000 Hundreds gather for Trans Day of Visibility in the Fox Valley https://fightbacknews.org/hundreds-gather-for-trans-day-of-visibility-in-the-fox-valley?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[A group of people visit tables at a large indoor event. 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. !--more-- 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. #NeenahWI #WI #LGBTQ #HFO #GBAWC #NOW #TransDayofVisibility div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> A group of people visit tables at a large indoor event.

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.

#NeenahWI #WI #LGBTQ #HFO #GBAWC #NOW #TransDayofVisibility

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/hundreds-gather-for-trans-day-of-visibility-in-the-fox-valley Wed, 02 Apr 2025 21:35:32 +0000 Hundreds rally in Minneapolis for Trans Day of Visibility https://fightbacknews.org/hundreds-rally-in-minneapolis-for-trans-day-of-visibility?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Protestors line Hennepin Avenue with signs and flags supporting trans rights. Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, March 28, 200 protesters gathered outside of Walker Library to rally against escalating attacks targeting the trans community. Protesters demanded an end to the compliance with Trump’s transphobic executive orders and policies, and an end to the barriers to HRT access in the state, for Minneapolis to become a sanctuary city for trans people, and for Minneapolis Public Schools to expand protections for trans youth. Protesters also demanded justice for Sam Nordquist, a transgender man from Minnesota killed in a racist and transphobic hate crime. !--more-- This year, Trans Day of Visibility falls amid particularly intense political violence and widespread campaigns for the dehumanization of trans people. However, the large showing of support both from attendees and those passing by during a busy rush hour illustrated that despite the attacks, trans people are building power and fighting back. “We have to be the ones to protect us. If we are going to fight our way out of this, we have to be able to rely on each other and not state actors to protect us from state violence,” said Jae Yates of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice. “I encourage you all to become vested in your communities. Continue going to rallies like this, show up for your neighbors in times of need, join an organization fighting for human rights, because after all, trans rights are human rights,” said Lestat Clemmer, an organizer with Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC). The Twin Cities have become a hotbed of trans organizing, and in Minnesota, a thriving trans community has been built despite the political attacks across much of the country. Many trans people fleeing violence in their home states have relocated to Minnesota in recent years. Minnesota Transplants, an organization that supports trans people that have fled to Minnesota was founded a year ago and has already grown to 600 members. “We have to fight to keep Minnesota safe for everybody who has left everything behind,” said a founder of Minnesota Transplants. “Find your people. Find people who can support you and keep you strong through all of this. It’s hard to fight this alone and you shouldn’t have to do that.” The protest’s turnout, and the voices of trans leaders from so many different movement spaces across the Twin Cities, demonstrates just how expansive the movement for trans liberation is. That movement will only continue to grow as trans people continue to fight back. This protest was organized by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) in cooperation with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice and the Taking Back Pride Coalition. #MinneapolisMN #MN #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #MNAAC #TCC4J div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Protestors line Hennepin Avenue with signs and flags supporting trans rights.

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, March 28, 200 protesters gathered outside of Walker Library to rally against escalating attacks targeting the trans community.

Protesters demanded an end to the compliance with Trump’s transphobic executive orders and policies, and an end to the barriers to HRT access in the state, for Minneapolis to become a sanctuary city for trans people, and for Minneapolis Public Schools to expand protections for trans youth. Protesters also demanded justice for Sam Nordquist, a transgender man from Minnesota killed in a racist and transphobic hate crime.

This year, Trans Day of Visibility falls amid particularly intense political violence and widespread campaigns for the dehumanization of trans people. However, the large showing of support both from attendees and those passing by during a busy rush hour illustrated that despite the attacks, trans people are building power and fighting back.

“We have to be the ones to protect us. If we are going to fight our way out of this, we have to be able to rely on each other and not state actors to protect us from state violence,” said Jae Yates of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice.

“I encourage you all to become vested in your communities. Continue going to rallies like this, show up for your neighbors in times of need, join an organization fighting for human rights, because after all, trans rights are human rights,” said Lestat Clemmer, an organizer with Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC).

The Twin Cities have become a hotbed of trans organizing, and in Minnesota, a thriving trans community has been built despite the political attacks across much of the country. Many trans people fleeing violence in their home states have relocated to Minnesota in recent years. Minnesota Transplants, an organization that supports trans people that have fled to Minnesota was founded a year ago and has already grown to 600 members.

“We have to fight to keep Minnesota safe for everybody who has left everything behind,” said a founder of Minnesota Transplants. “Find your people. Find people who can support you and keep you strong through all of this. It’s hard to fight this alone and you shouldn’t have to do that.”

The protest’s turnout, and the voices of trans leaders from so many different movement spaces across the Twin Cities, demonstrates just how expansive the movement for trans liberation is. That movement will only continue to grow as trans people continue to fight back.

