Thousands of people flocked to Union Square on Feb. 8 for a “Rise Up for Trans Youth” rally to stand up for transgender and non-binary young people at a time when the White House has continued to target the community in education, healthcare, sports, and other areas.
The event was organized by Trans formative Schools (TfS), a free afterschool program serving trans, queer, non-binary, and gender-expansive students ages 9-15; Gender Liberation Movement, a grassroots and volunteer-run national collective fighting for bodily autonomy and self-determination in the face of gender-based threats; and ACT UP, an activist group working to end AIDS. Many members of Gays Against Guns and Rise and Resist were also in attendance.
The event sought to bring support to trans and non-binary youth and share community — including with families, caregivers, educators, and healthcare providers. The rally came just over a week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aiming to restrict gender-affirming care for individuals under the age of 19, leading to reports of some New York City-area hospitals pulling back on gender-affirming care services for youth. Attorney General Letitia James, who targeted the order in court, cited a subsequent court ruling as she urged providers to restore care or else risk violating New York State law.
“I know how important my life is, and I know that being me is not hurting anybody,” Naim, a TfS student, said in remarks to the crowd. “Being me only makes the word a better place. Me and my trans and non-binary friends all deserve to have the same rights to happiness that everyone else does. Us trans and non-binary kids need your help.”
See some photos below:
