Doin’ the work at Black Girlz Rulez
Over the years we have seen a record number of murders of Black Trans Women, as well as new attempts to criminalize the Black trans community. With the recent announcement of the Trump administration’s attempt to write transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex identities out of existence, it’s clear that our communities are facing a war launched against our bodies and our lives. The impact of this war is falling particularly heavily on the South and Midwest regions of the U.S., where the majority of the murders of Black Trans Women in the past year have occurred. Trans, gender non-conforming, and intersex (TGI) folks in these regions often cannot obtain government-issued identification that shows their actual (rather than assigned at birth) name and gender marker, which affects their ability to find work, housing, and health care. Gender-affirming medical care is also inaccessible in many parts of the U.S., which is particularly detrimental in these regions where gender non-conformance is met with increased violence—especially for Black and Brown women.?
At the same time, in other parts of the U.S.—like California and New York—TGI folks have gained significant victories in the fight for access to health care, legal name and gender changes, and freedom from discrimination, violence, and oppression. Many TGI folks in areas where these rights have not been recognized, particularly those who also face the oppressive forces of anti-Blackness and misogyny, lack the resources to relocate to regions with better care, access, and resources.
In order to develop an organized response to these attacks, Transgender, Gender Variant, Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) is calling for an emergency convening of Black Trans Femes/People with a centering folks from Florida and the south to develop a national organizing campaign that will look at how the intersections of racism, criminalization, and transphobia are impacting Black Trans Women. This convening will advance the work during the previous three #BlackGirlzRulez conferences, building this existing network while creating space to focus on the spike in violence and transphobic rhetoric at the federal level.
A key part of the campaign will focus on developing a national network of Black Trans-led organizations who will provide support to Black Trans Fems, focusing in particular on the South and Midwest, to get the services and documents they need to recognize their existence and live their lives as they want. Based loosely on the idea of the Underground Railroad, Black Trans leaders from organizations across the country will be connected with TGIJP and other organizations, who will support them in gaining temporary residence in areas with increased access and opportunities for Black Trans Women.
Please join us in the movement!