The transgender community is now on the frontlines of LGBTQ+ activism in the U.S. In recent months, this has largely been in response to the federal government rolling back protections for transgender Americans while ramping up negative rhetoric that has affected the national discourse on basic rights for LGBTQ+ individuals and particularly those who are transgender.
The San Francisco Bay Times recently asked some of the Bay Area’s most prominent transgender leaders to identify the primary issues that are most impacting the transgender community now. Their responses will hopefully serve as a call to action for LGBTQ+ activists and allies to help resolve these challenging problems that ultimately affect all of us.
Star Amerasu
Transgender people represent a small portion of the population, yet the disproportionate media focus on us often portrays us negatively. This not only dehumanizes us, but also diverts fiscal resources into creating division. We must foster understanding. Additionally, young trans and queer individuals face relentless bullying, which is compounded by governmental policies that marginalize us. Such actions are counterproductive, and harm our society as a whole.
Housing instability is a critical issue for the transgender community. Trans people face higher rates of homelessness, often due to job discrimination and lack of support systems. My own experience of homelessness at age 20 highlighted the need for accessible housing and employment opportunities. We must ensure that all people, including trans individuals, have a safe place to live and the same opportunities to thrive.
Currently, there’s an alarming trend of division within the LGBTQ+ community, with some attempting to distance themselves from the trans community. Historically, in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s during the Gay Liberation Movement, the LGBT community stood united against legalized oppression. It’s essential that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters stand with the trans community now, showing solidarity. We must present a united front to the world. If trans rights are under attack, the entire LGBTQ+ community is at risk. We must band together to ensure our collective safety and rights.
Carlo Gómez Arteaga
Transgender individuals face significant challenges, including discrimination and violence, which can be addressed through comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, education, and support services, while also combating Trump’s anti-trans rhetoric by promoting positive narratives and holding leaders accountable.
Access to affirming healthcare remains a major barrier, necessitating removal of barriers, making sure providers are trained, and there is access to insurance coverage for gender-affirming treatments and community health programs, alongside efforts to counteract harmful policies that restrict transgender rights.
Legal recognition of gender identity is also crucial, requiring policy reforms, international advocacy, and public awareness campaigns to ensure equal rights and protections, while actively opposing political rhetoric that undermines transgender dignity and inclusion.
Spring Collins
Issue #1: Attacks on Trans Bodies and the Misinformation Campaign
The federal government has escalated attacks on trans rights through harmful legislation and policy rollbacks.
A widespread misinformation campaign has scapegoated trans people, fueling stigma and discrimination.
Solutions
Strengthen alliances with organizations and advocates committed to trans liberation.
Uplift and center Black trans leaders in advocacy and media narratives.
Mobilize communities to call representatives and demand the protection of trans rights. Support campaigns that boycott and divest from corporations that harm the trans community.
Issue #2: Funding for Grassroots-Led Organizations
Smaller, trans-led grassroots organizations often lack adequate funding to sustain their critical work.
Larger LGBTQ+ organizations and philanthropic institutions frequently receive disproportionate funding.
Solutions
Establish funding pipelines by encouraging larger organizations to allocate resources to grassroots groups.
Engage cis/hetero allies in individual giving and encourage them to amplify the work of trans-led organizations.
Develop transparent funding networks that prioritize underfunded trans initiatives.
Issue #3: Institutionalized Racism, Trans Misogyny, and Violence
Black trans individuals are disproportionately targeted by systemic violence, murder, and harassment.
Institutionalized racism and trans misogyny remain pervasive, impacting the safety and well-being of trans communities.
Solutions
Implement widespread education programs that promote trans-inclusive perspectives and challenge anti-Blackness.
Advocate for the accountability of perpetrators and systemic reforms within the criminal justice system.
Expand access to mental health and grief support services for those most impacted by violence.
Develop community-led safety networks and restorative justice practices.
These issues are interconnected and require a multifaceted approach. By addressing systemic violence, uplifting BIPOC voices, and ensuring equitable funding, we can build a safer, more inclusive future for all trans people.
