The T Comes First: Today is the Trans Day of Visibility.
Like Miss Major said: The T comes FIRST.
Today is the Trans Day of Visibility, when we celebrate Transgender people and speak out against the discrimination they face worldwide. However you identify, we ALL benefit from the richness, creativity, vision and fierce love that Trans folks bring into the world everyday, in the face of unspeakable violence and cruelty.
It is a radical act to survive and to thrive– to choose yourself– in a world committed to your erasure. Even as Trans Women in particular faced discrimination and violence within the LGBTQIA+ community, they created massive mutual aid networks, organized youth, and fought the battles like the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot and Stonewall, paving the way for LGBTQIA+ protections and legislation. If we’re interested in liberation, we owe our Transcestors and comrades more than words can say. Rather than consuming, or commodifying them, we must fight to give Trans folks their bread and their roses, today and everyday. And that’s on the T comes first.
WE LOVE OUR TRANS CAMPERS, VOLUNTEERS, CAREGIVERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS! We see you, we love you, we got you, we will protect you! You bring so much magic and joy to our work, and we’re ever grateful for your contributions. We’ll keep it short, because there are so many amazing Trans folks to uplift and amplify today. It is our responsibility to ensure that our Trans siblings have equitable access to time, space, resources and platforms. We’re challenging ourselves and our community to take action today.
Here are five ways you can build a practice for Trans Liberation:
An image of Christian Axavier Lovehall, organizer, Artist, Poet, Musician, Business Owner, Doula, and founder of the Philly Trans March, in its 11th season in Philly.
Celebrate Philly Trans History, Trans Leaders and Trans Creatives!
Learn about and from the local Trans leadership that has been on the ground organizing with and for QTBIPOC since forever, and celebrate the Iconic creatives that make our city shine. Join Philly Trans March for a special TDoV HOme Shopping Network Event, promoting local Trans Owned businesses in Philly. Trans creators are welcome to attend a networking workshop ahead of the event! Flyer in our stories. Donate to PTM: Paypal.me/PhillyTransMarch
Open your purse and redistribute resources to the Trans Community
As we mentioned, the debts owed to our Trans fam are impossible to repay, but we can start by acknowledging the systemic inequities all around us, and redress them directly by redistributing wealth. Without direct individual action, speaking, sharing, even voting in support of trans folks isn’t enough. Do more than perform Trans inclusion; practice it. Give Generously and give often, and you’re able! Encourage others with access to material resources to do the same.
and… Contribute to Mutual Aid Networks !
Especially ones that are serving and supporting BIPOC Trans folks directly! We love and celebrate CBTEL-20, a Philly mutual aid network founded by Black Trans folks that redistributes wealth and material resources to QTBIPOC. Extra Love and shout outs to Co-Founder and SUPER BADDIE, DJ Delish! Follow CBTEL here @cbtel2020!
Image of Philly House & Ballroom Legend, DJ Delish. In addition to her incredible music, Delish is a co-founder of CBTEL Philly, a mutual aid network founded by Black Trans folks in Philly.
“Protect Trans Youth,” by Colin Laurel (he/him).
Build Trans fluent and friendly practices wherever you go.
It is our responsibility to educate ourselves to expand our sense of gender expression and identity to accommodate our Trans sisters, brothers and siblings, not theirs. The more we know, the more we can protect–and celebrate– one another! Demand policies that honor gender expansiveness, and advocate for Trans folks, *especially* when they’re not in the room.
Protect Trans YOUTH.
Discriminatory Legislation targeting Trans kids and Trans athletes has exploded in 2021, part of coordinated attack by the far right to erase our youth. These copycat bills come from the same forces that drive anti-equality fights for decades. We have to speak up and out at every turn to protect Trans Youth, and make sure they are believed when they tell us who they are. No one should be punished for making sure young people have access to the resources they deserve! Add your voice to the chorus of folks shouting down discriminatory legislation, and uplift celebrate our Trans Youth wherever possible! We will not tolerate hate, we will not be erased. Read more about recent Anti-Trans Bills here.
As ever, GRP’s mission remains to foster a joyful culture of creativity, critical thinking, and collective care in order to build a more safe and equitable world. Ours is a space of explicit Trans affirmation and celebration. We’re thrilled to embark on our strategic planning and name change processes to represent the spirit of our work, and embrace more fully.
We know that in our work to realize gender justice, our Transcestors gave us all the tools, and showed us how to build our movement with Joy. Today and every day, the T comes first.