We wish Team Liquid best of luck this for the 2021 season, which opens this Friday, February 5th, where they’ll start right on top!

We are elated to share our 2020 annual report with you! Over this remarkable past year, Feminist Frequency has shifted the scope of our work to include bold efforts to end abuse in the games industry. We launched the Games and Online Harassment Hotline, which provides real-time, confidential emotional support to anyone who makes or plays games. Feminist Frequency also continued to fill the airwaves with feminist media criticism and pop culture analysis through our Feminist Frequency Radio Podcast and our Feminist Frequency Star Trek Podcast.

To take a closer look at all the places (physical and digital) we’ve been in 2020, and where we’re going in 2021, check out our annual report.

So much gratitude, as always, to everyone who follows, supports, and amplifies the work we do; you make all of this possible. Thank you.

We’re thrilled to share our latest annual report with you!  In 2018, Feminist Frequency continued to be a vital resource for feminist media criticism, pop culture analysis, and online safety resources. We had a fantastic time bringing you the second season of our critically-acclaimed web series, The FREQ Show,  taking the Feminist Frequency Radio podcast  on the road, and talking with you about the stuff we’re all watching — because we know that you count on us to bring you thought-provoking perspectives on the media you care about.

To learn more about what we’ve been up to, including our convention adventures; Anita and Carolyn’s talks at prestigious events in the US and abroad; and the all-new Queer Tropes series that we’ll be dropping in early 2019, check out our annual report here.

Thank you for always following, supporting, and cheering on the work we do; we truly couldn’t do it with you. Thank you!

It’s officially one of our favorite months of the year! This May, we’re celebrating our 9th anniversary and our Second Annual Spring Campaign. We have so much in store for you over the next few months, but the biggest is undoubtedly the one so many of you keep asking about: the second season of The FREQ Show! This season, we’re going to back to basics and breaking down some key terms that we think everyone should understand, but whose exact definitions might not be clear to you. We’re talking things like privilege, intersectionality, misogyny, media literacy, and more! To help us produce this powerhouse pop culture and politics primer,  along with all the other engaged media criticism and online safety resources you depend on, we’re hoping to raise $35,000 by May 31st. Can you help make the world a little more media savvy and politically aware?

Over the past year, we’ve been talking, writing, and teaching about important topics like toxic masculinity, the marketing of mainstream feminism, reproductive justice, and and we’re going to keep speaking up about them, loudly! With so much work to be done, we’re hoping we can raise $35,000 by May 31st to support us in our efforts–and we can’t do it without you.

The FREQ Show season 1

Last year, we launched The FREQ Show with the intention of answering the question: What do representations of gender, race, and sexuality in pop culture have to do with the current social and political climate? We wanted to look at today’s most pressing social issues to consider how the things that we watch, listen to, and play actively influence our daily interactions. You watched and engaged with each episode, and called out for more! Thank you for being part of Feminist Frequency’s efforts create the kind of vital, thought-provoking, intersectional feminist media analysis that makes a difference.

Why are we raising $35,000?

Producing the intersectional feminist work we create costs money; and in order to have the resources to continue our work, we need your support. $35,000 will help us produce The FREQ Show, our new Tropes series looking at queer representations, our podcasts, and more!

I’m in! How can I contribute?

We’ve worked hard to make sure that our costs are pretty simple, streamlined, and straightforward. It includes things we need throughout the year, like web hosting services, graphic design and animation work, and video+ audio editing. If you want to support this thoughtful, necessary media criticism, join us now and know that you’re helping to ensure that a just and equitable media landscape for everyone.

We’re so excited to share Feminist Frequency’s Annual Report for 2017!  Year after year, Feminist Frequency continues to grow as an outlet for sharing feminist criticism, vital media literacy resources, and pop culture analysis. Last year marked the end of our popular and critically-acclaimed signature series, Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games, but we’re doing so much more!  From The FREQ Show to this year’s launch of the Star Trek Discovery Recap FREQcast (say that three times fast) and the Feminist Frequency Radio podcast, you can count on us to bring you analyses that celebrate, interrogate, and unpack the media you care about.

To learn more about what we’ve been up to, including our conference and convention attendance, Anita’s appearances at prestigious events here and abroad, and even our wildly fun Tropes wrap party, check out our 2017 Annual Report.

We plan to dig deeper and cast our nets wider in 2018 and beyond; for that, we depend on folks from all around the world. People just like you: engaged, thoughtful, and committed to supporting inclusive media for all. Without you, none of this would be possible. Thank you!

GAMES

Night in the Woods had been one of my most anticipated games since it was announced way back in 2013. I was first introduced to Scott Benson’s work through a short video on Vimeo called “But I’m a Nice Guy” and I was overjoyed by the beautiful animation style and the inspired lampooning of Men’s Rights Activist-styled misogynistic attitudes towards women. I was immediately drawn to Night in the Woods because of the charming, autumnal aesthetic featured in the original Kickstarter trailer, but I had no idea the final game would contain such memorable characters who I couldn’t wait to return to night after night. Some of the puzzles were rough and frustrating, but the residents of Possum Springs and their honest, believable struggles under late capitalism more than make up for it. Hey Scott, if you’re reading this, I still wanna collab with you on something! WINK WINK.

I did not get into Destiny; I came into it too late to make my way through the campaign with friends, and it just really does not shine as a solo experience. I gave up after a few nights. When Destiny 2 was released, I made sure I played it right away and sometimes played with friends to really get a sense of how the game feels, and it did not disappoint. Credit to the team at Bungie because they really know how to design a satisfying shooter. The worlds and levels were a delight to navigate, and while the story is far from notable or award winning, the characters, multifaceted and diverse, were enjoyable to follow on their quest to save the world, regain the light, stop evil… you know. Video Games.

I think why Destiny 2 struck a chord with me specifically is because I travel a lot. I’m rarely home. So when I do have a bit of time in my own house, I tend to hermit and not socialize very much. Destiny 2 was an opportunity for me to catch up with friends and get in some social time, all from the comfort of my own couch. This experience is not new to people who regularly play online games, but I’m not really one of those people. Playing through campaign levels with friends gave me a wonderful opportunity to spend time with people I rarely get the chance to, and save the galaxy while doing it.

MUSIC

This year I spent more time intentionally seeking out new music, and two albums released in 2017 that stick out are both by artists who are new to me. The first is rapper Rapsody’s second studio album called Laila’s Wisdom. Her beats and rhymes are solid and, of course, I’m thrilled to see another talented woman breaking through in the still very male-dominated hip-hop space. There are loads of guest appearances on the album; everyone from Kendrick Lamar to Terrance Martin to Busta Rhymes shows up. (I usually skip through the Busta Rhymes part ‘cause I can’t ignore his sexism and homophobia and frankly, I just don’t like him. I mean, lyrics like “puttin’ my seed inside her.” Ugh!)

But these guests leads me to the next album I want to recommend: Sounds of Crenshaw Vol 1 – Terrance Martin Presents The Pollyseeds. I can never pass up a really solid lounge music album with smooth, chill beats. This collection fills that need beautifully. As its title suggests, this music is deeply rooted in the Los Angeles music scene which I’m immediately drawn to. So many of my musical foundations were established during my early 20s in random, questionable warehouses and bars in downtown LA listening to (mostly) men play, create and experiment with all kinds of electronic music. Highly recommend this for chill Sunday mornings.

TV

The Good Place is a surprising breath of fresh air. It was one of those shows that I saw people talking about a bunch on Twitter and decided I needed to check out. Much to my delight, I couldn’t stop watching. In a year that has been utterly deflating, a show that is pleasant, fun, and easy was exactly what we needed. But I think what makes the show so special is that while it’s not an overtly political show at all, it’s also not a show without a political position. There are many subtle ways that the story comments on social issues without ever feeling heavy handed; it all makes perfect sense within the context of the show and the ethical questions it raises only help make the world and characters even more vibrant. I can’t wait to see where they go next in this bizarre, wonderful afterlife.

Broadchurch season three was a deeply emotional experience for me and it wasn’t explicitly because of its intense subject matter which, holy moly, was intense. Season three is about investigating the attack and rape of a woman. The reason I found it so emotional was because of how much respect, dignity and compassion the survivor of assault receives from the detectives investigating the case. I don’t think I ever realized how much I needed and wanted to see that specific representation. In a culture that has historically treated rape survivors with blame and disdain, watching authority figures and a community rally around and try to support someone going through such intense trauma was really gratifying. If we are going to represent assault in our media, let’s make it a lot more like Broadchurch and a lot less like Law & Order: SVU. Thanks.

I really despise Seth MacFarlane. He’s created some truly oppressive media from Family Guy to Ted, and wow, remember that horrific joke he made about Quvenzhané Wallis at the 2013 Oscars? Yeah, I don’t think I need to justify my disgust with this man. Which is why this next entry comes with an enormous amount of hesitation but… I really like The Orville. Sigh. Like, a lot. In a year that brought us a really disappointing new Star Trek show (which you can hear Ebony and I tear to shreds each week in our Star Trek: Discovery podcast!), The Orville is the Star Trek show we’ve been waiting for. It has all the rhythms and cadence of The Next Generation except it’s a little more adult. (I mean, you’d never have Riker asking for a cannabis edible from the replicator.)

Many of us are asking: Will this last? Will this create real systemic change?

HBO’s The Leftovers is a show that I’d watched previously but never got hooked on. It wasn’t until season three that this show worked its way into my bones. I watched this latest and last season week-to-week and it was almost excruciating having to wait six days between episodes. The Leftovers is about what happens to our world when the rapture occurs. What happens to our society and our communities when 140 million people just vanish all of a sudden? Trauma. Trauma is what happens. Massive, widescale collective grief and trauma. That’s what The Leftovers is about. And yes, it’s intense and kind of depressing, and I love it so very much. A lot of the show’s power comes from the fact that we in the audience are just as lost and confused as the characters on the show, and in season three, everything ramps up. Are they going to tell us what happened, or are they going to leave us with even more questions? This show was made by the creators of Lost so let’s be real, they could have totally fucked this up. But they didn’t. They resolve the show with grace and beauty and care. It’s rare that a show lingers in my mind for weeks after it’s done, where I still find myself thinking about the characters, and missing them like friends.

MOVIES

I’m not a big fan of horror movies. Enough shit in real life scares me, I don’t need to actively seek out more experiences of fear, so when Get Out arrived in theaters I wasn’t sure if I would go see it. But I’m so glad I did. The film didn’t pull any punches in exposing white supremacy, and the horror genre was the perfect way to present Jordan Peele’s vision for this essential discussion that so many white people are resistant to have. This tweet from Peele just says it all. Ebony wrote a great review for us about the film and its audience; check it out if you haven’t already.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 isn’t the most amazing movie ever made; arguably it’s not even the best Marvel movie, but minus some representation problems, I really loved it. Its mixture of a chosen family who really support and care about each other, coupled with tons of over-the-top, flashy nonsense and a killer retro soundtrack was just the pick-me-up I needed during a difficult time. It was the perfect film to give me a tiny bit of solace, and when I’m looking for something light and fluffy, I keep gravitating back to this one.

The Reckoning

I don’t think I can write an end-of-year post about 2017 without at least a mention of The Reckoning taking place in Hollywood. As longtime feminist activists, we are very well aware of the overwhelming abuse regularly committed by men in power (and also of the enormously high rate at which men commit rape and assault regardless of class or social position). I can’t imagine any of us were surprised to hear the reports from survivors about the atrocities they’d endured, but what I was surprised about is how, for what feels like the first time, women were believed and consequences were doled out (though not for all of the men).

