Together, we rise.

If a trans person tells you a joke is transphobic, believe them. If a trans person explains that a certain policy harms them, listen. The best allyship is not a savior complex; it is a support structure.

Transgender people, especially Black and Latina trans women, face epidemic levels of violence and housing insecurity. In many parts of the world, simply existing as a trans person is a criminal offense. If the LGBTQ+ culture is truly a family, we need to treat trans siblings like family. Here is how you can move beyond "thoughts and prayers" into action:

Today, if you are cisgender (meaning your gender matches the sex you were assigned at birth), thank a trans person for the freedom to wear what you want, love how you want, and be who you are.

There is a phrase often repeated in LGBTQ+ spaces: “No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.”

The current political attacks on trans kids are cruel and unfounded. Gender-affirming care saves lives—study after study shows that trans adolescents who receive support have drastically lower rates of suicide and depression. Speak up when you hear misinformation about "irreversible damage." The only damage is the damage of rejection.

As we fly our rainbow flags and celebrate hard-won legal victories, it is vital to take a step back and look at who is still fighting the hardest for basic dignity. Often, that fight is led by the transgender community.

On the other hand, there is exhausting . According to the Human Rights Campaign, 2023 was the worst year on record for anti-trans legislation in the United States—bans on gender-affirming care, bathroom bills, and drag bans that directly target gender nonconformity.