Updated on Oct 30, 2018
Content note: this post contains anti-trans sentiments, fucking cishet patriarchy bullshit, food, suicide/crisis hotline & violence mentions. If you need help, you can call 877-565-8860 (US), 877-330-6366 (Canada), or find resources in your country here. Unless I know someone’s pronouns, I use ‘they’ to be most neutral.
I’ve been meaning to write this post for a few days. Honestly, I couldn’t bring myself to sit down and really work on it, though.
There are over a million and a half (roughly) trans, non-binary, or gender non-conforming people in the United States. Unfortunately, we’re far from tolerated – people want us dead. This is not embellishment by any means. We’re very rightly afraid for our lives and well-being.
Along with removing trans people from the health department site, the Department of Justice has told the Supreme Court that discriminating against trans people in the workplace doesn’t violate federal law. And, now, this administration is trying to strong-arm the United Nations to change ‘gender-based violence’ to ‘violence against women,’ effectively eliminating protections for us around the world.
We have very few rights around the world as it is, and it’s terrifying to see people willing to roll them back. You can’t say you’re doing things to protect the country while attacking literally everyone who isn’t a allocishet dyadic abled rich while man.
I know that people are wondering what we can do in the face of this stuff. Well, like I did last year for natural disasters, I did what I do best – pulled together ways you can help. I hope to keep this post updated for the foreseeable future while we’re facing terrifying odds, and will add a note at the top with when I’ve last updated.
VOTE
I know not everyone is able to vote. I won’t shame y’all for that, but apathy? That won’t do. Until the purge starts (which is a terrifying thought), the most power we have is through exercising our rights to vote, protect, and speak up. Please do so.
There are a record number of trans and queer candidates this year. Take a minute and seee if any trans candidates are up for election in your neck of the woods.
Contact Your Reps
A super easy way to do this is through ResistBot. All you have to do is text RESIST to 50409 – or send it to them via Facebook Messenger – and they’ll help you contact your local and national officials. What I really like about this is that it makes it easy to keep in touch with officials. They’ll also text you to remind you to speak up, and that’s pretty great for us brain fog peeps.
Of course, if you can visit or call on your own, that’s awesome, too! You can double check who you’re represented by here.
As a quick heads up, email isn’t as effective even though it’s easy. That’s why I like ResistBot and how they turn your text into calls or faxes.
Whatever way works best, just make sure to do it.
Educate Yourself
There are a lot of people who would like to be better allies to the trans/GNC community. The best way to do that is either to ask one of us open to sharing information with you or educate yourself. It shouldn’t always be on a marginalized group to educate privileged people about their oppression, especially when there are so many resources out there if you search correctly or find the right kinds of sites to learn from.
GLAAD has a great primer on how to be a better ally. I’ve got a post about genders you should check out, too.
Other sites that have great pieces:
Educate Others
After you’ve learned about trans issues, take steps to correct misconceptions. Take a stand because, unless people learn, we can’t move forward. When you hear transphobic/misic remarks, spend time to share the true with people.
Sometimes, that means speaking up in public. Other times, that might mean being the uncomfortable voice of truth at Thanksgiving. Honestly, it’s the best way to feel like you’ve earned pie!
Speak Out
Come with us to rallies and protests. Go with us when it’s dangerous. Check in on us.
Use any privileges you have – especially if you’re cis – to tell people about how gender isn’t a binary, immigrants aren’t evil, and more.
Standby
When we’re able to formally comment against the legislation, we’ll need allies to help make an impact. You can follow the Transgender Law Center for more information on Facebook, Twitter, or through their site or email list.
Volunteer
You can find spaces near you to volunteer, thanks to The Trevor Project.
Bailout Funds & Legal Help
Tranzmission Prison Project is a queer- and trans-powered prison abolition organization that provides free literature and resources for incarcerated members of the LGBTQ community.
TGI Justice Project is a group of transgender, gender variant and intersex people—inside and outside of prisons, jails and detention centers—creating a united family in the struggle for survival and freedom.
Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund is committed to ending discrimination based upon gender identity and expression and to achieving equality for transgender people through public education, test-case litigation, direct legal services, and public policy efforts.
Organizations (listed alphabetically)
The Anti-Violence Project empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected communities and allies to end all forms of violence through organizing and education, and supports survivors through counseling and advocacy.
Through the Black Trans Advocacy Program, the Black Transmen Inc & Black Transwomen Inc and Black Trans International Pageantry System organizations have joined together in the only social justice program developed to collectively address inequities faced in the black trans human experience.
Casa Ruby is the only LGBTQ bilingual and multicultural organization in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area that provides social services and programs catering to the most vulnerable in the city and surrounding areas.
