It's Up To Us To Fight For Our Rights

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1. Make your voice heard. Democracy.io provides contact information for your elected officials; most offices have a website where you can submit messages online. Phone, email, and snail mail are effective ways to contact your government representatives (especially Republican representatives)! Members of Congress in the House and Senate, as well as some Republican Governors, will be up for reelection. The next big referendum opportunity on this administration (and its enablers) is in 2026. Let's hold them accountable for their targeting of the transgender community. A copy-and-paste message can be used below.
   
   Dear ________,
   I am writing to encourage you to champion the rights of transgender and non-binary youth, and to help preserve their access to medically appropriate gender-affirming care. These children deserve the same inclusion and protection that every child does.
   Many transgender youth and their families are facing the frightening reality of enacted or proposed state legislation and Donald Trump's executive orders which are aimed at preventing them from receiving widely accepted medical care. In some cases, these families have made difficult decisions to uproot their lives to maintain necessary treatment. Legislation that limits gender-affirming care threatens the safety, health, and well-being of transgender children and their families.
   I urge you to join me in fully supporting transgender youth, including preserving or reinstating their access to medically appropriate gender-affirming medical care, because they deserve the same rights and care as any citizen or resident of this country.
   Sincerely,
   [insert name]

2. Be informed. Know how your elected representatives are voting and if their votes represent YOU and your opinions. Click here to view the Human Rights Campaign’s most recent Congressional Scorecard on trans rights: Measuring Support for Equality in the 118th Congress.
    

3. Send a note of support to other trans teens. https://southernequality.org/transyouthmessages/
    

4. Register to vote (or vote if you’re already registered). Be a part of the solution by voting for the candidates who represent you and support equal rights for everyone. Many states allow teens to pre-register so that they are able to vote as soon as they turn 18. Find out how to register to vote in your state here: https://vote.gov/
    

5. Support the Equality Act. Sign the petition which urges Congress to pass the Equality Act into law. The Equality Act would provide protection against discrimination for LGBTQ people with regard to employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces/services, federally funded programs, and jury service. https://act.hrc.org/page/76326/data/1
    

6. Be an ally. The Human Rights Campaign offers this checklist on how to be an ally for transgender people. 
    

7. Write an op-ed or letter-to-the-editor in your local newspaper supporting transgender teens’ right to appropriate medical care. Here’s a “how to” guide for crafting an effective op-ed.