Pau Crego
I believe that the top three issues facing trans communities locally are homelessness, mental health, and economic barriers—all of which are caused by a combination of institutional transphobia and interpersonal anti-trans bias.
The little research on trans communities shows what we have known all along: that trans people—and even more so for BIPOC, immigrant, disabled trans people, and elders—experience shockingly high rates of homelessness and poverty compared to the general population. In turn, these and other forms of discrimination deeply impact our mental health, even more so when anti-trans rhetoric is rising across the world and our national government is attempting to erase us.
While local governments, organizations, and community members are making important strides to address these inequities and to protect us from harm, meaningful change in these areas will take time and courageous leadership from all of us. We can, and must, continue to advocate for laws, policies, and practices that protect trans communities. We—especially our cisgender allies—need to continue speaking up in the face of anti-trans rhetoric both in public and in private in order to resist the normalization of anti-trans violence. And finally, we must remember to also support trans people in our daily lives, by treating each other with the care and love our communities deserve.
Whit Joaquin Guerrero
At a time when legislation is specifically targeting transgender people, we need all people who care about trans people to call their local and state legislators and demand legal protections for trans people, for the government and the philanthropic sector to fill the gaps on any services cut by the new administration, especially in the area of healthcare for trans people.
There is a lot of disinformation being spread by the new administration about what it means to be trans. We understand that many Americans don’t know a trans person and have only been exposed to ideas of us they have been fed by the media. We need all people with media platforms to continue investing in campaigns that show us for the regular humans that we are, living normal lives as so many of us do. We need to have trans people being the ones speaking to our experiences in the media—not others about us without us.
We need all businesses, corporations, and local governments to create employment programs and opportunities for trans people to become gainfully employed and receive leadership positions that showcase our level of competency, decency, and brilliance. We have always been major contributors to culture, healing, and community. Society at large benefits from having trans representation and has for centuries. We are not new here.
Ebony Ava Harper
Access to Comprehensive Care
Too many of our trans sibs face barriers to gender-affirming and lifesaving care. We need policies that protect and expand access, more trans-led clinics, and investment in providers trained to deliver affirming services.
Economic Justice
High rates of unemployment, housing insecurity, and workplace discrimination continue to plague our community. We need targeted workforce development, protections against discrimination, and trans-owned business support.
Violence and Safety
Trans people, especially Black trans women, are disproportionately affected by hate violence. We need to address root causes like transphobia, racism, and poverty while investing in community-based safety and prevention programs that don’t rely on carceral systems.
J Jha
The transgender community faces immense challenges, but three critical issues stand out: erasure, systemic oppression, and attacks on love and humanity.
Erasure of Transgender Realities
Transgender histories and identities are often erased, silencing their voices and contributions. To combat this, we must amplify and immortalize transgender stories through art, media, and education, ensuring their legacies are visible and celebrated.
Systemic Oppression and Legislative Attacks
Across America, transgender identities are under legislative attack, with bills targeting healthcare access, participation in sports, and even the right to exist publicly. These laws perpetuate violence, discrimination, and marginalization. Addressing this requires grassroots organizing, legal challenges, and public advocacy to push back against harmful policies and protect transgender rights.
Attacks on Love and Humanity
Fascism, oligarchy, and division threaten democracy, compassion, and the rights of marginalized communities. Defending love and humanity means building alliances, standing united across differences, and showing up in every arena—streets, boardrooms, media, and online platforms.
To create change, we must act collectively. This means fighting for justice, preserving transgender legacies, and protecting democracy with unwavering resolve. By joining hands, amplifying marginalized voices, and resisting oppression, we can build a world where love, equity, and humanity prevail. The time to act is now—our collective future depends on it.
Honey Mahogany
Erasure of Trans Identity
Attempts to criminalize trans people are escalating. It started with bans on drag that were worded vaguely enough to impact trans people. Now, in Texas, for example, the state legislature is attempting to ban all gender-affirming care for trans people regardless of age and has introduced legislation that would make identifying as trans a felony. These attacks are exacerbated by the EO’s from the Trump administration preventing trans people from accessing passports that align with their gender, removing any reference of trans people from federal websites, etc.
