“Remember: we’re stronger together. Don’t run and hide. We have to be more visible and unified than ever!” – Miss Major Griffin-Gracy
Miss Major gave the LGBTQ+ community and our allies this call to action in October 2018, under the first Trump Administration. She addressed our fear and anxiety as we reacted to a leaked draft of a rule detailing changes to how Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act would be implemented, which would remove protections from discrimination for many marginalized communities. She ended her gentle message to her beloved trans and gender nonconforming community with a powerful reminder: We are still here.
We are here because of the love and care of movement leaders like Miss Major. In every community across the United States, there are trans elders who have shown us how to navigate moments like this. We honor Miss Major, our trans elders, and our trans youth by advocating for a healthcare system that cares for us from youth to our golden years because every person, across race, gender and ability, deserves to live long, healthy, joyful lives.
We are here because of the grit and humor of CeciliaGentili, who taught us that we are all worth fighting for. When this administration and its supporters act to dim our light, we honor Cecilia by showing up for our community and shining bright as our true selves.
We are here because of the vision and tenacity of Lorena Borjas, mother to trans migrants, and an inspiration to all of us who believe that liberation for LGBTQIA2S+ people is a global commitment. We honor Lorena by fighting to keep our families and communities whole.
We are here because of MonicaRoberts’ fierce commitment to telling our stories and uplifting our history. We honor Monica by taking on those who try to bully their way into power, who ban books and medical care, and pass laws controlling who we can be and love.
In these challenging times, we remind ourselves that ours is a legacy of care. Our stories, our families, our art, our voices, and our lives are powerful. We hold onto this truth: Those working to divide us cannot take away our joy because they didn’t give it to us in the first place. Trans and queer joy will always exist because trans and queer people will always be here.
It’s crucial for LGBTQIA2S+ communities, organizations, and our allies across the country to come together. When we collaborate and when we create community, we amplify our power and strengthen our impact.
For those who are ready to take action and have the capacity, there are many ways to get involved including:
- Joining or supporting local and national advocacy efforts. The organizations listed below are a start.
- Sharing stories of resilience and uplifting voices within our community.
- Engaging in campaigns that fight for our rights and protect our future.
To everyone in our community: We are here. We will keep fighting for us, showing up for us, and creating spaces where we can all feel safe and loved. We are not alone.
Through solidarity, thoughtfulness, and resilience, we will keep pushing forward. Our commitment to intersectionality and community ensures that all of us move forward as one.
We are here. Together, we are stronger. Together, we will continue to fight for a world where all LGBTQIA2S+ people and our families are seen, heard, and celebrated.
The following national, state, and local organizations join in solidarity:
Advocates for Trans Equality
Advocates for Youth
Albemarle/Stanly County PFLAG Chapter
Alliance For Full Acceptance SC
Arkansas Black Gay Men’s Forum
Atlanta Pride
Basic Rights Oregon
Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice
Blue Ridge Pride
Brenham PFLAG
Center on Halsted
CenterLink: The Community of LGBTQ Centers
Central Valley Gender Health & Wellness
Charlotte Trans Health
COLAGE
Compass LGBTQ Community Center
Decatur County PRIDE Alliance
Diversity Center of Oklahoma
Diversity Collective Ventura County
Diversity Richmond
Equality California
Equality California
Equality Community Center
Equality Federation
Equality Florida
Equality Illinois
Equality Maine
Equality Michigan
Equality New Mexico
Equality North Carolina
Equality Ohio
Equality South Dakota
Fair Wisconsin
Fairness Campaign
FAIRNY
Family Equality
Franklin Pride TN
Garden State Equality
Gender Justice
Georgia Equality
GLAAD
Grand Rapids Pride Center
Grand Rapids Trans Foundation
GSAFE
Henderson Equality Center
Hendersonville Pride
Human Rights Campaign
inTRANSitive
Jim Toy Community Center
Keshet
Keweenaw Chapter of PFLAG
Lavender Rights Project
LGBT Center of Raleigh
LGBT+ Center Orlando, Inc.
