“Remember: we’re stronger together. Don’t run and hide. We have to be more visible and unified than ever!” – Miss Major Griffin-GracyMiss Major gave the LGBTQ+ community and our allies this call to action in October 2018, under the first Trump Administration. She addressed our fear and anxiety as we reacted to a leaked draft of a rule detailing changes to how Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act would be implemented, which would remove protections from discrimination for many marginalized communities. She ended her gentle message to her beloved trans and gender nonconforming community with a powerful reminder:
We are still here.We are here because of the love and care of movement leaders like Miss Major. In every community across the United States, there are trans elders who have shown us how to navigate moments like this. We honor Miss Major, our trans elders, and our trans youth by advocating for a healthcare system that cares for us from youth to our golden years because every person, across race, gender and ability, deserves to live long, healthy, joyful lives.
We are here because of the grit and humor of
Cecilia
Gentili, who taught us that we are all worth fighting for. When this administration and its supporters act to dim our light, we honor Cecilia by showing up for our community and shining bright as our true selves.
We are here because of the vision and tenacity of
Lorena Borjas, mother to trans migrants, and an inspiration to all of us who believe that liberation for LGBTQIA2S+ people is a global commitment. We honor Lorena by fighting to keep our families and communities whole.
We are here because of
Monica
Roberts’ fierce commitment to telling our stories and uplifting our history. We honor Monica by taking on those who try to bully their way into power, who ban books and medical care, and pass laws controlling who we can be and love.
In these challenging times, we remind ourselves that ours is a legacy of care. Our stories, our families, our art, our voices, and our lives are powerful. We hold onto this truth:
Those working to divide us cannot take away our joy because they didn’t give it to us in the first place. Trans and queer joy will always exist because trans and queer people will always be here. It’s crucial for LGBTQIA2S+ communities, organizations, and our allies across the country to come together. When we collaborate and when we create community, we amplify our power and strengthen our impact. For those who are ready to take action and have the capacity, there are many ways to get involved including:
- Joining or supporting local and national advocacy efforts. The organizations listed below are a start.
- Sharing stories of resilience and uplifting voices within our community.
- Engaging in campaigns that fight for our rights and protect our future.
To everyone in our community: We are here. We will keep fighting for us, showing up for us, and creating spaces where we can all feel safe and loved. We are not alone.
Through solidarity, thoughtfulness, and resilience, we will keep pushing forward. Our commitment to intersectionality and community ensures that all of us move forward as one.
We are here. Together, we are stronger. Together, we will continue to fight for a world where all LGBTQIA2S+ people and our families are seen, heard, and celebrated.
The following national, state, and local organizations join in solidarity:
Advocates for Trans Equality
| Advocates for Youth
| Albemarle/Stanly County PFLAG Chapter
|
Alliance For Full Acceptance SC
| Arkansas Black Gay Men’s Forum
| Atlanta Pride
|
Basic Rights Oregon
| Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice
| Blue Ridge Pride
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Brenham PFLAG
| Center on Halsted
| CenterLink: The Community of LGBTQ Centers
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Central Valley Gender Health & Wellness
| Charlotte Trans Health
| COLAGE
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Compass LGBTQ Community Center
| Decatur County PRIDE Alliance
| Diversity Center of Oklahoma
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Diversity Collective Ventura County
| Diversity Richmond
| Equality California
|
Equality Community Center
| Equality Federation
| Equality Florida
|
Equality Illinois
| Equality Maine
| Equality Michigan
|
Equality New Mexico
| Equality North Carolina
| Equality Ohio
|
Equality South Dakota
| Fair Wisconsin
| Fairness Campaign
|
FAIRNY
| Family Equality
| Franklin Pride TN
|
Garden State Equality
| Gender Justice
| Georgia Equality
|
GLAAD
| Grand Rapids Pride Center
| Grand Rapids Trans Foundation
|
GSAFE
| Henderson Equality Center
| Hendersonville Pride
|
Human Rights Campaign
| inTRANSitive
| Jim Toy Community Center
|
Keshet
| Keweenaw Chapter of PFLAG
| Lavender Rights Project
|
LGBT Center of Raleigh
| LGBT+ Center Orlando, Inc.
