By Joanie Juster—
No Kings and Beyond
If the insanity gushing forth from The White House and Congress is bringing you down, I encourage you to look at the map on the website for the No Kings protest on March 28. From Kotzebue, Alaska, to Key West, Florida, over 3,000 No Kings protests are planned for Saturday, March 28. Communities large and small are coming together to speak up for democracy, and for a government that works for the people. Millions of Americans (and allies in other countries) will be taking to the streets to protest the authoritarian takeover of our country, and to support their communities. The cruelty and incompetence of this administration might lead you to despair, but, instead, focus on the courage, creativity, and sheer kindness of everyday people who are going above and beyond the basics to help their neighbors, and build strong communities. This is what gives me hope, and that spirit will be on full display on March 28.
No Kings is a reminder that we, the people, ultimately hold the power to save our country from authoritarianism. Don’t miss this historic day. For information on a No Kings event near you, to receive training, to volunteer, or to support with a donation, go to: https://www.nokings.org/
And just a reminder: The No Kings events are exciting and empowering, but we must keep the work going every day, not just on No Kings days. There will be a resource fair in Civic Center Plaza at the No Kings event in San Francisco; learn how you can become more involved.
Trans Day of Visibility
Just in time for the Trans Day of Visibility (March 31), the Transgender District has released their 2025 impact report. Check it out, and see the good work that is being done here at home; you can find a link to the report on the district’s Facebook page: https://tinyurl.com/TDIR25
The support to be found here in the Bay Area stands in stark contrast to much of the rest of our country. The ACLU’s website features an online tool that tracks anti-LGBTQ+ bills in all 50 states. Not all of them become law, thank goodness, but many of them do. Just seeing the sheer number of them tells us how hard the far right is fighting to demonize, delegitimize, and simply erase LGTBQ+ people from American life. (Seriously, don’t these lawmakers have more pressing business to attend to, like tending to the needs of their constituents?) In 2024, 533 bills were proposed. In 2025, encouraged by the virulent anti-LGBTQ+, and specifically anti-trans directives coming from The White House, the number of bills rose to 616. And here we are, only three months into 2026, and there have already been 493 bills brought to state houses across the country. You can check out the ACLU bill tracker here for more details: https://tinyurl.com/ACLUtrack1
One of the most notorious is Kansas’ SB 244, the bill that was voted in (over the governor’s veto) on February 18. In a direct and vicious attack on the trans people living in Kansas (less than 1% of the population), the bill immediately invalidated the driver’s licenses of anyone whose current gender identity does not match the gender assigned to them at birth, and limited their ability to update gender information on IDs and official records. This puts trans people at risk by forcing them to be outed against their will, and increases the possibility of facing discrimination in the workplace, when seeking housing, traveling, and much more.
But wait, there’s more! SB 244 not only restricts access to bathrooms and locker rooms in public buildings based on sex assigned at birth, but also encourages a bounty hunter mentality, allowing people to file lawsuits for “damages” of at least $1,000 if they believe they have shared a bathroom with a transgender person.
All of which is to say: the Trans Day of Visibility is needed more than ever. It is harder to demonize people once you get to know them. Visibility matters.
TDOV is commemorated each March 31 to celebrate the history and accomplishments of trans people, acknowledge their contributions to society, and raise awareness of the discrimination and challenges they face every day. There are a variety of events planned in the Bay Area, including a TDOV Festival on Sunday, March 29, from 3–5 pm in Boeddeker Park (246 Eddy Street, San Francisco). The festival promises live performances, music, and family-friendly fun. More info: https://tinyurl.com/TDOVSF
Save the Dates
Our community organizations that support people with HIV/AIDS are under attack. Budgets are being slashed, and services will be diminished. Every day is a good day to support the organizations that serve this community, but here are two dates to add to your calendar: Dining Out for Life on April 16 supports the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Project Open Hand. https://tinyurl.com/DOFL26
And AIDS Walk San Francisco will be celebrating its 40th anniversary on July 19. Come out and support!
https://sf.aidswalk.net/
Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.
In Case You Missed It
Published on March 26, 2026
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