You don’t have to read far into the pages of PGN to realize that the fight for trans rights has been an absolute shit show. While there have been fights to combat this on the national level — such as a federal judge blocking President Donald Trump’s ban on trans servicemembers — there are still plenty of attacks in smaller conservative pockets of our community. The Trump administration provided a funding freeze for the University of Pennsylvania for initially supporting trans athletes and trans inclusive student policies are at risk just over the bridge in New Jersey school districts.
March 31 marks International Trans Day of Visibility and it’s a day to celebrate the contributions of trans people in society and raise awareness about the discrimination faced by the community. With these constant attacks on the federal and local level, we need to make sure to uplift the trans community and uplift them during every possible moment.
Here are a few steps you can take to promote trans visibility and educate yourself more about the accomplishments and fights of the community.
1. Read the work of trans writers. As of this writing, there are still a few days to participate in the annual Trans Rights Readathon, a call “to read and uplift books written by and/or featuring trans, nonbinary, 2Spirit, and gender-nonconforming authors and characters.” Gwendolyn Smith’s Transmissions column is also a great place to learn more.
2. Fight misinformation (and actually TALK). You can accomplish this by calling out and calling in loved ones who make transphobic statements. Share articles and other resources to help educate them on the harm they’re perpetuating. It may be tempting to immediately dismiss them as bigots (and perhaps some of them are) but there are people out there who remain “neutral” on trans rights and it may simply be because of a lack of exposure to trans people and more exposure to misinformation. You can accomplish so much from having a simple conversation.
3. Check yourself. Fighting transphobia also means fighting transphobia within yourself. That can mean using someone’s correct pronouns (Particularly, if you see someone’s pronouns clearly written out in their email signature, do not use a different pronoun in the email thread when you reply all. You have the ability to edit your message before sending it so you can’t make excuses for a vocal slipup here. I may, perhaps, be speaking from personal experience with this.) or if you start to feel swayed by anti-trans views, start to look inward and figure out where these feelings are coming from. Usually, it comes from a lack of information. If that’s the case, perhaps revisit step one or try to be on the receiving end of step two.
4. Attend events and rallies in honor of trans people. PGN’s roundup of Trans Visibility 2025 events is a great place to start.
5. Vote (and contact your local representatives who are already in office)! Research candidates on the local and federal level and learn about their stances on trans issues. Vote for the candidates with the more progressive stance but also don’t just make your voice heard with your vote. Speak out AFTER a candidate is elected. Call them. Write letters. Make your voice heard. Fight to make sure that trans visibility is paramount.
As we approach International Trans Day of Visibility, we need to have all hands on deck to ensure the trans community is not fighting alone.