Dear John,

As trans and gender nonconforming people, we have never depended on any president or the courts to give us what we deserve. However, we pause to take a collective breath and hold space for this moment of uncertainty.

With uncertainty can come fear, confusion, anxiety, and hopelessness. In the face of this, our communities are doing what they have always done: mobilizing to support and protect one another. We are the people we need.

Community members who encountered any kind of discrimination or intimidation at the polls — regardless of if you were able to vote or not — can report it at TLDEF’s Election Day Discrimination website and an attorney will be in touch.

If you are feeling the fear, hopelessness, or anxiety of this moment can reach out to Trans Lifeline's Peer Support Hotline, the New York City Anti-Violence Project’s Hotline, the SAGE National LGBT Elder Hotline, the Trevor Project, or the LGBT National Help Center. This guide, People Living with HIV in the U.S.: We Are Here for You, In and Beyond the 2020 Election includes information for safety planning. 

Please also join us today on our Facebook page from 5-7 pm ET/2-4 pm PT, for A Grounding and Healing Space: Holding Our Community Close After the Election, where we will hear from beloved movement elder Miss Major, Erica Woodland, Founder & Executive Director, National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network, and more.

As trans people, we have built beautiful, powerful networks of support in claiming our liberation and ensuring our ability to survive and thrive. Today, we pause to breathe through uncertainty, even as we get back to what we have always done best — supporting each other while defining ourselves and our own futures. 

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P.S. A love letter brings joy and comfort, and we could all use some joy at this moment. Share in joy and write a love letter to trans people today. 

Mariah and the TLC team