| LGBTQ+ Center Lake County
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Louisiana Trans Advocates
| Louisville Youth Group
| LPAC Action Network
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Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus
| Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
| Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition
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Movement Advancement Project
| Muncie OUTreach LGBTQ+ Center
| Naper Pride Inc
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National Center for Lesbian Rights
| National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund
| New Hampshire Outright
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NoVA Prism Center
| Ogden Pride
| One Colorado
|
One Iowa
| one-n-ten
| Our Family Coalition
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OutCenter Southwest Michigan
| OutFront Minnesota
| OutNebraska
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Outright Vermont
| PFLAG
| PFLAG Acworth/Dallas
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PFLAG Aiken SC
| PFLAG Akron
| PFLAG Anchorage
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PFLAG Athens, TN
| PFLAG Auburn
| PFLAG Bakersfield
|
PFLAG Baltimore
| PFLAG Bloomington-Normal
| PFLAG Bolingbrook
|
PFLAG Bowie
| PFLAG Bucks County
| PFLAG Cape Cod
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PFLAG Cape Girardeau
| PFLAG Carrollton GA
| PFLAG Carson Region
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PFLAG Charlotte
| PFLAG Chattanooga
| PFLAG Clayton-Concord
|
PFLAG Cleveland
| PFLAG Clinton River Cities
| PFLAG Columbus, Ohio
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PFLAG Concord Kannapolis
| PFLAG Dallas
| PFLAG Danville / Central Susquehanna Valley
|
PFLAG Dayton
| PFLAG Deerfield, IL
| PFLAG Delaware
|
PFLAG Denver
| PFLAG DuPage
| PFLAG Enfield
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PFLAG Enid OK
| PFLAG Evansville/Newburgh
| PFLAG Fishers
|
PFLAG Flat Rock/Hendersonville, NC
| PFLAG Florence
| PFLAG Fort Collins
|
PFLAG Franklin
| PFLAG Franklin-Hampshire
| PFLAG Fresno
|
PFLAG Galesburg
| PFLAG Genesee Flint
| PFLAG Geneva/Tri-Cities
|
PFLAG Grayslake/Round Lake
| PFLAG Great Lakes Bay Region
| PFLAG Greater Boston
|
PFLAG Greater Orlando
| PFLAG Greater Placer County
| PFLAG Greater St. Louis
|
PFLAG Greeley
| PFLAG Greensburg
| PFLAG Greenville
|
PFLAG Greenville SC
| PFLAG Grosse Pointe
| PFLAG Hampton Roads
|
PFLAG Hannibal-Quincy
| PFLAG Hanover/Madison
| PFLAG Hartford
|
PFLAG Homer Glen Lockport
| PFLAG Homewood-Flossmoor
| PFLAG Huntsville TX
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PFLAG Indianapolis
| PFLAG Ithaca-Cortland
| PFLAG Juneau
|
PFLAG Kansas City
| PFLAG Lafayette
| PFLAG Lafayette/Tippecanoe County
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PFLAG LAS VEGAS
| PFLAG Lawrenceville
| PFLAG Livonia
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PFLAG Madison
| PFLAG Manhattan Beach/South Bay
| PFLAG Marietta
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PFLAG Milwaukee
| PFLAG Moraga/Lamorinda
| PFLAG Mount Pleasant
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PFLAG Nashville
| PFLAG National
| PFLAG New Prague Area
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PFLAG NYC
| PFLAG Oak Park Area
| PFLAG Oakland-East Bay
|
PFLAG of Port Huron
| PFLAG Pawleys Island
| PFLAG Peoria
|
PFLAG Plymouth-Canton
| PFLAG Portland Maine
| PFLAG Roaring Fork Valley
|
PFLAG Rockford
| PFLAG Rome Georgia Chapter
| PFLAG Sacramento
|
PFLAG Salisbury
| PFLAG San Diego County
| PFLAG San Francisco
|
PFLAG San Jose/Peninsula
| PFLAG Sandy Springs
| PFLAG Santa Barbara
|
PFLAG Santa Clarita
| PFLAG Sarasota
| PFLAG Seattle
|
PFLAG Silver City New Mexico
| PFLAG Somerset
| PFLAG Southern Maryland
|
PFLAG SOUTHERN PINES
| PFLAG Springfield/SWMO
| PFLAG Stanwood-Camano
|
PFLAG Statesville
| PFLAG Stillwater
| PFLAG Tinley Park
|
PFLAG Tulare & Kings Counties
| PFLAG Tulsa
| PFLAG Tulsa
|
PFLAG Wenatchee
| PFLAG West Chester/Chester County
| PFLAG Westminster Carroll County
|
PFLAG Youngstown
| PFLAG-Clinton Twp, MI
| PFLAG-LA
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PFLAG-WESTCHESTER COUNTY (NY)
| PFLAG, Princeton NJ Chapter
| PFLAGStormLake
|
Point of Pride
| Pride Center of Vermont
| Pride Lafayette (Indiana)
|
Queer Vox
| QueerLit Collective
| Rainbow Labs
|
Rochester Rainbow Union
| Rock Hill PFLAG
| Rockland County Pride Center
|
SAGE
| Shoals Diversity Center
| Solano Pride Center
|
Somos Familia Valle
| Spencer Pride, Inc.
| Tennessee Equality Project
|
The Frederick Center
| The LGBTQ Center of Durham
| The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert
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The LIAM Foundation
| The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center
| The Pride Center at Equality Park
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The Prideful Path Project
| Transcanwork
| Transgender Education Network of Texas
|
Transgender Law Center
| Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico
| Tranzmission, Inc
|
Twisted Arts
| Waves Ahead Corp
| Wenatchee PFlag
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| Youth Pride Association
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