10 ways you can take action and be an ally to trans people
1. Educate yourself. Find out how here.
2. Use a person’s correct gender pronouns when referring to or speaking with them. If you aren’t sure what pronouns to use, it’s alright to politely ask. For example, you could say “what pronouns do you use?” or “Hi, my name is Shane and my pronouns are they/them. What about you?” Do not ask for a transgender person’s “real name.” You can also join this DoSomething.org campaign to challenge your classmates to not use masculine/feminine pronouns for a day.
3. Speak to transgender people like you would cisgender people, or people that are not transgender. Avoid comments that you wouldn’t say to cisgender people such as:
a. “He’s so hot. I’d date him even though he’s transgender.”
b. “You look like a real woman.”
c. “You look so pretty, I would have never known you weren’t a real woman.”
d. “What was it like being born a boy?”
e. “What surgeries have you had?”
f. “What’s it like to have sex as a transgender?
g. You’d pass so much better if you wore more/less make-up, had a better wig, etc.”
#4: Seek out and listen to the stories of transgender people in your community. Speak out in solidarity when you read stories about transgender people facing violence or the startling number of transgender women who have been murdered because of who they are.
#5. Share positive things you’re seeing regarding why trans rights matter on social media using #goodlook and Laverne Cox’s #TransIsBeautiful
#6: Keep updated on what’s going on in the trans community by liking the TransAdvocate and National Center for Transgender Equality pages on Facebook.
7. Call out gender policing that discriminates against a person’s level of masculinity or femininity when you see it.
8. Advocate for all-gender bathrooms in your school or community. You can start a petition here to get gender neutral bathrooms on your campus.
9. Join a local Gay-Straight Alliance through GLSEN or the GSA Network, or learn how to take action on your college campus with Campus Pride.
10. Take part in Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to honor those victims of anti-transgender violence, on Nov. 20.
For even more tips on how to be an ally to trans people, check out this list from our partners at GLAAD.
turnnoffyourmind
discoholicmusic
prguitarman
vaporwave
yousharknotpass
gummygunk
