PEITN Statement on the new US government attacks on trans rights

On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump unleashed a wave of oppressive Executive Orders designed to strip our human rights from every corner of US government policy and legislation. These authoritarian laws are a clear attempt to preserve a colonial system rooted in patriarchy, white supremacy, and capitalism—an effort to deny our very existence.

But let it be known: no one decides who we are. No one gets to erase us. Their refusal to believe that we exist will never make us disappear. Our unapologetic, radical presence proves they cannot control who we are or how we live.

We know exactly who we are. And for those still figuring this out, you deserve a warm place to explore who you are, to be held, loved, and believed.

We are strong.
We are beautiful.
We are loved.
We are free.

We’ve faced this before, and together, we will keep moving toward freedom. Some of us may hide who we are to stay safe, which may cause feelings of shame, guilt, or isolation. If this is you, know you’re not alone and that shame is not yours to carry. When you’re ready, we’ll be here, fighting for a world where closets hold clothes, not people. Your light is brilliant and beautiful; no one can ever take it away.

We stand in solidarity with Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary and intersex people, their caregivers, educators and healthcare providers living in the US and globally. We also stand in solidarity with undocumented immigrants in the US who face imminent risk of deportation as a result of these oppressive orders.

All oppression is interconnected. Standing in solidarity with the trans community means standing united with all oppressed people globally: Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo, and Free Haiti.

In LOVE and SOLIDARITY,

PEITN