This Transgender Awareness Week, we celebrated, honored, and uplifted our trans community — but we also confronted a painful truth: it’s a frightening time for so many in our country.
Today in America, trans people are targeted by hate that lives in laws and hearts. This year, more than 1,000 anti-trans bills have been introduced across the country. We’re seeing a continued rise in violent and dehumanizing rhetoric from elected officials. And earlier this year, Donald Trump banned trans service members from serving in our military again.
It’s cruelty for cruelty’s sake, and it’s a reminder that progress isn’t always linear.
But we must remain firm in our values and our vision in this moment – and, just as importantly, we should never give up on our ability to win over more people to more fully see our humanity and support our rights. It’s not always fair work, and it’s certainly not always easy work, but through the power of our proximity, we can still open the hearts and change the minds of imperfect or unlikely allies.
Growing up, I never imagined that I would one day serve in public office — let alone Congress — as my authentic self. But last November, because of hundreds of thousands of voters and supporters in Delaware and across the country, we shattered the national lavender glass ceiling and proved that our democracy can be big enough for all of us.
That’s what we celebrated this Trans Awareness Week. Our visibility in public life and stories of trans joy not only have the ability to inspire one another. They also have the capacity to push past the caricatures to invite more people in, to grow the tent of allies, to defeat the hateful attacks, and to lay the foundation for freedom and safety for trans people in every corner of our country and every part of our globe.
And as the first trans member of Congress to be elected, the way I can guarantee I’m not the last is to quite simply be the best member of Congress that I can be. To continue to fight for what’s right and for those who need it most. And to show that trans people are multi-dimensional human beings.
That’s exactly what I will continue to do — and I’m going to need your help every step of the way.
In solidarity,
Sarah McBride