This protest was organized by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) in cooperation with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice and the Taking Back Pride Coalition.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #MNAAC #TCC4J

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/hundreds-rally-in-minneapolis-for-trans-day-of-visibility Tue, 01 Apr 2025 20:42:21 +0000 ¡No solo visibilidad, lucha por la liberación trans! https://fightbacknews.org/no-solo-visibilidad-lucha-por-la-liberacion-trans?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Por el Equipo de Trabajo del Movimiento LGBTQ y de las Mujeres de la OSCL La Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad se solidariza con todas las personas trans en su lucha por justicia y liberación en el Día de la Visibilidad Trans. Históricamente, las personas trans han enfrentado opresión sistemática en todos los sectores de la sociedad, y hacer una transición pública casi siempre significaba perder tu comunidad, tu empleo, y posiblemente hasta tu vida. La administración de Trump quiere traer de regreso esos días a los Estados Unidos. La administración ha declarado que las personas trans no existen y que los Estados Unidos solo reconocerá dos sexos. No ha habido ninguna lucha coordinada contra esta orden ejecutiva ni contra otros ataques a la población trans por parte de políticos demócratas. Algunos incluso aplauden o apoyan en silencio estos ataques. Los ataques de Trump a la financiación escolar buscan eliminar los programas de Diversidad, Equidad e Inclusión (DEI), haciendo más probable que no se recopilen datos sobre estudiantes y trabajadores trans. Después de sensacionalizar a las atletas trans, él quiere eliminarlas de los deportes. Usando este chivo expiatorio, el presiona para lograr una eliminación total en la educación y más allá. Los reaccionarios que quieren remover a las personas trans de la vida pública y arrebatarles cada victoria de derechos civiles que gente LGBTQ ha ganado solo pueden ser derrotados de una manera. Debemos construir un movimiento de masas donde liderazgo trans desafíe visible y audazmente a la clase dominante. Y debemos unirnos con todos los pueblos oprimidos para crear una lucha política que todo el poder económico, militar y político de los Estados Unidos no pueda igualar. En todo el país, miembros de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad han encabezado la lucha por la liberación LGBTQ y de las mujeres al oponerse en contra de proyectos de ley anti-LGBTQ, organizando eventos para el Día Internacional de las Mujeres, y construyendo organizaciones LGBTQ donde sea posible. OSCL está involucrado en luchas contra los centros de crisis de embarazo que intentan manipular y engañar a las mujeres embarazadas, se ha organizado para recuperar el orgullo LGBT de corporaciones y la policía, y se ha movilizado para proteger a jóvenes LGBTQ. El Día de la Visibilidad Trans no puede ser donde termina nuestra organización por la lucha trans y LGBTQ en particular. Cada vez que la represión y la reacción derechista ataque a pueblos oprimidos, es el deber de los verdaderos revolucionarios oponerse dondequiera que lo vean. Nuestro trabajo debe unir la lucha por la liberación trans con todos los movimientos que actualmente luchan por liberarse de la explotación, para que podamos acabar con el dominio de los capitalistas monopolistas y crear un sistema socialista donde el poder pertenezca a los oprimidos, no a los explotadores. #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #FRSO #OSCL #Statement div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Por el Equipo de Trabajo del Movimiento LGBTQ y de las Mujeres de la OSCL

La Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad se solidariza con todas las personas trans en su lucha por justicia y liberación en el Día de la Visibilidad Trans. Históricamente, las personas trans han enfrentado opresión sistemática en todos los sectores de la sociedad, y hacer una transición pública casi siempre significaba perder tu comunidad, tu empleo, y posiblemente hasta tu vida.

La administración de Trump quiere traer de regreso esos días a los Estados Unidos. La administración ha declarado que las personas trans no existen y que los Estados Unidos solo reconocerá dos sexos. No ha habido ninguna lucha coordinada contra esta orden ejecutiva ni contra otros ataques a la población trans por parte de políticos demócratas. Algunos incluso aplauden o apoyan en silencio estos ataques.

Los ataques de Trump a la financiación escolar buscan eliminar los programas de Diversidad, Equidad e Inclusión (DEI), haciendo más probable que no se recopilen datos sobre estudiantes y trabajadores trans. Después de sensacionalizar a las atletas trans, él quiere eliminarlas de los deportes. Usando este chivo expiatorio, el presiona para lograr una eliminación total en la educación y más allá.

Los reaccionarios que quieren remover a las personas trans de la vida pública y arrebatarles cada victoria de derechos civiles que gente LGBTQ ha ganado solo pueden ser derrotados de una manera. Debemos construir un movimiento de masas donde liderazgo trans desafíe visible y audazmente a la clase dominante. Y debemos unirnos con todos los pueblos oprimidos para crear una lucha política que todo el poder económico, militar y político de los Estados Unidos no pueda igualar.