LGBTQ+ Center Lake County
Louisiana Trans Advocates
Louisville Youth Group
LPAC Action Network
Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus
Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition
Movement Advancement Project
Muncie OUTreach LGBTQ+ Center
Naper Pride Inc
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund
New Hampshire Outright
NoVA Prism Center
Ogden Pride
One Colorado
One Iowa
one-n-ten
Our Family Coalition
OutCenter Southwest Michigan
OutFront Minnesota
OutNebraska
Outright Vermont
PFLAG
PFLAG Acworth/Dallas
PFLAG Aiken SC
PFLAG Akron
PFLAG Anchorage
PFLAG Athens, TN
PFLAG Auburn
PFLAG Auburn
PFLAG Bakersfield
Pflag Baltimore
PFLAG Bloomington-Normal
PFLAG Bloomington-Normal
PFLAG Bolingbrook
PFLAG Bowie
PFLAG Bucks County
PFLAG Cape Cod
PFLAG Cape Girardeau
PFLAG Carrollton GA
PFLAG Carson Region
PFLAG Charlotte
PFLAG Chattanooga
PFLAG Clayton-Concord
PFLAG Cleveland
PFLAG Clinton River Cities
PFLAG Columbus, Ohio
PFLAG Concord Kannapolis
PFLAG Dallas
PFLAG Danville / Central Susquehanna Valley
PFLAG Dayton
PFLAG Deerfield, IL
PFLAG Delaware
PFLAG Denver
PFLAG DuPage
PFLAG Enfield
PFLAG Enid OK
PFLAG Evansville/Newburgh
PFLAG Fishers
PFLAG Flat Rock/Hendersonville, NC
PFLAG Florence
PFLAG Fort Collins
PFLAG Franklin
PFLAG Franklin-Hampshire
PFLAG Fresno
PFLAG Galesburg
PFLAG Genesee Flint
PFLAG Geneva/Tri-Cities
PFLAG Grayslake/Round Lake
PFLAG Great Lakes Bay Region
PFLAG Greater Boston
PFLAG Greater Boston
PFLAG Greater Orlando
PFLAG Greater Placer County
PFLAG Greater St. Louis
PFLAG Greeley
PFLAG Greensburg
PFLAG Greenville
PFLAG Greenville SC
PFLAG Grosse Pointe
PFLAG Hampton Roads
PFLAG Hannibal-Quincy
PFLAG Hanover/Madison
PFLAG Hartford
PFLAG Homer Glen Lockport
PFLAG Homewood-Flossmoor
PFLAG Huntsville TX
PFLAG Indianapolis
PFLAG Ithaca-Cortland
PFLAG Juneau
PFLAG Kansas City
PFLAG Lafayette
PFLAG Lafayette/Tippecanoe County
PFLAG LAS VEGAS
PFLAG Lawrenceville
PFLAG Livonia
PFLAG Madison
PFLAG Manhattan Beach/South Bay
PFLAG Marietta
PFLAG Milwaukee
PFLAG Moraga/Lamorinda
PFLAG Mount Pleasant
PFLAG Nashville
PFLAG National
PFLAG New Prague Area
PFLAG NYC
PFLAG Oak Park Area
PFLAG Oakland-East Bay
PFLAG of Port Huron
PFLAG Pawleys Island
PFLAG Peoria
PFLAG Plymouth-Canton
PFLAG Portland Maine
PFLAG Roaring Fork Valley
PFLAG Rockford
PFLAG Rome Georgia Chapter
PFLAG Sacramento
PFLAG Salisbury
PFLAG San Diego County
PFLAG San Francisco
PFLAG San Jose/Peninsula
PFLAG Sandy Springs
PFLAG Santa Barbara
PFLAG Santa Clarita
PFLAG Sarasota
PFLAG Seattle
PFLAG Silver City New Mexico
PFLAG Somerset
PFLAG Southern Maryland
PFLAG SOUTHERN PINES
PFLAG Springfield/SWMO
PFLAG Stanwood-Camano
PFLAG Statesville
PFLAG Stillwater
PFLAG Tinley Park
PFLAG Tulare & Kings Counties
PFLAG Tulsa
PFLAG Tulsa
PFLAG Wenatchee
PFLAG West Chester/Chester County
PFLAG Westminster Carroll County
PFLAG Youngstown
PFLAG-Clinton Twp, MI
PFLAG-LA
PFLAG-WESTCHESTER COUNTY (NY)
PFLAG, Princeton NJ Chapter
PFLAGStormLake
Point of Pride
Pride Center of Vermont
Pride Lafayette (Indiana)
Queer Vox
QueerLit Collective
Rainbow Labs
Rochester Rainbow Union
Rock Hill PFLAG
Rockland County Pride Center
SAGE
Shoals Diversity Center
Solano Pride Center
Somos Familia Valle
Spencer Pride, Inc.
Tennessee Equality Project
The Frederick Center
The LGBTQ Center of Durham
The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert
The LIAM Foundation
The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center
The Pride Center at Equality Park
The Prideful Path Project
Transcanwork
Transgender Education Network of Texas
Transgender Law Center
Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico
Tranzmission, Inc
Twisted Arts
Waves Ahead Corp
Wenatchee PFlag
Youth Pride Association
