For decades, the storyline of LGBTQ+ activism in the US has been one of progress – often slow and hard-won, but inexorably moving forward. Now, facing unprecedented attacks in state legislatures, transgender rights leaders acknowledge they are on the defensive — and two of the largest groups are joining forces to counter the attack.
“This will be a defense game — and a game that strengthens the movement,” said Andy Marra, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund. “We have witnessed a sophisticated, well-coordinated and highly resourced effort to dismantle the years of progress our movement has made.”
The gist of the attack: dozens of bills passed in Republican-controlled states in recent years targeting transgender people. Many laws ban gender-affirming medical care for trans minors or ban trans athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s scholastic sports teams.
With a new wave of anti-trans measures already introduced this year, the TLDEF and the National Center for Transgender Equality announced in January that they plan to merge this summer. The new organization will be called Advocates for Trans Equality; Marra will be the CEO, while the executive director will be Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, who now holds that title at the NCTE.
Marra said a key moment in the decision to consider the merger came in 2022. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott, both Republicans, ordered state child welfare workers to investigate families of trans children for what Abbott called “abusive gender transition services.” .”
“I knew we needed a stronger and bolder response to the unprecedented vitriol and legislative attacks on transgender people across the country,” Marra said.
Unlike some mergers, this one is not aimed at cost savings or consolidation, according to Heng-Lehtinen. He said that each organization’s current staff will be retained, and that the new organization – after adding a few new employees – will likely have about 50 employees by the end of the year, working from offices in New York and Washington, as well as from a distance.
“When you hear ‘merger’ you think there is some kind of crisis or duplication of effort,” he said. “Not in this case; we just think we will be stronger.”
For Marra and Heng-Lehtinen – and their allies in other LGBTQ+ rights organizations – it is crucial to continue litigating against anti-trans laws state by state. While some measures have had effect, others have been blocked by federal judges, including some appointed by Republican presidents.
Another priority in this election year is conducting political campaigns.
“We need pro-trans elected officials to win their races and defeat candidates who attack trans people just to score political points,” Heng-Lehtinen said. He portrayed anti-trans vitriol as a response to the broader gains the LGBTQ+ rights movement has made in recent decades.
“Anti-LGBT groups are shaking in their boots,” he said. “We’ve made a lot of progress and that’s why they’re fighting so hard.”
He has been immersed in politics since childhood; his mother, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, served in Congress for 30 years, starting when he was three years old.
Unlike most of her fellow Republicans in Congress, Ros-Lehtinen became a staunch supporter of LGBTQ+ rights — for example, she became the first Republican House member to support the legalization of same-sex marriage. She vocally supported Rodrigo’s decision to come out as a transgender man.
“What makes our family so proud of Rodrigo is that he is so happy to live an authentic life, be honest about who he is and bring a lot of joy into our lives,” Ros-Lehtinen said in a video from 2016 in which he urged parents to accept their feelings. trans children.
The national political climate – regarding LGBTQ+ rights – has changed dramatically since then.
In 2016, after North Carolina passed a “bathroom law” restricting the use of public restrooms by transgender people, there was a major backlash, including the cancellation of potentially lucrative business projects and sporting events.
Over the past few years, the business community has generally avoided similar threats as new anti-trans measures went into effect in North Carolina and elsewhere. Bud Light sales fell due to conservative backlash over an ad campaign featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Marra suggested that many companies have become more reluctant to wade into potentially divisive political issues, at a time when advocacy groups are scrutinizing how they handle issues like affirmative action and workforce diversity.
“We want them to stay true to their values,” says Marra.
The cumulative impact of anti-trans laws has been palpable, with surveys showing that many trans people have considered moving to another city or state that would be more accepting. In recent years, several new organizations have emerged to offer emergency financing to individuals and families affected by anti-trans legislation, either to relocate or to obtain medical care or services outside their home state.
Marra, who has been active in the LGBTQ+ rights movement for 20 years, says she remains optimistic despite the current setbacks.
“We are in the fight of our lives right now in many ways, but ultimately we are on the right side of history,” she said.
“This year we have the opportunity to bring the next generation of voters into the next chapter of the fight for equality in this country,” she added. “We need to engage everyday people across the country and share our stories.”