En todo el país, miembros de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad han encabezado la lucha por la liberación LGBTQ y de las mujeres al oponerse en contra de proyectos de ley anti-LGBTQ, organizando eventos para el Día Internacional de las Mujeres, y construyendo organizaciones LGBTQ donde sea posible.

OSCL está involucrado en luchas contra los centros de crisis de embarazo que intentan manipular y engañar a las mujeres embarazadas, se ha organizado para recuperar el orgullo LGBT de corporaciones y la policía, y se ha movilizado para proteger a jóvenes LGBTQ. El Día de la Visibilidad Trans no puede ser donde termina nuestra organización por la lucha trans y LGBTQ en particular. Cada vez que la represión y la reacción derechista ataque a pueblos oprimidos, es el deber de los verdaderos revolucionarios oponerse dondequiera que lo vean. Nuestro trabajo debe unir la lucha por la liberación trans con todos los movimientos que actualmente luchan por liberarse de la explotación, para que podamos acabar con el dominio de los capitalistas monopolistas y crear un sistema socialista donde el poder pertenezca a los oprimidos, no a los explotadores.

#LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #FRSO #OSCL #Statement

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/no-solo-visibilidad-lucha-por-la-liberacion-trans Tue, 01 Apr 2025 15:31:36 +0000 Denver students gather for Transgender Day of Visibility https://fightbacknews.org/denver-students-gather-for-transgender-day-of-visibility?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Transgender Day Of Visibility in Denver, Colorado. | Fight Back! News/staff Denver, CO - Students organized by the Denver chapter of Students for a Democratic Society gathered on Auraria campus April 2 to solemnly commemorate Transgender Day Of Visibility. The candlelight event recalled the suffering and lives lost from violence and hatred aimed at the trans community. News publications and watchdog agencies, spurred on by trans activists, have noted a sharp uptick in hate crimes under the Biden administration, with a steady increase each year since the record numbers committed during the 2020 election year. !--more-- The Biden administration in non-response has taken a hands-off approach to civil rights enforcement, while touting Biden's generosity for allowing minor paperwork concessions such as an “X” option on U.S. passports and removing segregationist barriers to receipt of a small selection of federal-level benefits, barriers which should have never existed in the first place. Unfortunately, having an X option on his passport did not save Nex Benedict's life, nor the lives of other murdered trans and nonbinary people, many of whom were African American. Meanwhile Biden sat on his hands while bipartisan, transphobic state officials passed law after law attacking the queer community's right to exist. Against this backdrop, students and community members gathered to light candles at the Tivoli Commons Stage decorated with trans flags and a large picture of Nex Benedict to express their grief at losses suffered, their pride in the trans community, and their hope for a brighter future. #DenverCO #CO #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #SDS div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Transgender Day Of Visibility in Denver, Colorado. | Fight Back! News/staff

Denver, CO – Students organized by the Denver chapter of Students for a Democratic Society gathered on Auraria campus April 2 to solemnly commemorate Transgender Day Of Visibility. The candlelight event recalled the suffering and lives lost from violence and hatred aimed at the trans community. News publications and watchdog agencies, spurred on by trans activists, have noted a sharp uptick in hate crimes under the Biden administration, with a steady increase each year since the record numbers committed during the 2020 election year.

The Biden administration in non-response has taken a hands-off approach to civil rights enforcement, while touting Biden's generosity for allowing minor paperwork concessions such as an “X” option on U.S. passports and removing segregationist barriers to receipt of a small selection of federal-level benefits, barriers which should have never existed in the first place.

Unfortunately, having an X option on his passport did not save Nex Benedict's life, nor the lives of other murdered trans and nonbinary people, many of whom were African American. Meanwhile Biden sat on his hands while bipartisan, transphobic state officials passed law after law attacking the queer community's right to exist.

Against this backdrop, students and community members gathered to light candles at the Tivoli Commons Stage decorated with trans flags and a large picture of Nex Benedict to express their grief at losses suffered, their pride in the trans community, and their hope for a brighter future.

#DenverCO #CO #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #SDS

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/denver-students-gather-for-transgender-day-of-visibility Thu, 11 Apr 2024 00:45:17 +0000 Tallahassee Commemorates Trans Day of Visibility https://fightbacknews.org/tallahassee-commemorates-trans-day-of-visibility?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Trans Day of Visibility rally in Tallahassee, FL. | Fight Back! News/staff Tallahassee, FL – On March 31, activists rallied at Cascades Park for Transgender Day of Visibility and demanded justice for Nex Benedict. !--more-- “Despite all of the wins we’ve made this legislative session, we cannot stop fighting until trans people are truly free from the systemic hate and violence that killed Nex Benedict,” said Joelle Nunez, president of the Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society. On February 7, Nex Benedict, an Oklahoma teen, was assaulted by classmates in their Owasso high school bathroom. Benedict was attacked due to an altercation occurring after they were forced to use the bathroom correlating with their assigned gender at birth. The 16-year-old used he/they pronouns. Benedict would die from their injuries the following day, February 8. Tavish Bryan, representing Food not Bombs, stated, “Their death is no more tragic than it was avoidable and those responsible deserve the utmost justice in return for their negligence, abuse and cruelty.” Local Tallahassee activists organized in coordination with the national movement for Transgender Visibility Day. The need for nationwide action in support of transgender youth is ever present. The people need to demand justice for transgender people attacked by their peers and their representatives. Kingsley Early, speaker for Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society reminded everyone, “It’s time that as a community we fight for trans rights and liberation not just today but every day.” The threat of violence is pressing for transgender and nonbinary youth. According to the Trevor Project, 27% reported that they had been physically threatened or harmed due to their gender identity in the last year. “The fight for trans liberation isn’t just about visibility. Although our progress should be noted, we have to understand that trans people deserve real equity when it comes to housing, employment, healthcare and legal justice,” said Delilah Pierre, president of Tallahassee Community Action Committee. #TallahasseeFL #FL #LBGTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #NexBenedict #TCAC #SDS div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Trans Day of Visibility rally in Tallahassee, FL. | Fight Back! News/staff

Tallahassee, FL – On March 31, activists rallied at Cascades Park for Transgender Day of Visibility and demanded justice for Nex Benedict.

“Despite all of the wins we’ve made this legislative session, we cannot stop fighting until trans people are truly free from the systemic hate and violence that killed Nex Benedict,” said Joelle Nunez, president of the Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society.

On February 7, Nex Benedict, an Oklahoma teen, was assaulted by classmates in their Owasso high school bathroom. Benedict was attacked due to an altercation occurring after they were forced to use the bathroom correlating with their assigned gender at birth. The 16-year-old used he/they pronouns. Benedict would die from their injuries the following day, February 8.

Tavish Bryan, representing Food not Bombs, stated, “Their death is no more tragic than it was avoidable and those responsible deserve the utmost justice in return for their negligence, abuse and cruelty.”

Local Tallahassee activists organized in coordination with the national movement for Transgender Visibility Day. The need for nationwide action in support of transgender youth is ever present. The people need to demand justice for transgender people attacked by their peers and their representatives.

Kingsley Early, speaker for Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society reminded everyone, “It’s time that as a community we fight for trans rights and liberation not just today but every day.”

The threat of violence is pressing for transgender and nonbinary youth. According to the Trevor Project, 27% reported that they had been physically threatened or harmed due to their gender identity in the last year.

“The fight for trans liberation isn’t just about visibility. Although our progress should be noted, we have to understand that trans people deserve real equity when it comes to housing, employment, healthcare and legal justice,” said Delilah Pierre, president of Tallahassee Community Action Committee.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #LBGTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #NexBenedict #TCAC #SDS

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/tallahassee-commemorates-trans-day-of-visibility Tue, 09 Apr 2024 16:39:09 +0000 New Orleans march condemns anti-LGBTQ bills https://fightbacknews.org/new-orleans-march-condemns-anti-lgbtq-bills?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Protesters march down Royal St. in the French Quarter.") New Orleans, LA - On Friday, March 31, hundreds marched from Washington Square Park to Jackson Square to celebrate Trans Day of Visibility. The marchers also gathered in response to nine anti-LGBTQ bills being considered by the Louisiana legislature. These bills reflect a growing crisis of targeted attacks against LGBTQ youth. !--more-- The Deadname bill, HB 81, would mandate that public school teachers misgender trans students and use their birth names. Students could appeal for their real names and pronouns to be used with a parental note, but staff would still be allowed to ignore that appeal based on “religious and moral” reasons. The demonstrators demanded that elected Democrats take a firm stand in opposition to these bills. In 2023 alone, 492 bills have been presented by far-right Evangelical Republicans trying to take away trans people’s rights. “Our Trans Day of Visibility is not about optics. We are here to send a strong and united message that we will not take these attacks lying down, and we will never be eradicated. If they want to attack our existence, then they will expect our resistance!” said Quest Riggs of Real Name Campaign. Youth and students were a strong presence at the march. Students from Benjamin Franklin High School staged a walkout in protest of the attacks earlier in the day. Jesús Zorilla, a Ben Franklin student, spoke on the devastating consequences that the bill would entail in the daily lives of high school students. Additionally, two representatives from Students for a Democratic Society spoke at the rally. “They will come for us first, then they’ll come for the rest of the LGBTQ community,” spoke Viv Sidak from Loyola Young Democratic Socialists of America. “Every day we struggle, but every day is a triumph. We stand proud of the bravery and resilience of the students across the South,” said Vic Brunetti from Students United at the University of New Orleans. “A coordinated national attack on students merits a coordinated national response!” said Serena Sojic-Borne of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. The speakers encouraged attendees to start SDS chapters at their own schools to join the national fight back against transphobia. Protesters maintained high enthusiasm and energy. They ignored hecklers and chanted “We won’t go back! We will fight back!” and “Gay power!” When the sound system started to lag, a group of French Quarter musicians lent their sound system to the speakers. The Real Name Campaign, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the ACLU, United Teachers of New Orleans, Students United at UNO and Loyola Young Democratic Socialists of America participated in the event. #NewOrleansLA #TransDayOfVisibility #antiLGBTQLegislation div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Protesters march down Royal St. in the French Quarter.