I never thought I would see this day. I hoped for it. And I fought for it. But deep down I couldn’t actually imagine it. I believe that the helplessness so many of us feel under the current president created an intensified desire in people to act and to create change, and that opened up space for The Reckoning. Many of us are asking: Will this last? Will this create real systemic change? Will men start to recognize their abusive behavior patterns and change them? How will this play out in other industries? After all, it’s not only famous men who perpetrate harm. (In my travels this fall I heard from local games communities that #metoo became important in discussions within their spaces as well).

I say with complete sincerity that it is genuinely a pleasure to watch men who have ruined lives suffer consequences, lose jobs, and be publicly shamed after years of victim blaming and zero consequences for abusers. But I also hope for a world in which we don’t simply dole out punishment for things done in the past, but look towards transformative and restorative justice to create a more equitable future. I want to see education, learning and growth that can strengthen all our communities and societies. I want to see a notion of justice take root in our communities and our country that recognizes our cultural and individual capacity to change, to grow, and to be better.

Check out all of our 2017 year-end retrospectives!
Read about:
Carolyn’s Favorite TV of 2017
Ebony’s Comfort Blankets of 2017
Carolyn’s Favorite Films of 2017
Ashley’s Happy Distractions of 2017
Carolyn’s Favorite Games of 2017

Without question, a number of despicable things have occurred in the past few weeks. To name a few: a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, complete with neo-Nazis; their unchecked organizing and violence, resulting in the death of Heather Heyer and the injury of many others; and the U.S. president’s miserably insufficient response, complicit with white supremacy and exempting white nationalists. And through it all, the dominant reaction from the media is widespread disgust.

Both of the late night Jimmys used this terminology while discussing these recent events in their opening monologues. Fallon (finally) stated that it was his “responsibility to stand up against intolerance and extremism as a human being” against the “disgusting” happenings in Charlottesville. Kimmel pointed to Germany as setting a more powerful example than the US and our president, because their chancellor denounced the rally as “evil and disgusting.” The Dave Matthews Band, native to Charlottesville and a nostalgic staple of suburban high school memories from the 90’s, issued a statement declaring how “disgusted” they are “by the acts of racist, hate-filled terrorism.” Even folks that are openly supportive of the president are getting on board. Gary Cohn, chief economic advisor to the president, is “disgusted” by his comments in relation to white nationalists. Betsy DeVos, while not known for her scintillating hot takes or compassionate insights, took to Twitter to exclaim how “disgusted” she was by the “behavior and hate-filled rhetoric” in Charlottesville. But maybe that’s because being disgusted isn’t exactly novel these days. Across the board, it’s become the go-to way to quickly denounce things we disagree with and want to quickly distance ourselves from.

If we – and I am talking about myself and other white folks here – truly want to participate in changing the system of white supremacy laid bare by what happened in Charlottesville, we need to interrogate our use of disgust, especially if only months ago we were playfully ruffling our current president’s hair or advising him on taxes and trade policy. Transformation – of self and system – can’t, and simply won’t, happen if we merely cling to disgust and parade it out every once in awhile.

Everywhere he went, he was “disgusted” by something – or, more importantly, by someone. And most especially, by women. Way back when this presidency was a mere twinkle in his eye, he was labeling a whole host of women – from a range of occupations and realms of celebrity – “disgusting”: former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, regarding an alleged sex tape (and even her citizenship), Rosie O’Donnell, concerning her appearance, and Hillary Clinton, because she dared to use the bathroom. He was disgusted by women breastfeeding or pumping. Even after the election, he was disgusted by Madonna for speaking out at the women’s march. Women: their bodies and bodily functions, their thoughts, their living and breathing… all women were united by a single word: disgusting!

If all we’re doing is calling racism out… and then moving on with our daily lives, that’s a problem.

Each of these scenes – of both fiction and reality – shows how this reaction works. The person that’s exclaiming their utter disgust is letting anyone and everyone listening know that they’re totally grossed out and horrified, the implication being that they are nothing like the person (or thing) they’re repulsed by. In the examples featuring our current president, disgust is easily hurled at anyone challenging his worldview or political stance, masculinity, or sense of entitlement; it’s used to shut down, silence, and ultimately, to discredit and ignore. These are useful to see together because as viewers (or voters), it’s easy enough to recognize the stigmatizing sexism and misogyny carried in these expressions. Disgust now, all over the media’s reactions to explicit, openly-expressed white supremacy, does something similar. While it allows people to quickly and rightfully call out hideous racism, at the same time it allows people to easily separate themselves from it. If all we’re doing is calling racism out, discrediting it and ignoring it, labeling it as something abnormally hateful, and then moving on with our daily lives, that’s a problem.

Yes, we need to forcefully call out racism when we see it in person, on the news, or while standing on stage in the late-night limelight. In order to help dismantle it, we also need to understand how white supremacy is perpetuated. We can’t do this if we’re busy denying its more mundane existence or ignoring our own accountability. Above and beyond expressing disgust at extreme factions like neo-Nazis and the KKK, this means facing the privilege whiteness has provided and how it continues to benefit us. Perhaps more than anything else, as outrage in response to Charlottesville fades over time, this means continuing to hold ourselves accountable in our daily lives.

This past Saturday – five years after Anita launched the Tropes Kickstarter – we hosted folks from the games industry, backers, and many of the other people that helped make Tropes a reality. And, without exaggeration, it was an awesome time!

The theme of the night was old school arcade – which meant making sure our party brought back nostalgic memories of playing video games with friends in your parents’ basement, eating slice after slice of pizza, and listening to the tunes of Madonna and Michael Jackson, Prince and the Clash.

Since not everyone could be there, we’re sharing a little piece of the party, including some photos from the night, our playlist and the videos we streamed on screens throughout the space. Carolyn also played some video games and chatted with guests throughout the night; if you didn’t catch it live Saturday, you can watch the recorded livestream. And finally, what’s a party these days without a photo booth? (Check out some of our favorite shots below.)

So, what now? Feminist Frequency is moving forward, with brand new episodes of our latest series The FREQ Show coming out in the next month. In the meantime, we’ve said it before but we can’t say it enough: thank you. Our two seasons of Tropes vs. Women in Video Games were possible because of the people like you that supported us along the way.

We’re so excited by the way you’ve been responding to our latest project on pop culture and media representations, and we remain committed to providing trenchant critiques of the film and tv we all watch and love. Stay tuned: the next episode of The FREQ Show, “Manufacturing a Muslim Menace” will be out soon!

What is it we’re raising money for?
The FREQ Show. Our new series that looks at today’s most pressing social issues to consider how the things that we watch, listen to and play actively influence our daily interactions.

In our first four FREQ Show videos, including this first episode on Whitewashing, we: examine how homophobic and body-shaming rhetoric is used to criticize the President (instead of, you know, pointing to the plethora of concrete, heinous political infractions); analyze how anti-trans media over the years connects to the current crusade against trans people by way of the bathroom; and finally, we break down how representations in video games, movies and TV conflate and spread inaccurate understandings of Arab and Muslim. Phew! And, these are just our first four topics.

Why are we raising $20,000 this May?
We know that the social issues we’re talking about in The FREQ Show, from reproductive rights to mass incarceration to representations of sexual assault in mainstream TV, affect each one of us, every single day – and we’re going to keep speaking up about them, loudly! That’s why we’re releasing The FREQ Show regularly, every other Thursday, starting this May. This month, $20,000 will jump-start our next four episodes to keep the show going. These issues need to be discussed; by donating, you can help us do just that.

What and how can I contribute? 
We can get to our goal – but only with you beside us. Below is a glimpse of some costs associated with The FREQ Show, and just some of the direct ways you can join us now.

On Monday night, Glowforge generously hosted Feminist Frequency at their Seattle offices to meet with our existing and new supporters in the area. Attendees got to try out the Glowforge 3D laser printer and create uniquely crafted wooden puzzles, luggage tags and name badges in a matter of minutes. Anita also said a few words about FemFreq’s ongoing work and newest project, a video series that we’ll start releasing next week.

