As Trump takes aim at trans people, here's how you can help

A list of actions that individuals and elected officials can take

Donald Trump is back in the White House, and his administration wasted no time resuming its campaign against trans people. Federal agencies are already rolling back protections, state governments are doubling down on bans on healthcare and public participation, and the far right has made it clear that their ultimate goal isn’t just restricting transition but eliminating it altogether.

None of this is an accident. Republicans didn’t stumble into power and then accidentally start dismantling trans rights. They came in with a plan.

From the moment they took office, Trump and his allies worked to strip away every protection trans people had won—revoking Title IX guidance, ending workplace protections, banning trans people from military service, and cracking down on access to healthcare. They moved fast because they understood something Democrats too often don’t: power is only useful if you use it to cement lasting change.

If Democrats don’t start planning now for how to undo this damage in a way that makes it harder for the next Republican administration to repeat it, they’ll be right back where they were in 2020—patching things up, knowing full well that it can all be torn away again the next time Republicans win an election. It’s not enough to restore what was lost. The goal should be building a legal framework that protects trans people long-term, even under hostile leadership.

There are things individuals can do today, things state and local officials could enact immediately, and things that will require a Democrat to win in 2028 to have any chance at the national level.

Here’s what that looks like.

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1. What Individuals Can Do Right Now

These are actions you can take immediately—no waiting for an election, no permission needed.

Speak Up When It Matters

• Defend trans people in everyday conversations. If someone is mocking or demeaning trans people, don’t let it slide. Silence creates the illusion of consensus, and right now, the far right is trying to push the idea that hating trans people is normal and acceptable. Push back.

Provide Direct Support

• Give money, no strings attached. There are trans people raising money for medical care, housing, and basic survival every day. Search “trans gofundme” on social media and donate directly.

• Offer shelter. If you have space, even for a short time, you could help someone escape a dangerous situation.

• Cover costs for document changes. Many trans people get stuck with the wrong name or gender marker on IDs because of expensive fees or bureaucratic hurdles. If you have the means, help pay or navigate the process.

• Provide transportation. Whether it’s a ride to a doctor’s appointment, a job interview, or out of an unsafe state, reliable transport can be life-saving.

• Fund gender-affirming care. Hormones, prescriptions, hair removal, voice therapy—these aren’t luxuries, they’re necessities. If you can afford to help, do it.

Build Community Safety

• Be a security presence at events. Anti-trans protesters and hate groups are increasingly targeting Pride events, drag shows, and community gatherings. If you can safely attend and act as a buffer, do it.

• Form rapid response networks. If a trans person is evicted, discriminated against at work, or facing immediate harm, having a group ready to step in can be life-saving.

• Run for school board or local or state office. The far right has spent years organizing to take over local positions, using them to push anti-trans policies in schools and government. If you’re in a position to run for office—even something as small as school board—you can serve as a powerful, supportive voice in the halls of power.

Create Long-Term Support Systems

• Set up a safe housing network. Trans families are fleeing hostile states. Help people relocate, settle into new communities, and access resources.

• Help trans people navigate hostile laws. If you’re a lawyer, offer pro bono legal services for name changes, gender marker updates, or discrimination cases.

• Fund care beyond just hormones. If you’re an aesthetician, dentist, hairstylist, or other beauty professional, offering discounts or free services can make a huge difference.

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2. What State and Local Officials Could Enact Immediately

Not every solution requires a Democratic Congress or the presidency. State and local officials could take these steps right now to protect trans people from federal overreach.

• Expand funding for gender clinics at state boundaries. If Republicans want to create healthcare deserts for trans people, Democratic states should counter by ensuring well-funded, well-staffed gender clinics are positioned near the borders of hostile states, offering fast, easy access to care.

• Make name and gender marker changes free and easy. No unnecessary fees, no bureaucratic hoops.

• Fund trans shelters and housing programs. Homelessness is a crisis in the trans community, and local governments could help solve it today.

• Ban the ‘trans panic’ defense in court. No one should be able to justify violence by claiming shock at someone’s gender.

• Ensure trans women are housed in women’s prisons. States have the ability to pass laws requiring trans women be placed in facilities that align with their gender identity, reducing the risk of assault and abuse.

• Provide universal public defenders for civil cases. Right now, people only get a public defender if they’re charged with a crime. But trans people facing housing discrimination, employment discrimination, wrongful denial of healthcare, or barriers to changing their name and gender marker are often forced to fight these battles alone. Establishing public defenders for civil cases would make these protections enforceable.

• Sue the federal government to block trans women from being transferred to male prisons and forced to detransition. Federal agencies—including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Bureau of Prisons—have a history of placing trans women in men’s facilities and even cutting off their access to hormones. Suing to block these transfers and ensure continued medical care is a necessary step in preventing state-sanctioned abuse.

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3. What Can Only Be Done If a Democrat Wins in 2028

Some changes require national action. If Democrats retake the presidency and Congress, these should be immediate priorities:

• Remove gender markers from federal IDs. There’s no reason a passport or Social Security card needs to label someone’s gender. Their addition is a relatively modern development, but a current picture and name should suffice for identification. People have a right to privacy where their genitals are concerned.

• Erase government records of past gender changes. Trans people should not be forcibly outed through old documentation. The best way to prevent a repeat of the chaos that Donald Trump is enacting would be to remove all records of old passports or other identification.

• Make hormones available over the counter. There’s no medical reason why estrogen and testosterone should be locked behind unnecessary gatekeeping. Other countries make hormones available alongside cough medicine and other medical care.

• Deschedule testosterone. Right now, testosterone is classified as a controlled substance, adding unnecessary barriers to access. Removing it from the controlled substances list would make it easier for both trans men and cis men to obtain without excessive restrictions.

• Mandate insurance coverage for transition-related care. No one should have to fight with their insurance company for life-saving treatment.

• Expand Medicaid and public health coverage for gender-affirming care. Cost should never be a barrier to basic medical care.

• Recognize trans persecution as grounds for asylum. Trans people fleeing hostile states or countries should have legal protection.

• Pass stronger anti-discrimination protections in employment and housing. A right to work should include a right to be treated with dignity—and businesses that violate these policies should face real consequences.

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Helping Trans People Isn’t Theoretical—It’s Urgent

Trans people don’t need symbolic gestures. We need shelter. We need money. We need safety.

So if you’ve ever asked, How can I help?—this is your answer. Give money. Offer shelter. Show up. Be useful.

Because the people trying to make life impossible for trans people aren’t waiting. And neither should you.