New Orleans, LA – On Friday, March 31, hundreds marched from Washington Square Park to Jackson Square to celebrate Trans Day of Visibility. The marchers also gathered in response to nine anti-LGBTQ bills being considered by the Louisiana legislature. These bills reflect a growing crisis of targeted attacks against LGBTQ youth.

The Deadname bill, HB 81, would mandate that public school teachers misgender trans students and use their birth names. Students could appeal for their real names and pronouns to be used with a parental note, but staff would still be allowed to ignore that appeal based on “religious and moral” reasons. The demonstrators demanded that elected Democrats take a firm stand in opposition to these bills. In 2023 alone, 492 bills have been presented by far-right Evangelical Republicans trying to take away trans people’s rights.

“Our Trans Day of Visibility is not about optics. We are here to send a strong and united message that we will not take these attacks lying down, and we will never be eradicated. If they want to attack our existence, then they will expect our resistance!” said Quest Riggs of Real Name Campaign.

Youth and students were a strong presence at the march. Students from Benjamin Franklin High School staged a walkout in protest of the attacks earlier in the day. Jesús Zorilla, a Ben Franklin student, spoke on the devastating consequences that the bill would entail in the daily lives of high school students.

Additionally, two representatives from Students for a Democratic Society spoke at the rally. “They will come for us first, then they’ll come for the rest of the LGBTQ community,” spoke Viv Sidak from Loyola Young Democratic Socialists of America. “Every day we struggle, but every day is a triumph. We stand proud of the bravery and resilience of the students across the South,” said Vic Brunetti from Students United at the University of New Orleans.

“A coordinated national attack on students merits a coordinated national response!” said Serena Sojic-Borne of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. The speakers encouraged attendees to start SDS chapters at their own schools to join the national fight back against transphobia.

Protesters maintained high enthusiasm and energy. They ignored hecklers and chanted “We won’t go back! We will fight back!” and “Gay power!” When the sound system started to lag, a group of French Quarter musicians lent their sound system to the speakers.

The Real Name Campaign, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the ACLU, United Teachers of New Orleans, Students United at UNO and Loyola Young Democratic Socialists of America participated in the event.

#NewOrleansLA #TransDayOfVisibility #antiLGBTQLegislation

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/new-orleans-march-condemns-anti-lgbtq-bills Mon, 03 Apr 2023 03:32:12 +0000 New Orleans: Franklin HS students hold walkout against Louisiana’s anti-LGBTQ bills https://fightbacknews.org/new-orleans-franklin-hs-students-hold-walkout-against-louisiana-s-anti-lgbtq-bills?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Grayson Swearingen speaks in front of students.") New Orleans, LA - On Friday, March 31, close to 300 students at Benjamin Franklin High School walked out of school during last period. They demanded a stop to bills in the Louisiana legislature that target LGBTQ kids. Students gathered on the school’s front lawn to hear speeches by their trans classmates. The event coincided with national Trans Day of Visibility. !--more-- Students chanted “These bills kill!” and “We say gay!” “Conservatives are not trying to protect children, they just say that to justify what they are doing. Conservatives just want something that will distract people from how they do not better society,” said Frankie Ratowitz, an organizer of the walkout. Even though legislators are limited to five non-fiscal bills each this year, the legislature is considering a record number of anti-LGBTQ attacks. Five bills relate to banning sex education and LGBTQ-themed books (SB 7, HB 102, HB 25, HB 360, and HB 77). One threatens to ban teachers from using correct names and pronouns (HB 81). A “Don’t Say Gay” bill attempts to prohibit discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in school (HB 466). Lastly, HB 463 attempts to ban trans kids from receiving medical care. “Even though the bills are terrifying, I think the trans community is still strong even now, and we are ready to band together to fight in protests, walkouts and phone zaps like we’ve done for so many years,” said Grayson Swearingen, an LGBTQ student leader. #NewOrleansLA #PeoplesStruggles #TransDayOfVisibility #DontSayGayBill div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Grayson Swearingen speaks in front of students.