The evening was a resounding good time and a great opportunity to share in delicious food and drink, and excitement for FemFreq’s upcoming show. Be on the lookout for more details and the new videos in May!

Art by Bishakh Som
Interview by Laura Hudson

Kris Hayashi has spent the last thirteen years advocating for the rights of transgender and gender non-conforming people like himself, and as the executive director of the Transgender Law Center at the dawn of the Trump administration, he has his work cut out for him.

Although the Transgender Law Center has provided legal services and advocated for the transgender community since 2003, the recent legislative attacks on transgender rights have brought the organization’s work—and Hayashi’s work—into the national spotlight. Over the last four months, it’s helped file a lawsuit against former Indiana Governor (and now Vice President) Mike Pence, launched an emergency response group to defend transgender immigrants, created state-by-state resources about changing gender markers on birth certificates, and released a 2017 Plan of Resistance. Hayashi spoke with Feminist Frequency about the impact of Trump’s election, how cis people can become better allies, and why trans visibility doesn’t equal trans justice.

FREQ: Tell me a little about the Transgender Law Center. What sort of work do you do there?

Kris Hayashi: The Transgender Law Center started fourteen years ago in California as a state-based organization advancing the rights of trans and gender non-conforming people, but has since expanded to a national organization. We do litigation and policy advocacy to advance rights and justice for trans and gender non-conforming people. Our main office is here in Oakland, and about a year ago we opened a southern regional office in Atlanta, Georgia. We have a national helpline transgender people and their families can call for legal information and support. We receive somewhere between 2,500 to 3,000 calls a year. The top needs we get calls about are around employment, healthcare access and name and gender changes. Since the election, the number of requests for information we’ve received has increased drastically.

FREQ: Are you the largest advocacy group that focuses on transgender rights specifically?

Hayashi: Yes, we are the largest trans organization in the country, possibly the world. I’ve been with the TLC for nearly three years, and I’ve been involved in the LGBT movement and the movement for racial and economic justice for probably about twenty years. I was looking for an organization that prioritized addressing the needs of trans and gender non-conforming people, that would really center the needs of more vulnerable communities, particularly communities of color and low-income people. That was really what brought me to TLC.

FREQ: Do poverty and racism intersect with transgender issues in ways that aren’t always recognized?

Hayashi: Definitely. Issues of racial justice are transgender issues. Issues of poverty and economic justice are transgender issues. It’s critical for those of us in the transgender movement to build alliances with those movements. Because whether it’s immigrant rights or police brutality or economic justice—those are all issues that affect transgender people, particularly transgender people of color.

FREQ: There’s been a lot more mainstream visibility for trans people over the last several years. What sort of impact, if any, has that had on your work?

Hayashi: No question, there’s been an incredible increase in visibility. Five years ago, I would never have thought that we’d have the level of visibility that we have now. Through popular media and incredible trans celebrities like Laverne Cox and Janet Mock—all of that has [created] a historic level of visibility. Unfortunately, visibility has not led to increased justice or increased safety for trans communities. The reality is that the majority of transgender and gender non-conforming people in this country continue to struggle to survive on a daily basis. They experience high rates of unemployment, homelessness, lack of access to health care, and incredibly high rates of violence and harassment.

FREQ: What media have you found the most inspiring in the last several years, in terms of trans representation both on the screen and behind the camera?

Hayashi: There’s a film out right now called Major. It’s a documentary film about the life of Miss Major, who has been a leader in movements for racial and social justice and LGBT rights her entire life. She’s incredibly inspiring. The film was created by trans and NGC filmmakers, and the majority of the people interviewed in it are trans and NGC as well. It centers the experiences of a black trans woman leader, and I think it’s a really good example of the type of media it’s important to support. The film has been touring the country and raising awareness about the transgender community and the incredible history of our movement.

FREQ: What are some good resources for cis people who want to educate themselves further?

Hayashi: People should definitely go to our website. We have a lot of information there that could be useful. There’s also TRUTH, a national trans youth leadership and storytelling project that has really good resources and videos about transgender youth and their families and the issues they face. That’s helpful given that a lot of the legislative attacks we’ve seen have been against trans youth and students. Another good resource is the National Center for Transgender Equality, which released the second version of their national trans survey with a ton of information and data about trans and gender non-conforming people.

FREQ: Feminism has a pretty checkered history when it comes to transgender rights. How can feminists and feminist organizations do better when it comes to supporting trans people and including trans women?

Hayashi: There are a number of things that can be done. There are more and more women’s organizations who are modeling this, but be very clear in language and mission about being open to transgender women and transfeminine people. Flank and support work that transgender women, particularly women of color, are leading across the country. It was critical before the election and it will be even more critical moving forward. Transgender women of color have faced incredible rates of violence in the country, and we should anticipate that this will get worse under the Trump administration.

FREQ: How do you think Trump’s presidency will affect the transgender community, and the issues it’s already facing?

Hayashi: There was an onslaught of anti-transgender legislation across the country in 2016, and a lot of it resulted in anti-trans attacks and campaigns throughout the country. Transgender people were already facing ongoing harassment, violence and discrimination. Trump’s election has brought that to a whole other level. Since the election, we’ve heard reports of transgender people facing increased hate and violence. Trump ran on a clear platform of intolerance and hate towards LGBT people, towards immigrants, towards communities of color, towards women, towards people with disabilities… The likelihood of impacts on the more vulnerable members of the transgender community is really dire.

FREQ: What can cis people do to help support trans people, both in general and as they face new attacks on their rights?

Hayashi: That’s a really good question. There are trans and gender non-conforming leaders throughout the country who were doing amazing work even before Trump’s election to fight for the rights of transgender people, to build community, to support each other and keep each other safe—often with very few resources or without paid staff or offices. It’s even more critical in this moment to support trans-led groups and organizing efforts, whether in terms of donations or volunteering. Look for the organizations in your region led by trans people and take guidance from those groups. The groups that are often the least visible and have the fewest resources should be the priority for people who want to support the transgender movement.

Editor’s Note: After our interview, the Trump administration withdrew federal protection for the right of transgender students to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity. On behalf of the Transgender Law Center, Hayashi responded:

“Once again, this administration has singled out a vulnerable group—this time, transgender youth—for attack and made clear they will not fulfill their duty to protect all students from illegal harassment and discrimination. Fortunately, the White House does not have the power to singlehandedly change federal law, and school districts across the country are still legally obligated to comply with Title IX and protect transgender students.

It is shameful and cruel that politicians and government officials would use their power to target young people who are just trying to go to school and be themselves. No matter what this administration says, the law remains on transgender students’ side and students can still take legal action when schools cross the line and discriminate against them because they are transgender.

That’s exactly what our client Ash Whitaker, a transgender boy from Wisconsin, did when his school forced him to use a separate bathroom from his peers. In September, Ash won a preliminary injunction stopping his school from singling him out for discriminatory treatment. The court found that Ash was being irreparably harmed by the discriminatory policy—including the dizziness and migraines he experienced from trying to ‘hold it’ all day—and had a likelihood of winning on his legal claims that the policy violated both Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

Ash’s case will be heard in the Seventh Circuit at the end of March, just a day after the Supreme Court of the United States hears arguments in the case of another transgender boy, Gavin Grimm, who challenged the illegal discrimination he faced at school. It will be devastating to young people like Ash to know that the federal government will not protect or support them, but they should know that Transgender Law Center and our colleagues are here to fight for them, whatever it takes.

Transgender Law Center has long worked to ensure all students can be themselves, get an education, survive, and thrive – both through our legal cases and through TRUTH, our youth leadership development program with GSA Network. Today’s news has only bolstered Transgender Law Center’s commitment to protecting and defending the rights and lives of transgender young people, and we are prepared to take the administration to court to do so.”