Forest Benedict, LMFT

The Time to Act Is Now

Across the United States, transgender and LGBTQIA+ individuals are being targeted by those in power. The current administration has enacted a wave of executive orders stripping transgender people of their rights, erasing their legal identities, and denying them access to healthcare, military service, and even participation in sports. These policies are not just political maneuvers—they are direct assaults on human dignity, equality, and freedom. Whether or not you know someone who is trans, this issue concerns all of us. The time to stand up, speak out, and take action is now.

The Harmful Policies Being Enforced

In just a few months, President Trump’s administration has rolled out executive orders that are devastating for transgender and LGBTQIA+ Americans:

• Erasing Transgender Recognition: Federal agencies have been ordered to recognize only a person’s sex assigned at birth, preventing trans and nonbinary individuals from updating gender markers on passports, IDs, and federal records.
• Banning Trans People from the Military: Transgender individuals are now prohibited from serving, eliminating their right to serve their country.
• Restricting Gender-Affirming Care: Healthcare providers are now blocked from offering gender-affirming care to minors, despite overwhelming medical evidence that such care is essential and life-saving.
• Barring Trans Women from Sports: A new federal order threatens to withdraw funding from schools that allow trans women to compete in women’s sports, excluding them from opportunities and community support.

How This Harms Everyone, Not Just Trans People

While these policies primarily target transgender individuals, they also have far-reaching consequences for society as a whole—especially when it comes to gender.

Efforts to erase or deny transgender identities reinforce rigid and outdated ideas about gender, which hurts everyone. When the government insists that gender must be strictly defined by biological sex at birth, it upholds toxic masculinity, sexist norms, and restrictive gender roles that harm people of all genders.

• Nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people are erased: Those who don’t fit into rigid gender roles face increasing discrimination, limiting their freedom to exist authentically.
• Women’s rights are affected: Policies that reject trans identities are often tied to efforts to control women’s autonomy, such as restrictions on reproductive rights and limiting women’s roles in society.
• Men are forced into outdated stereotypes: The same forces that attempt to erase transgender identities also reinforce toxic masculinity—the idea that men must be tough, emotionless, and dominant. This harms men’s mental health, relationships, and ability to express themselves fully.

When we allow transgender people to be targeted, we are reinforcing a system that restricts and harms everyone. The fight for trans rights is not just about one group—it’s about expanding freedom, self-expression, and equality for all.

Even if it was just about one group, it would be worth fighting for. These are beautiful, living, breathing human beings being threatened. They have the right to freely be themselves and exist safely, like all of us.

Why We Must Stand Up Against These Policies

These policies are not just about legal documents or sports teams. They send a clear message that discrimination is acceptable and that some lives matter less than others. If we allow the government to strip away the rights of one group, who will be next?

These policies will lead to:

• Increased discrimination and exclusion: When governments endorse exclusion, it sends a message that trans people—and anyone who doesn’t conform to rigid gender norms—should not be accepted.
• Higher suicide rates: Removing access to medical care and legal recognition contributes to depression, isolation, and despair, especially for trans youth.
• A loss of freedom for all: Today, it is transgender rights being threatened. Tomorrow, it could be yours. When civil rights are rolled back, no one is safe from future discrimination.

How You Can Take a Stand

You have the power to make a difference. Here are some ways you can oppose these harmful policies and stand up for transgender and LGBTQIA+ rights:

1. Use Your Voice—Loudly and Clearly

Speak up whenever you can. Talk to your family, friends, and community about what’s happening. Share resources and information on social media. Educate those around you and normalize standing up for trans rights in your everyday conversations.

2. Contact Your Elected Officials

Let lawmakers know that you oppose these policies. Call, email, and write to your state and federal representatives demanding they protect LGBTQIA+ rights. If they don’t, vote them out in the next election.

3. Support Organizations That Protect Trans Rights

Donate to or amplify organizations that provide legal aid, healthcare, and crisis support to transgender individuals:

• The Trevor Project (Crisis support for LGBTQ+ youth)
• Trans Lifeline (Peer support and financial assistance for trans individuals)
• Lambda Legal (Legal advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights)

4. Create Safe and Inclusive Spaces

If you are an employer, educator, or community leader, take steps to ensure transgender people feel seen, supported, and safe. Advocate for inclusive policies in your workplace, school, and community.

5. Show Up in Support

Attend LGBTQIA+ events, rallies, and gatherings to show solidarity. Visibility matters. Your presence at these events sends a powerful message that trans and LGBTQIA+ rights matter to everyone.

We Must Stand Together—Now More Than Ever

This is not just about trans rights. This is about human rights. This is about standing up against government overreach, discrimination, and oppression. We must oppose these harmful policies and advocate for a world where everyone can live freely, safely, and authentically.

Find your courage. Use your voice. Take action.

In empowering support,

Forest Benedict, LMFT

For more articles on self-connection, codependency, religious trauma, CPTSD, IFS, connection, healing, and beyond, I invite you to check out my blog and follow for future posts here.

*Created with the assistance of AI