New Orleans, LA – On Friday, March 31, close to 300 students at Benjamin Franklin High School walked out of school during last period. They demanded a stop to bills in the Louisiana legislature that target LGBTQ kids. Students gathered on the school’s front lawn to hear speeches by their trans classmates. The event coincided with national Trans Day of Visibility.

Students chanted “These bills kill!” and “We say gay!”

“Conservatives are not trying to protect children, they just say that to justify what they are doing. Conservatives just want something that will distract people from how they do not better society,” said Frankie Ratowitz, an organizer of the walkout.

Even though legislators are limited to five non-fiscal bills each this year, the legislature is considering a record number of anti-LGBTQ attacks. Five bills relate to banning sex education and LGBTQ-themed books (SB 7, HB 102, HB 25, HB 360, and HB 77). One threatens to ban teachers from using correct names and pronouns (HB 81). A “Don’t Say Gay” bill attempts to prohibit discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in school (HB 466). Lastly, HB 463 attempts to ban trans kids from receiving medical care.

“Even though the bills are terrifying, I think the trans community is still strong even now, and we are ready to band together to fight in protests, walkouts and phone zaps like we’ve done for so many years,” said Grayson Swearingen, an LGBTQ student leader.

#NewOrleansLA #PeoplesStruggles #TransDayOfVisibility #DontSayGayBill

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/new-orleans-franklin-hs-students-hold-walkout-against-louisiana-s-anti-lgbtq-bills Sun, 02 Apr 2023 03:54:17 +0000 Commentary: Transgender movement beats Louisiana’s 4 bigoted bills https://fightbacknews.org/commentary-transgender-movement-beats-louisiana-s-4-bigoted-bills?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[TGNC people and allies rally at the state capitol’s front steps.") Baton Rouge, LA - On June 22, Governor John Bell Edwards vetoed Louisiana’s transgender sports ban, the state’s last anti-transgender bill. The legislation was Louisiana’s second attempted sports ban this year, on top of two failed healthcare bans. !--more-- But the courageous and relentless trans and gender non-conforming (TGNC) movement beat all four of Louisiana’s anti-trans bills. TGNC Louisianans’ story reminds us of what LGBT+ Pride looks like: fighting for our dignity and winning. How the evangelical Republicans launched their attack TGNC people are suffering a historic crisis. States passed more anti-trans laws this year than ever. On March 30, on the eve of Trans Day of Visibility, Republican State Senator Michael Fesi drafted his medical ban, Senate Bill 104. The bill threatened to restrict transgender children from getting gender-affirming healthcare without both parents’ consent, mental health included. On April 2, collaborators in the House followed suit with the nearly identical House Bill 575. A medical ban would prohibit life-saving treatment and jail the healthcare providers who disobey. TGNC kids often lose their housing or take their own lives after their family rejects them. By requiring parents to speak on their kids’ genders, Fesi could have legalized parental abuse. Two days later, Republican State Senator Beth Mizell introduced a sports ban, and House ultra-conservatives followed in lockstep. Senate Bill 156 and House Bill 542 would have banned TGNC kids from participating in sports from pre-K through college. These bills targeted trans girls specifically. Ultra-conservatives pushed the bill while knowing that the Olympics, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and other athletic authorities oppose this discrimination. A sports ban would humiliate TGNC kids, and could out them to their parents or allow genital inspections. This would green-light sexual assault of minors. These attacks are national and coordinated. Hate groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Family Research Council collaborated to write the bans and spread them to every state. The “Promise to America’s Children” coalition has full drafts of bigoted bills on its website. This arch-transphobic network includes ‘respected’ policy groups like the Heritage Foundation and local foot soldiers like the Louisiana Family Forum. Why did they do this? Surveys show that bills like these are extremely unpopular in the U.S., even in the rural South. Our mis-representatives authored them as a political stunt to save themselves. The Black Lives Matter uprising shook the U.S. and Trump lost his election. This came after he let hundreds of thousands die in the pandemic. Instead of acknowledging failure, evangelical Republicans want to scapegoat trans kids. But they will lose. The medical ban died before getting a floor vote in either the House or the Senate. The sports ban passed both chambers, but the governor vetoed it. So far in Louisiana, we’re already winning. How the TGNC people’s movement beat the right-wing reactionaries In the face of billionaire-backed evangelical Republicans, the TGNC people’s movement and its supporters deserve full credit for defeating these four bills. Two days after Fesi’s medical ban and on the day of Mizell’s sports ban, 200 people marched against them in New Orleans. They chanted “Transphobes are what? Paper tigers!” and “Hands off trans kids!” Real Name Campaign, the trans rights organization that called the march, also organized phone and email zaps of legislators’ offices. As the session went on, another group dropped a banner at a street corner in New Orleans reading “Protect trans youth!” As the session continued, more people throughout the state joined the fight. Even though ordinary TGNC people often feel alienated and boxed out of politics, dozens traveled across the state to tell politicians to reject these bans. They learned to lobby through the community training of Louisiana Trans Advocates. Louisiana Trans Advocates also brought people out to speak at hearings. On April 28, two hours of heartfelt TGNC testimonials hammered the nail in the medical ban’s coffin. The House version cropped back up in mid-May, but only lasted a few hours before getting removed from the schedule. Also in May, community testimonials against the House sports ban killed that version of the bill in the Education Committee. But the committee flip-flopped to approve the Senate copy just one week after promising not to. Later that month, Real Name Campaign held a rally and soccer game in Baton Rouge to defy the ban. Protesters kicked the ball and demanded: “Let us play!” This popular pressure deprioritized the bill, even for the more hardline Republicans. The movement delayed the ban enough for the governor to veto it after the legislative session ended. Other important movement groups included Women With A Vision, Freedom Road Socialist Organization - New Orleans, House of Tulip, Southerners on New Ground, the Trans Resource Network of Louisiana, the Flaming Flaguettes, and the ACLU of Louisiana. What the Democrats didn’t do to help Louisiana’s Republicans were aggressive and our movement was even stronger, but Democrats were meek and divided. Democratic Governor Edwards benefited the movement by vetoing the sports ban. But his justification called the ban a non-issue because there were no trans girls in sports. This message concedes to the right wing by saying that trans girl athletes could one day become a “problem.” Even if hundreds of trans girls started playing sports in the state, they would deserve just as much of a spot on the team. Beyond Edwards’ response, which at least opposed the bill, Democratic legislators across the board joined the conservative attack. Four out of 12 Democrats voted for the sports ban in the Senate, and two abstained. Ten of 35 House Democrats supported the ban, and another ten refused to take a stand. Louisiana Democratic Party Vice-Chair C. Travis Johnson was among those who cheered the ban along. A handful of reporters helped raise this issue, but the media was often silent as well. Augustina Johnson of the Real Name Campaign expressed frustration and hope: “Our state let us down, professional media let us down, When we needed not only allies but accomplices, few heard the call and fewer still responded. We are proud of those who did. At the end of the day, however, it was only through the strength of the trans, non-binary and gender diverse community were we, at great expense to our bodies, minds, and souls, able to hold off this uncalled for, gratuitous assault on our marginalized community for just one year.” The TGNC rights movement stays strong Overall, hundreds of people marched in the streets, crammed legislators’ phone lines, jammed their inboxes, confronted them in their halls and rallied on their front steps. As Elliot Wade of Louisiana Trans Advocates put it, “We’ve been ready for this fight for some time,” and “I'm very pleased and ecstatic that we were all able to come together like this, and that’s what made the difference, we leaned heavily on the people doing the work.” Some far-right voices want a special session just to override the veto. This has never happened in Louisiana’s history, which shows how desperate they are. But the TGNC rights movement is prepared to go at it again. We know this can happen next year. We’ll push back, and we won’t stop there. The fight continues until we win full respect for the rights and dignity of TGNC people. #BatonRougeLA #PeoplesStruggles #RealNameCampaign #TransDayOfVisibility div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> TGNC people and allies rally at the state capitol’s front steps.