Lack of Vocal Allyship
There is a lack of vocal allyship both from cisgender people, the broader LGB community, and elected officials. At this time of heightened scrutiny against the transgender community, we need our allies to be champions of trans issues, as trans issues are intertwined with many other communities’ issues. The fight for trans community is intersectional, and aligned with women’s rights, immigrants’ rights, and the rights of so many other communities. Trans rights are at the front of the chopping block, but everyone else’s rights are right behind us. To combat this, we encourage people to publicly state their support for trans people, especially elected leaders and those with privilege and platform to create change and provide protections.
Relocation
Following the wave of anti-trans legislation across the country, more trans people are fleeing hostile states and coming to places like San Francisco, where trans communities have protections. However, especially here in San Francisco, trans-serving organizations are already at capacity and coming up against a tough budget year with a serious deficit in the city’s budget—this is in addition to potential federal funding cuts and the backpedaling of corporate and philanthropic funding amidst the rising trend of divestment from Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Cities like San Francisco and states like California must do more to shore up trans services through additional budgetary investments, and allies should get involved now and demand that their city leaders to more to support the trans community.
What can be done? Keep sharing our stories—we must continue to humanize, familiarize, and demystify the transgender experience for people. Stand up for trans people online and in person: donate to trans-serving orgs and causes and demand that city leadership do more to support trans people and trans children and families.
Toni Newman
Equal Rights as American Citizens Affordable Healthcare and Housing Jobs and Economic Security
Marcel Pardo Ariza
Employment Discrimination and Job Insecurity
Trans people face significantly higher unemployment rates than cisgender people, making financial stability a constant struggle. A solution has the name of a campaign I’ve launched that is called “Hire Trans People.” Employers who truly want to support the trans community need to prioritize hiring trans employees and creating inclusive workplaces. Job security isn’t just about a paycheck; it’s about access to life-affirming gender healthcare, housing, and the ability to thrive.
Trans migrants are especially at risk because our very existence is questioned—who we are and why we are here is constantly under attack. This violence is layered on top of the challenges we already face as migrants, though many of us are skilled at navigating corrupt systems from our home countries. Supporting organizations like El/La Para Trans Latinas helps provide resources and protection for trans migrants who need it most.
Right now, trans people are at the center of political debates yet are often left feeling isolated. Support isn’t just about policies; it’s about showing up. Check in on your trans friends. Offer resources, share a meal, create joy together. Community care is survival, and small acts of kindness can make all the difference.
Jupiter Peraza
Misinformation and Disinformation
The proliferation of misinformation and disinformation has been detrimental to the lives of transgender people. Not only is much of the reporting on trans lives false and/or inaccurate, it is also fiercely intended to demonize and dehumanize for the purpose of pushing a Christian nationalist political agenda that completely neglects the leading issues faced by everyday people, such as the cost of living, access to housing, employment, healthcare, policing, big money in politics, etc.
We must reclaim ownership of our narratives. We need to devise communication strategies that directly address conservative rhetoric while simultaneously bridging logic to capture the attention of everyday people. No, it is not trans people’s fault the price of eggs is high. No, it is not trans people’s fault high inflation is impacting our quality of life. Yes, trans people care about access to affordable housing, just like you.
Emancipation From Democratic Betrayal
We are witnessing an appalling shift by prominent Democratic figures to the right; loudly embracing extremist anti-trans rhetoric to curry favor with a potential future electorate and the MAGA base. California Governor Gavin Newsom is the most recent to show his true beliefs on trans athletes, and trans people in general.
We must be bold and courageous to call out Democratic figures and “allies,” who have benefited from the LGBTQIA+ community for years, and who are now turning a blind eye to the current violence facing our community. We do not need any more spineless, dishonest, and opportunist elected leaders. We need emboldened leaders who won’t forget who put them in power to begin with. If we need to hold the Democratic Party accountable by any means necessary, so be it. We have power too.
