Transgender Awareness Week reveals a community in crisis

The 2024 presidential race brought unprecedented vitriol into the public sphere, leaving many transgender people feeling especially marginalized and vulnerable. Campaign rhetoric demonized the transgender community, stoking prejudice and fear.

With the election outcome now decided, the prejudice lingers. And in the transgender community, fear has turned into panic over the prospect that President Trump’s campaign promises restricting transgender rights will become reality.

November 13th-19th is Transgender Awareness Week, and CNN’s ‘Impact Your World’ is spotlighting ways to help trans people and their loved ones navigate these challenging times.

Fear and anxiety surge

The Trevor Project is a non-profit focusing on suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ people. Calls to the group’s crisis line increased more than 700% after the election. Another support group, the Trans Lifeline, has been inundated with more calls than it can handle.

Before the 2024 campaign season, the transgender population already experienced higher levels of depression and anxiety than other groups. These levels tended to skyrocket amid threats of anti-trans legislation, with suicide rates increasing up to 72% when such legislation became law.

There is a significant fear of more anti-trans legislation as a result of this election, adding to the anxiety and depression many have felt throughout the campaign, according to Tiffany Chenneville, a licensed psychologist and former fellow at the American Psychological Foundation.

Chenneville spoke about the persistent negative framing of this community during the election and the harm caused when so few challenged the misinformation.

“There is a feeling of rejection and a lack of support. And sometimes those negative stigmas become internalized and they feel even more marginalized and alone,” Chenneville explains. “I think that allies, friends and family members of this community need to especially now provide that unconditional support.”

For transgender individuals, their families and their friends that are fearful of what might happen, these organizations offer counseling and support.

Bracing for legal uncertainty

The transgender community is bracing for a surge of legal challenges that may impact healthcare access and civil rights.

Lambda Legal, an LGBTQ civil rights organization, has fielded almost twice their usual number of help desk requests since the election. “Many are feeling scared and angry and are looking for resources for what actions they can take now prior to the new administration taking office,” explains the group’s Deputy Legal Director, Paul D. Castillo.

Heron Greenesmith, the Deputy Director of Policy at the Transgender Law Center, says their group has received a large volume of calls from transgender individuals trying to understand the process to update identification documents such as birth certificates and passports.

“Getting identification that matches someone’s lived name and gender is a priority with an incoming administration that promises to be anti-transgender on day one,” Greenesmith told CNN.

The Transgender Law Center offers an online resource specifically for identification changes. Here is a list of additional resources and organizations offering legal assistance.

Securing gender-affirming care

Many transgender people fear losing access to essential treatments. More than half of the states have some restrictions on gender-affirming care, some carrying potential felony charges.

Now, the 2024 election has prompted fears of federal restrictions.

“Folks have been asking about how to obtain or keep their gender-affirming healthcare,” explains Ash Lazarus Orr, who is with Advocates for Trans Equality. “And we have resources on how to navigate your healthcare rights in the state or region you are in.”

Here are some of the organizations providing assistance and guidance for gender-affirming healthcare.

Trying to stay safe

Violence against the transgender community has sharply increased, with recent FBI data showing a 16% rise in hate crimes related to gender identity in 2023.

Sean Ebony Coleman founded Destination Tomorrow, a non-profit supporting the LGBT community. “We are already seeing bullying; that is how it starts,” Coleman told CNN, reflecting on the rhetoric of the 2024 presidential race. “The demonization has made it easier as they see us as less than humanity, and having less protection. So we are looking to the community to find ways to keep us safe.”

Coleman grew particularly alarmed when the political attacks went broadly unanswered.

“It was stoking fear, stoking violence, and then not to see the factual information that could counter their claims. You allow them to punch down and that was not stopped,” Coleman exclaimed. “And now we are doing what we can to stick together for one another.”

Coleman’s non-profit is one of many planning an event for Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is observed on November 20th at the end of Transgender Awareness Week. The day recognizes the people who have lost their lives each year to anti-transgender violence. The Human Rights Campaign reports 28 deaths so far in 2024.

These resources can help provide assistance for safety concerns.