El/La emerged in 2006 after Proyecto ContraSIDA Por Vida (PCPV) lost its funding. Based on 10 years of work in the transgender program of PCPV, El/La has continued to work with transLatinas because of the expertise of our staff, and because HIV prevention services are crucial for this community.
Gender Proud’s advocacy work aims to uplift transgender communities around the globe, with a specific focus on empowering marginalized to advocate for their own legal rights.
Since 1994, Immigration Equality has been proud to advocate for and represent lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ), and HIV-positive immigrants seeking safety, fair treatment, and freedom. For more than 20 years, we have been focused on providing free direct legal services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-positive immigrants.
Lambda Legal was founded in 1973 as the nation’s first legal organization dedicated to achieving full equality for lesbian and gay people. They’ve pushed through a lot of cases of high importance for LGBTQ2IA+ rights over the years, and they are focused on the fight ahead.
The Marsha P Johnson Institute aims to create a crucial entry point for Black trans women and gender non-conforming femmes to obtain the skills, financial and programmatic resources necessary in advocating for an end to violence against all trans people. They’re currently working to raise $1 million for the coming fight.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) was the first national LGBTQ legal organization founded by women and brings a fierce, longstanding commitment to racial and economic justice and our community’s most vulnerable.
The National Center for Transgender Equality was founded in 2003 by transgender activists who recognized the urgent need for policy change to advance transgender equality. With a committed board of directors, a volunteer staff of one, and donated office space, they could definitely use our help.
NC Queer TROUBLMakers (Trans Revolutionaries Organizing Under Black Lives Matter) is a statewide collective of queer and trans people of color in North Carolina. They began formally working together in August of 2015, coordinating Queer and Trans Black Lives Matter demonstrations at Pride events across the state. Right now, they are all struggling with paying bills or bringing in money.
Since then, we have organized and led the demonstrations and organizing against HB 2, and have held QTPOC (queer and trans people of color) Town Halls in more than three cities in North Carolina.
The Queer Detainee Empowerment Project assists folks coming out of immigration detention in securing structural, health/wellness, educational, legal, and emotional support and services.
The Sylvia Rivera Law Project works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination or violence.
The Trans Justice Funding Project is a community-led funding initiative founded in 2012 to support grassroots, trans justice groups run by and for trans people through grants. They center the leadership of trans people organizing around their experiences with racism, economic injustice, transmisogyny, ableism, immigration, incarceration, and other intersecting oppressions.
Trans Lifeline is a national trans-led organization dedicated to improving the quality of trans lives by responding to the critical needs of our community with direct service, material support, advocacy, and education. They run a crisis hotline (in the US and Canada) that has gotten a lot of use in the last few days.
TransOhio is in need of some funding – they’ve had to roll back on free services due to lack of funding, their main one being statewide legal clinics for youth and adults looking to change their name/IDs (where they’d cover all the cost if needed and supply lawyers).
The Trans Relief Project is looking to provide information and monetary assistance to US-based trans and GNC people looking for help with the administrative fees associated with obtaining US passports, name changes, and updating ID documents – before it gets even harder.
The Trans People of Color Coalition (TPOCC) was founded in 2010 to connect people and resources on the local, state and national level to make sure trans and gender non-conforming people of color voices were visible, respected and at the table.
The Trans Women of Color Collective (TWOCC) is a national organizing collective led by trans women of color created to uplift the narratives, leadership, and lived experiences of trans and gender non conforming people of color.
Transgender Law Center is the largest national trans-led organization advocating self-determination for all people. Grounded in legal expertise and committed to racial justice, TLC employs a variety of community-driven strategies to keep transgender and gender nonconforming people alive, thriving, and fighting for liberation.
The Victory Fund is the only national organization dedicated to electing openly LGBTQ people who can further equality at all levels of government.
People (listed alphabetically)
Just recently, 8 transgender women from Central America, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico have been released from the Cibola County ICE Detention center after months of unnecessary prolonged detention. You can donate to help efforts to ensure their safety and get them to sponsors around the US.
Aaron is a neurodivergent and trans YouTuber. You can support their work through Patreon, Threadless, or their Amazon wishlist.
Alex is a Canadian artist, writer and disability rights activist. Despite what everyone thinks about the Canadian medical system, it’s shit for those of us with complex health issues. They’ve been dealing with serious and unexplained medical symptoms that I’ve been dealing with for the past 25 years, with virtually no help from their healthcare system.
Annie Segarra is an amazing disabled, queer, and Latinx activist. On her YouTube channel, she talks about gender, disability, illness, body image, and much more. You can support her work on Patreon, PayPal, or Amazon.