Community Disunity
Lack of unity within the LGBTQIA+ community is crippling. Whether you are an affluent white gay cisgender man, a Black cisgender lesbian, a South Asian transgender woman, a two-spirit undocumented beauty from Central America, or a Middle Eastern bisexual man—we are all the same. We cannot afford to entertain or succumb to cishet societal norms that want us to conform and comply.
We must show up for one another in every way. When one of us does not have the language or means to defend ourselves against attacks, others must rise to the occasion. We are not liberated until the most oppressed amongst us is also liberated as well.
Maceo Persson
Building Our Political Power
Over the past 20 years, we’ve fought hard to secure our rights and made significant progress. That’s why it’s heartbreaking to see so much of that progress being stripped away. But we must remember that trans resistance has a long and powerful history. We’ve built movement infrastructure, and now it’s time to strengthen it. Supporting trans-led advocacy organizations like TLC, A4TE, NCLR, and the Task Force is crucial to defending and advancing our rights.
Legal Recognition
Legal recognition remains a cornerstone of our movement. It’s fundamental to who we are, and when it is denied, it fuels the intense discrimination our community faces. Ensuring legal protections for trans people is not just about paperwork—it’s about dignity, safety, and the right to exist openly in society.
Access to Life-Saving Health Care
Our access to health care is under attack. This includes gender-affirming care, HIV treatment, and even basic services like Medicaid and Medicare. These are essential, life-saving resources that every person deserves. The ongoing efforts to restrict access to care are not just political; they are direct threats to our survival.
The Fight Ahead
These attacks are part of a broader effort to erase us. This is a moment of crisis, but it’s also a moment of action. We must come together, mobilize, and fight for our lives like never before. Our future depends on it.
Anjali Rimi
Further Marginalized Transgender Asylees and Immigrants of the Global South
Trans immigrants and asylees are fleeing persecution, only to face new threats in the U.S. due to anti-trans and anti-immigration laws that restrict getting lawful belonging, paperwork, healthcare, legal protections, and basic rights and are further subjected to transphobia even within communities of color and immigrant communities. What needs to be done? Protect asylum rights and push for trans-inclusive policies. Challenge anti-trans laws and build transgender intersectional unity. Mobilize allies to advocate for immigrant and trans rights.
Vilifying Trans Leadership
Transgender people, especially trans women of color, have broken barriers to lead movements, build organizations, and make history—despite facing workplace discrimination, economic hardship, and systemic disparities. Yet, even in progressive spaces, their leadership is often met with resistance. Their unapologetic advocacy for justice makes many uncomfortable, leading to scrutiny and exclusion rather than support. What needs to be done? Allies with privilege must acknowledge the burden placed on trans leaders and actively uplift them. Trans leaders need solidarity, mentorship, inclusion, and succession planning within social justice movements to thrive. Targeted attacks are inevitable on trans leadership and hence trans leaders must have protections, self-care opportunities, and mental health support.
Our Lives Are Not Political Currency
In the U.S., transgender people are often used as political talking points. Some politicians twist our narratives to fuel division, while others uplift us truly. Despite making up less than 1% of the population, we are relentlessly politicized, with our rights, bodies, and lived experiences manipulated to serve agendas rather than genuine advocacy. Even among those who claim to stand with us, too many only show up when it’s convenient, expecting us to rally, protest, and perform activism without truly committing to our long-term well-being. This issue transcends political parties and demands real, sustained support.
What needs to be done?
If you support trans rights, you need to commit to authentic advocacy and prove it beyond campaign speeches. Center our equity and well-being in your policies and stand with us even when we can’t offer votes or visibility. Our survival shouldn’t be a bargaining chip. Trans communities have led and resisted for generations, so please respect our history and contributions. We are not a trend or controversy. Don’t showcase us for performative progressiveness only to disappear when the crisis of trans violence demands real action. Stop using trans people as background props and actively platform us. Engage with us and not just talk about us; give us the mic and bring us into decision-making spaces. Recognize our expertise: from policy strategy to budget planning. We are not just signs at rallies; we are leaders with solutions. We are not pawns in a political game. Our lives, struggles, and triumphs deserve respect beyond election cycles and headlines.
Honoring Bay Area Transgender Leaders
Published on March 27, 2025
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