Baton Rouge, LA – On June 22, Governor John Bell Edwards vetoed Louisiana’s transgender sports ban, the state’s last anti-transgender bill. The legislation was Louisiana’s second attempted sports ban this year, on top of two failed healthcare bans.

But the courageous and relentless trans and gender non-conforming (TGNC) movement beat all four of Louisiana’s anti-trans bills. TGNC Louisianans’ story reminds us of what LGBT+ Pride looks like: fighting for our dignity and winning.

How the evangelical Republicans launched their attack

TGNC people are suffering a historic crisis. States passed more anti-trans laws this year than ever.

On March 30, on the eve of Trans Day of Visibility, Republican State Senator Michael Fesi drafted his medical ban, Senate Bill 104. The bill threatened to restrict transgender children from getting gender-affirming healthcare without both parents’ consent, mental health included. On April 2, collaborators in the House followed suit with the nearly identical House Bill 575.

A medical ban would prohibit life-saving treatment and jail the healthcare providers who disobey. TGNC kids often lose their housing or take their own lives after their family rejects them. By requiring parents to speak on their kids’ genders, Fesi could have legalized parental abuse.

Two days later, Republican State Senator Beth Mizell introduced a sports ban, and House ultra-conservatives followed in lockstep. Senate Bill 156 and House Bill 542 would have banned TGNC kids from participating in sports from pre-K through college. These bills targeted trans girls specifically. Ultra-conservatives pushed the bill while knowing that the Olympics, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and other athletic authorities oppose this discrimination.

A sports ban would humiliate TGNC kids, and could out them to their parents or allow genital inspections. This would green-light sexual assault of minors.

