It’s Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), a time to celebrate transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary people and their contributions in their communities. As hate crimes and legislative attacks on trans people and their rights escalate around the country, it’s incredibly important to recognize the work that still needs to be done so they can be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
The same states introducing cruel and unjust abortion bans are also attacking bodily autonomy through anti-trans legislation.
Last month, state leaders in Texas issued new directives to their “child welfare” agency to investigate families who provide medically necessary healthcare to their transgender adolescent children. This inhumane style of vigilante law enforcement mirrors Senate Bill 8 and is designed to scare trained medical professionals from providing the healthcare trans folks need.
And Texas isn’t alone. You’ve likely heard of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which was signed into law this week and is making headlines for its regressive and hateful intent. There have been more than 200 bills introduced during 2022 state legislative sessions that directly target trans youth. Like abortion, attacks on trans people are fueled by misinformation and stigma. They are also stripping away our reproductive freedoms as a society.
What can I do to learn more?
The best way to combat these attacks is to learn more about trans lives, share their stories, and take action against these unjust laws. Today is TDOV, but this year marks the second annual Trans Week of Visibility, a campaign that is designed to mobilize and confront the increasing legislative attacks against the transgender community. We encourage you to explore their website to learn more about their mission, why it is important, and find out ways to take action.
If you like podcasts, you can listen to activist and writer, Raquel Willis, on What a Day, discussing how the issue of trans rights spans over different states and intersects with different movements for justice.
Follow the hashtags #TDOV, #TWOVA, and #TransWeek on your social media platforms to hear directly from trans people and learn more about their lived experiences.
You can also find additional resources on how to support the trans community through the Human Rights Campaign, Trevor Project, GLAAD, Trans Lifeline, and more.
Find trans-led organizations near you that you can support and uplift this TDOV and beyond!
