Transgender People Deserve More

In honor of Transgender Awareness Month and Transgender Day of Remembrance, More Than Sex-Ed's Executive Director, Robin Darling, shares a blog about the importance of inclusioin for transgender people and the implications of current rhetoric.

Transgender people exist. They are people and they deserve dignity and respect.

This shouldn’t be a controversial statement, but in this political climate we are seeing so many opinions that wrongly erase, devalue, and dehumanize trans people. Transgender Awareness Month, held every November, feels critical right now. This month includes Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20), a day that memorializes the trans people who died due to violence (Learn more or get involved here). This month is dedicated to increasing transgender visibility, honoring our trans communities, and clearly addressing the discrimination and violence that transgender people face on a regular basis. Though I wish we were at a point where this awareness month was unnecessary, building safer communities for trans people is still crucial to creating the world I want to live in.

Arguments over the existence of trans and non-binary people feel particularly degrading, especially when I see, know, and talk to trans people every day. Trans people deserve better than that. Trans and nonbinary people are real, they are here, and they have existed for longer than this country in many cultures and communities around the world (Learn more here). Trans people are valuable members of our families and communities, and they all deserve the right to live free from violence.

The current discussions about bathrooms, sports equity, and children’s safety are often used to deny dignity and rights to trans people who are simply trying to live their lives. These may seem like hot topics to debate on the internet, especially by people who have no expertise in the field of gender and sexuality. However, the discursive language present in these discussions disregards the humanity of trans people, making it more than just differing opinions. Language matters. The prevalence of harmful anti-trans rhetoric has a real impact on real peoples’ lives. Opinions are being used as weapons to undermine the safety of trans people everywhere, especially trans and nonbinary youth. The hostility of the public discourse about trans people makes it extremely important to create spaces for trans and nonbinary youth to be themselves and learn about the diversity of human relationships and sexuality in inclusive and shame-free ways. No one needs to do anything or be anything to earn their right to exist.

According to the 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People conducted by The Trevor Project, “90% of LGBTQ+ young people said their well-being was negatively impacted due to recent politics.” Many families are even considering moving states due the legal and policy changes that negatively impact trans youth. The same study found that almost half (49%) of LGBTQ+ young people ages 13-17 experienced bullying in the past year. Those who experienced bullying reported significantly higher rates of suicidality. This means the demeaning language and divisive political discussions are more than just debate, they are deadly. There were almost 1000 documented anti-LGBTQ incidents between May 2024 to May 2025 in the US, and over 50% of those incidents were targeting transgender and gender non-conforming people (2025 GLAAD ALERT Desk Report). Black trans women are disproportionately at risk of these attacks, making up over 50% of fatal trans violence in 2024 (Human Rights Campaign). Data indicates that it is getting riskier to exist as a trans person in the US, which means efforts to counter this hate are more crucial than ever.

I have worked in the field of gender and sexuality for over 20 years. Even anecdotally, I am experiencing more brazen transphobia from people in recent years. During workshops and discussions there are more participants who feel fine sharing harmful, hateful, and demeaning language, and devaluing of the dignity of trans people. I know this translates directly to harm. This is why LGBTQ+ stigma reduction work is more important than ever. There are strong voices out there advocating for the transgender community and human decency. Sometimes those with harmful opinions are just louder. Being vocal and pushing back against ignorance, hatred, and bigotry is vital. 

I want more than increased awareness about the trans and nonbinary people in our communities. Rather than mourning losses in increasing numbers due to the violence perpetuated against transgender people, I want to be celebrating their joy, their accomplishments, and their existence. That celebration is an act of resistance, though I wish it didn’t have to be. I see these celebrations in many spaces, communities, and from those who are fighting for equity for all people and that gives me hope. This month, and all months, I will continue to fight back against the excessive discrimination and violence experienced by trans and nonbinary people. I will repeat it until it is ubiquitous, transgender people are people and they deserve dignity and respect.