These attacks are national and coordinated. Hate groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Family Research Council collaborated to write the bans and spread them to every state. The “Promise to America’s Children” coalition has full drafts of bigoted bills on its website. This arch-transphobic network includes ‘respected’ policy groups like the Heritage Foundation and local foot soldiers like the Louisiana Family Forum.

Why did they do this? Surveys show that bills like these are extremely unpopular in the U.S., even in the rural South. Our mis-representatives authored them as a political stunt to save themselves. The Black Lives Matter uprising shook the U.S. and Trump lost his election. This came after he let hundreds of thousands die in the pandemic. Instead of acknowledging failure, evangelical Republicans want to scapegoat trans kids.

But they will lose.

The medical ban died before getting a floor vote in either the House or the Senate. The sports ban passed both chambers, but the governor vetoed it. So far in Louisiana, we’re already winning.

How the TGNC people’s movement beat the right-wing reactionaries

In the face of billionaire-backed evangelical Republicans, the TGNC people’s movement and its supporters deserve full credit for defeating these four bills.

Two days after Fesi’s medical ban and on the day of Mizell’s sports ban, 200 people marched against them in New Orleans. They chanted “Transphobes are what? Paper tigers!” and “Hands off trans kids!”

Real Name Campaign, the trans rights organization that called the march, also organized phone and email zaps of legislators’ offices. As the session went on, another group dropped a banner at a street corner in New Orleans reading “Protect trans youth!”

As the session continued, more people throughout the state joined the fight. Even though ordinary TGNC people often feel alienated and boxed out of politics, dozens traveled across the state to tell politicians to reject these bans. They learned to lobby through the community training of Louisiana Trans Advocates.

Louisiana Trans Advocates also brought people out to speak at hearings. On April 28, two hours of heartfelt TGNC testimonials hammered the nail in the medical ban’s coffin. The House version cropped back up in mid-May, but only lasted a few hours before getting removed from the schedule.

Also in May, community testimonials against the House sports ban killed that version of the bill in the Education Committee. But the committee flip-flopped to approve the Senate copy just one week after promising not to.

Later that month, Real Name Campaign held a rally and soccer game in Baton Rouge to defy the ban. Protesters kicked the ball and demanded: “Let us play!”

This popular pressure deprioritized the bill, even for the more hardline Republicans. The movement delayed the ban enough for the governor to veto it after the legislative session ended.

Other important movement groups included Women With A Vision, Freedom Road Socialist Organization – New Orleans, House of Tulip, Southerners on New Ground, the Trans Resource Network of Louisiana, the Flaming Flaguettes, and the ACLU of Louisiana.

What the Democrats didn’t do to help

Louisiana’s Republicans were aggressive and our movement was even stronger, but Democrats were meek and divided.

Democratic Governor Edwards benefited the movement by vetoing the sports ban. But his justification called the ban a non-issue because there were no trans girls in sports. This message concedes to the right wing by saying that trans girl athletes could one day become a “problem.” Even if hundreds of trans girls started playing sports in the state, they would deserve just as much of a spot on the team.

Beyond Edwards’ response, which at least opposed the bill, Democratic legislators across the board joined the conservative attack. Four out of 12 Democrats voted for the sports ban in the Senate, and two abstained. Ten of 35 House Democrats supported the ban, and another ten refused to take a stand. Louisiana Democratic Party Vice-Chair C. Travis Johnson was among those who cheered the ban along.

A handful of reporters helped raise this issue, but the media was often silent as well. Augustina Johnson of the Real Name Campaign expressed frustration and hope: “Our state let us down, professional media let us down, When we needed not only allies but accomplices, few heard the call and fewer still responded. We are proud of those who did. At the end of the day, however, it was only through the strength of the trans, non-binary and gender diverse community were we, at great expense to our bodies, minds, and souls, able to hold off this uncalled for, gratuitous assault on our marginalized community for just one year.”

The TGNC rights movement stays strong

Overall, hundreds of people marched in the streets, crammed legislators’ phone lines, jammed their inboxes, confronted them in their halls and rallied on their front steps.

As Elliot Wade of Louisiana Trans Advocates put it, “We’ve been ready for this fight for some time,” and “I'm very pleased and ecstatic that we were all able to come together like this, and that’s what made the difference, we leaned heavily on the people doing the work.”

Some far-right voices want a special session just to override the veto. This has never happened in Louisiana’s history, which shows how desperate they are.

But the TGNC rights movement is prepared to go at it again. We know this can happen next year. We’ll push back, and we won’t stop there. The fight continues until we win full respect for the rights and dignity of TGNC people.

#BatonRougeLA #PeoplesStruggles #RealNameCampaign #TransDayOfVisibility

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/commentary-transgender-movement-beats-louisiana-s-4-bigoted-bills Mon, 28 Jun 2021 19:51:28 +0000