"Stand up fight back!" - Trans Day Of Visibility Brings Huge Crowds, Court Victories
"Stand up fight back!" - Trans Day Of Visibility Brings Huge Crowds, Court Victories
Trans Day of Visibility in 2023 was one of the largest in years. Huge crowds gathered in cities across the United States and court victories were had in Texas and Tennessee. See the recap!
Transgender Day of Visibility 2023 was one of the most monumental demonstration days for transgender people in years. Across the globe, people marched for trans rights in a year where more laws have been enacted targeting the community than any other time in history. Queer Youth Assemble, a group of queer and trans youth, spearheaded the effort in the United States and held over 100 events across the country. Massive crowds marched to government buildings in Melbourne, Australia and people gathered in Vancouver and Toronto to show solidarity. As the day came to a close, news traveled about major court wins in Tennessee and Texas, leaving activists with hope that visibility could translate into victory.
Queer Youth Assemble describes itself as a queer-led youth organization of people 25 and under seeking to create the best possible world for queer youth. Originally formed over student walkouts earlier in the year over Texas and Florida legislation targeting queer and trans youth, the group has seen success in planning demonstrations. Given the huge number of the over 450 bills that target queer and trans youth in the United States, centering them and allowing them to take the lead in activism is important. Looking back at the entire day, it is clear that they delivered on their plans.
Lets recap some of the biggest marches and events in the United States as well as the court victories that came about on Trans Day of Visibility 2023:
Minnesota:
Minnesota had a huge rally for transgender day of visibility. Representative Leigh Finke, the first transgender representative of the state, spoke at an event while queer and trans people and their allies gathered in the rotunda of the Minnesota Capitol. People filled all levels of the Capitol Building and showed solidarity with marches across the United States. Minnesota has become a safe haven state for trans people fleeing other states due to an executive order signed by the governor that says Minnesota will not extradite people to other states if they are criminalized over gender affirming care or abortion.
Florida:
Florida’s activists met in the Capitol Building while the House of Representatives convened to vote for a major expansion to the Don’t Say Gay bill. This expansion would make it against the law to share pronouns in school, making it very difficult for trans people to transition in a school environment. It also would expand book bans. In response, protesters gathered in the halls of the Capitol Building and chanted slogans such as, “this is what Democracy looks like!” At times, you could hear the chanting on the House floor, interrupting speakers.
Florida’s House of Representatives did pass the bill, but by the end of the day, court victories in other states put its enforcement in question (more on that later!).
Montana
Demonstrators gathered in Montana, where some of the worst anti-trans bills this year have passed through the legislative chambers. Bills that have moved through the Montana legislature include a right to bully trans kids, a right to refuse medical care to trans people, a gender affirming care ban, a drag ban, and a ban on drivers license and birth certificate gender changes. Activists from Forward Montana, a youth-led organization focusing on anti-discrimination, held a die-in in the Capitol Building, singing and sometimes screaming so that their voices would be heard.
Indiana
Indiana has been the site of some of the harshest anti-trans bills in 2023, including a gender affirming care ban that could ban things like voice therapy for trans youth. The ban currently sits on the Governor’s desk. On Trans Day of Visibility, crowds gathered as clergy leaders from several churches marched into the Governor’s Office singing “This Little Light of Mine,” encouraging the governor to veto the law.
Washington, D.C.
The nation’s capital had a large gathering on the National Mall in solidarity with transgender rights protestors all over the United States. It was one of the largest Transgender Day of Visibility marches there in recent years. D.C. has held marches since 2019.
Other Marches
There were many other marches that were resoundingly successful. Crowds were huge in San Antonio and New Orleans. Students walked out of class in Central High School in Nebraska, where a massive filibuster over anti-trans bills has brought the session to a stall. A large crowd gathered on the steps of the Vermont Capitol. For the first time in history, the transgender flag was raised among the Connecticut Capitol Building. Small towns showed up too, such as this local gathering in Florence, Alabama!
Court Victories
While the crowds across the United States drew national media attention, late in the day, news broke that two significant court victories had occurred. In Texas, Llano County ordered books removed from libraries for their LGBTQ+ content. A federal judge struck down that order, demanding that the books be put back on the shelves and the catalogue updated to account for their renewed availability. Book bans have been a huge issue in several states this year, and this ruling could have implications for broader bans in places like Florida.
In Tennessee, another huge victory emerged. A federal judge in Tennessee ruled that the drag ban there was likely unconstitutional and placed a temporary restraining order blocking it from going into effect. The ruling itself was scathing towards the drag ban, at one point stating that the judge “could see at least three ways in which the ban would violate the rights of citizens in Tennessee.”
Transgender Day of Visibility achieved remarkable success, with widespread marches and significant victories. Demonstrations spanned vast geographic areas and featured large, passionate crowds. Activists employed innovative tactics to protest legislation, even as some bills advanced while they watched. News of courtroom triumphs will buoy those who oppose anti-trans legislation, who have consistently argued throughout the year that such bills violate the Constitution and will squander taxpayer dollars in futile legal defenses. On this day of vigorous protests and achievements, activists have ample reason to take pride in their accomplishments.
These events are so important - not just for protests, but to show someone feeling very alone will see that's not the case. Thanks for sharing!
This brings me such joy.