There are no magical or whizz bang ways to support trans people in this blog. You’ve likely thought of and are doing some already. But as its easy to feel overwhelmed of late, and for us ADHDers to get distracted. So I figure its handy having a list of concrete things we can do to make life any way better for trans people.
Disclaimer; I’m Aussie, nonbinary, and I feel safe marching the streets protesting for trans rights in biological-sex non-conforming clothing. That’s a world away from how I’d feel as a nonbinary person, let alone a trans woman in the US or UK right now. I will try, despite my autistic tendency to have black and white notions of right and wrong, and to respond strongly to injustice, to be realistic here. To give you practical actions to take to support trans people, beyond feeling awful for us or merely saying how awful what’s happening to us in the US and UK is. Because actions give you purpose, purpose is motivating, and knowing you’re having even a small positive impact is a weapon to wield against the apathy or overwhelm that threatens us in the face of great odds.
Listen to & UpLift Trans Voices
The Listening Bit
Honestly, as a nonbinary author who wrote an entire trilogy with a nonbinary character, I’m just waiting for Amazon to hide or remove Ruarnon Trilogy from their digital bookshelves. This is an era in which some people are desperate to erase trans people, and a big part of that is silencing us. If you don’t know any trans people, some of us post sometimes about being trans on social media. I invite you to follow a few trans people who share your interests; books, SFF, fishing —whatever your interests may be. Listen to what we say. Gain some insights into what life looks like from our shoes.
Go further; read some books/ articles/ blogs by trans authors. Watch shows or films (ideally by us) that give insight into what its like to be us. Most of us alive today grew up in a world hugely ignorant of, often denying the existence of, and at times like the present, outright hateful towards trans people. When I identified as nonbinary, a lot of people weren’t sure what I meant. As the most articulate said, ‘That’s outside my experience/ upbringing.’ So bring it inside your experience. Educate yourself.
Anywhere along the road of trans education, Jamie Doger’s youtube channel is a brilliant resource.
The Uplifting Bit
You can do more than. Reposting trans voices on Bsky (yes my favourite social media and hence my example) is simple. Reposting a post, a blog, a podcast or book about trans experiences is a simple way to help us project our voices loud enough to be heard by a wider audience.
If you have a blog, podcast, youtube etc; consider interviewing a trans person who share’s the interest(s) your space is focused on. Consider how you can share the social media space you have to help marginalised people (yes Palestinians, yes immigrants, black people, Asian people, disabled people, Jewish people —any humans some people are trying to step on) to be heard. The more any marginalised humans are known, and understood by more people; the less unknown and ‘scary’ we become.
Hatred thrives on ignorance and lies. Helping marginalised people spread our truths is a means of combatting that head on.
(Yes fellow Aussies; we need more Aboriginal truth telling).
Support Trans Creatives
If you like books, or art; please consider browsing the work of trans authors and artists. Threat of homelessness and living with disability eg. chronic illnesses that severely limits your capacity to work, are two challenges trans people are disproportionately likely to face. And for those who seek it, gender affirming treatment is often prohibitively expensive.
So if you happen to be looking for books or art (yes that you genuinely think you will enjoy), please consider ours!
If you like behind the scenes peaks from artists or writers, eg. short stories, works in progress etc, consider supporting a trans (and or other marginalised) creative via their Patreon, Kofi etc.
Trans Rights
No, don’t bother posting ‘Trans Rights are Human Rights’ on Bsky. Its a left wing platform; we know trans people are human and therefore trans rights are human rights. If you care about trans rights; do something meaningful to support the protection of trans rights.
On The Ground Support; Marches & Protests
Do attend trans rights protests, if you feel physically safe doing so and are physically able. (For the second year running I’m skipping the Transgender Day of Visibility march because my fatigue-plagued body isn’t up to it today). But when you are physically/ safely able; be visible. Show fascists you don’t support them by physically standing with us.
Political Support; Sign Petitions
It takes a few seconds. And requires so little effort. Its a very simple, yet effective way to tell your government (state or national) where you stand on trans rights (and other rights/ climate change). Change.org is a great source of petitions (for any cause). The link I just gave will let you search it (for trans rights and any other causes you feel strongly about).
If you’re looking for current petitions (in your country or globally), maybe paste ‘trans rights petitions’ into the search bar of your browser, or social media to find some to sign.
Tell People in Power to Protect Trans Rights
I know, this one requires a clear head (I haven’t had that due to illness for two weeks). It also needs physical and emotional energy (I’ve been low on spoons) and concentration (damn you ADHD).
I’ve had a draft letter to my federal/ national member for Aussie Parliament in my email for a few weeks. At present, by the time I check facts, I forget my letter’s contents. And when I remember what I’m trying to say; I forget facts. (FYI this is what ADHD/ autistic overload looks like). My spoons are so low that I might need to search the internet for a template that states my concerns, then re-word it to sound like me. (I hear it sounding like you makes it more striking at the receiving end).
But I want to send that letter. I want the person who represents my electorate in my nation’s government to know that I am VERY strongly opposed to any measure that curbs the rights of trans humans. (Hell, maybe I should tell him exactly that!)
Because this step requires extra effort/ spoons/ time; far less people will do it. I think means your letter will speak LOUDER. And speaking loudly to people in power, who can actually impact trans rights, seems a damn good idea at this time.
Don’t Be a Bystander
Don’t put your head in the sand. Or pretend you didn’t hear that comment or ask ‘did they really say that?’. In 2025, if you’re in the US or UK; they did say it. If you’re in Canada, Australia and much of the rest of the world, yeah, there’s a fair chance they did say it. Don’t ask if you just witnessed transphobia (or violence against a woman, for that matter), ask yourself; do I feel comfortable challenging the person disrespecting someone they think is trans? Or am I more comfortable showing my support to a person targeted with transphobia?
I was once on a bus where a man was telling a teenager not to be so loud. At some point the teenager said, ‘I’m autistic’ and the man, who clearly had no understanding of autism whatsoever said, ‘That’s no excuse.’ The man was so obnoxious and arrogant in his ignorance that I didn’t have enough time to respond to him (before the bus reached the next city). But I, and several other people did find words in that brief moment of time for the teenager. Our words were very much along the lines of, ‘It’s entirely his problem. You’ve done nothing wrong.’
What we were really saying was, ‘Only he agrees with him. He doesn’t speak for any of us. We all think you’re fine.’
Demonstrating that the other people on the bus don’t agree with the ableist can help marginalised people feel more secure, in an era that predisposes us to increasing levels of insecurity (and actual physical danger and emotional turmoil).
Tell Transphobes Their Transphobia is NOT ok
Ideally, adults will tell people making transphobic comments in public that its not ok, the same way adults respond to teens bullying a kid in this video. I know; its scarier when the bully is adults, let alone the president of America. But in teaching we have a saying; the standard you ignore is the standard you accept. If I don’t tell a kid speaking to others like that is not ok; I am tacitly telling them it is ok to talk to others like that. In teaching; a behaviour unchallenged is a behaviour accepted.
The scariest thing to me about neo-Nazis turning up to support TERF Posie Parker in MY capital city in 2023, was a neo-Nazi presuming he was defending ‘normies’ from the ‘threat’ trans people’s existence poses. He seemed to assume he was acting in the interests of ordinary Aussies., even as he stood on the steps of my state’s parliament building doing a Nazi salute (which we’ve since passed laws against).
Its all very well to say ‘fuck that, fuck him and fuck Nazis.’ But its far more powerful to show him/ Nazis your opposition by marching in the streets with a ‘respect trans rights’ sign in your hands. To fly a trans flag (anywhere in public). He can’t pretend then. Or deny. He can’t delude himself into thinking many people don’t oppose him because of his refusal to accept, let alone respect the existence of trans humans (and Jewish humans, black humans, disabled humans, etc).
Other Ideas
If its physically safe for you to do so; be bold in your support. Fly a flag. Wear a t-shirt or a pin in public with a clear message of support. Attend performances by trans actors, signers, comedians, choirs etc. Display a sign in a public space.
For my favourite example of the above, a Melbourne bus company has the image and message below on some of their regular buses. Yes, 365 days a year, in a genuine display of allyship, not just for Pride Month.
I’ll end by again stating that being publicly visible in your support of trans people’s existence and rights is invaluable in denying fascists the opportunity, via your silence, to presume their attacks on trans people speak or act for you.
