How to Advocate for Trans Rights in Your Community

Transgender and gender-nonconforming people continue to fight for equal rights, despite persistent attacks from conservative lawmakers both in the United States and abroad.

“Advocacy and support for trans, nonbinary, and intersex people is so important right now because we are seeing such an onslaught of targeted attacks coming from the Trump administration,” says Shane Diamond, director of communications and advocacy at GLAAD. “We've seen state executive orders that try to dehumanize us, that try to strip away our rights.”

While many members of the LGBTQ+ community might not feel safe in the US, trans women of color remain the most vulnerable to discrimination and violence. WIRED spoke with advocacy groups that work to protect and empower trans people, so you can better understand how to support members of your community.

If you’re a cisgender (no, it’s not a slur) person, where can you start? It’s quite simple. “The most humane thing to do is to recognize our humanity. Some people are truly of the belief that we don’t deserve a place in the world,” says Tiommi Luckett, a senior national organizer for Positively Trans at the Transgender Law Center. “I think they need to see our humanity and recognize that we’re not asking for special rights.”

Don’t assume you understand the nuances of a trans person’s experience based on preconceived ideas or someone else’s opinion. While it’s important to recognize the difficulties and discrimination that trans people (or people of any marginalized group) face, the vibrancy and nuances of their lives are not often represented in the media. “We need to see trans joy more visibly present in the world,” says Camila Camaleón, a former administrative coordinator at Gender Justice LA.

National organizations can be a force for good, but you are likely to feel more connected to those around you (and potentially have a greater impact) by getting involved with an advocacy group that’s local. What trans rights groups are nearby? If you’re in the United States, check out this list from our sister publication Them to find a group that might be closer to home. Entries are included from all 50 states. Located in the UK? Trans Unite is one website you can use to find groups near you.

“Centering ourselves is not selfish,” says Ezak Perez, an executive director at Gender Justice LA. “We should be centering ourselves and each other, so that we can go out there and really fight for the issues that are impacting our communities.” The work of an ally is not to take charge of the situation. Instead, it’s about listening to the leadership from marginalized people and following. “We don’t necessarily need people to be leading,” they say. “But, we need people to really come on board and fight alongside us.”

“It’s just so critical that people take the time to register to vote, and then vote,” says Sasha Buchert, a director of the Non-Binary and Transgender Rights Project at Lambda Legal.

She mentioned consistent voting as one of the most important actions an ally can take, especially for younger people who support equal rights but might not show up often to the polls on election day.

Going beyond just voting, Buchert recommends calling the leaders of your local government and asking them what they’ve done recently to protect the lives of trans constituents. “I guarantee you there are other people who are opposed to trans folk that know the system,” she says. “They know the power of talking to their state legislators.” Visit this website to find contact information for your local elected representative in the US, and go here if you’re located in the UK.

“Many people will stay silent because they're afraid of getting things wrong,” says Casey Pick, director of law and policy at The Trevor Project.

“What we need now, especially in a time when there is so much misinformation and so much hostility out there, is our allies to speak up,” Pick says. Even less overt examples of transphobia, like a snide comment made by a friend, still actively contribute to the hostile environment experienced by trans and gender-nonconforming people.

“It’s not a joke for us to be attacked on the street simply for being who we are,” says Luckett. It can be frightening and dangerous to intervene if you see harassment occurring in public, but you have multiple options as a bystander, like distraction or documentation.

This webcomic from NPR is a great resource for bystanders who want to better understand how to react, in the moment, to harassment.

Anyone who is financially able should consider making donations to trans-centered support groups, all year long, not just during pride month.

“I'm not like trans Cinderella,” says Diamond. “I don't go back to being cis on July first. If people are feeling excited and empowered to show up as allies, keep doing that even when pride season is over. As we know, the attacks against trans people have been coming all year, and we will continue to be here.”

Also, donations to small, local groups can have an outsized impact on their ability to provide resources to the surrounding community.

Why is fighting for trans rights so important? “None of us are safe, until we all are safe,” says Luckett. “My liberation is definitely tied to your liberation, and everyone’s liberation. Because when we liberate Black trans people, then liberation is possible for everyone.”