Benny is struggling with basic income. While they can only work a few hours, their partner recently lost his job and medical bills continue to pile up. You can help via Cash app or PayPal.
Diablo needs to work on paying off medical bills. He’s one of the first to help boost posts from others that need help, so working to help him is the least we can do.
GM lives with endometriosis. On November 6th, they’ll have a partial hysterectomy, where my left ovary, left and right Fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix will be removed. Because of being disabled, they need help to affirm their gender while trying to not add to their pile of medical debt. You can donate here.
Gwen, a black trans woman, is looking for help with facial feminization surgery. They’ve already been attacked several times this year, and this surgery will hopefully help both lessen the chances of being attacked as well as affirm their gender.
Holly’s sibling (currently anonymous) needs help. They are a Black, non-binary, disabled person struggling to make ends meat due to inaccessibility and the sad notion of what passes for living wages.
Isabella helped shed light on Stonewall refusing to serve a disabled person earlier this year. She’s currently in school, dealing with harassment nearly every single day. While Bella is on hormone replacement, she needs to udnergo laser hair removal and other gender affirming processes to feel more whole. Of course, with things going on, she’d love to do that sooner rather than later, too. You can help her here.
Jacob lives with a number of health issues including MCAS. Because MCAS causes terrible allergic reactions, they can’t work outside of the home. They need an emergency hysterectomy due to health issues – which insurance will cover – but needs to be able to pay bills during recovery.
Karrie, a disability activist, writer, and artist, recently got confirmation of a rare disease, hEDS or Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Between this and several other health issues, she has a lot on her plate without much financial assistance. She’s trying to move across the country, too, because her brother-in-law is fighting bone marrow cancer and on the verge of losing his family’s home.
Kat is a disability rights activist and an amazing artist. They’ve been struggling with new symptoms that are byeond the point where it’s time to call in the big guns. Unfortunately, doctors won’t see them – even for stroke-like symptoms – withouth them paying off current medical debts. Please help.
Kochava is a disabled queer and trans activist. You can help them pay bills with PayPal or Ko-Fi.
Lanthir is a disabled and trans person in desperate need of an income. Please check out their Etsy shop.
Liam is a disblaed trans person looking to raise money for top surgery. You can donate via Cash app or GoFundMe.
Lucas is a transgender boy from a family full of intolerant religious extremists who regularly threaten him and are actively looking to find him to do so. If you can donate, it will help pay for college, top surgery, and safety.
Tenia Williams, a black transgender woman, was recently stabbed four times in my home by someone they were spending time with. The perp hasn’t been arrested, and Tenia doesn’t feel safe at home. Help them move.
Terrance recently had bottom surgery. Unfortunately, he had some setbacks that required a couple of additional surgeries. He and his wife are struggling to pay bills – including rent. You can help through GoFundMe or, Cash app, or PayPal.
Vanessa is a Chicana trans woman who will be traveling next year to undergo a number of gender affirming surgeries. In addition to travel and surgery fees, she will need to pay bills at home while she recovers.
Vasco recently went through top surgery. Unfortunately, they still owe the hopsital a good amount. On top of that, their family is struggling financially and doesn’t have enough to eat. You can help them here.
Yafael is a blind trans person of color dealing with multple health issues. Due to an abusive ex-partner, they need to raise money not only for medical expenses, but also for housing and legal protection. You can donate via PayPal (even anonymously here), Cash app, or Venmo.
Ysrael is a disabled QTPOC raising money to help cover daily expenses. They were recently diagnosed with several heavy-hitting illnesses including POTS, EDS, and gatroparesis. Because of that, they’re unable to work jobs that would pay the rent, etc. You can help them here.
I hate doing this. I’m really bad at asking for help, but here we go.
It’s been a rough few months since being laid off from both of the contract jobs I had in April. I haven’t really talked much about it, but things are not great financially. I’m trying to pick up as many freelance pieces as I can, but they’re not paying much.
As I write this, Gus – one of my guinea piggies – is recovering from a dental procedure. He’s sick and we’re not sure entirely what’s wrong. If I’m honest, he and his brother Jaq are my biggest supports, especially on bad days… and they’re five now, which is old. For my well-being, I can’t afford to lose them. I’m terrified and bawling.
My sister also recently left her abusive husband and moved to another state with her two young kids. I try to support them every chance I get. Because of leaving quickly, the three of them don’t have many clothes let alone warm clothes for the upcoming weather.
You can always support me through Patreon, Ko-Fi, PayPal, and shopping through the affiliates listed on the sidebar here or on Not Standing Still’s Disease. I’m still working on getting transcripts for past podcast episodes up, and I have to pay to get the rough drafts I use. Volunteering to help with that is also a great actionable step.
