Trans activists say hostile rallies are becoming the norm as US Supreme Court hears case on trans youth in sports.
In Washington DC, competing groups of hundreds of people gathered on Tuesday to voice their opinions on a landmark case before the supreme court. The case revolves around whether transgender children can participate in school sports, potentially impacting LGBTQ+ civil rights protections more broadly.
The rally was dominated by two opposing groups: one supporting trans rights and the other calling for laws that prohibit trans youth from participating in sports aligned with their gender identity. The latter group was described as "mostly white" and appeared to have a visible shift in tone, size and aggression.
"I'm here to tell you that we're not going anywhere," said J Gia Loving, co-executive director of the Gay Straight Alliance Network, after being released by Capitol Police following an altercation with another activist.
According to advocates, hostility towards trans rights has increased at rallies, as some groups have become more organized in their efforts to roll back LGBTQ+ rights. Some activists believe that conservative efforts may be driving this trend, possibly due to a push to sway Democrats away from supporting trans youth in sports.
Experts argue that the real issue here is not women's sports but power and control. "This hyper-focus on sports is yet another example of how they're trying to erase trans and non-binary people from public life," said Chris Mosier, an internationally ranked triathlete who came out as trans in 2010.
The US Supreme Court hearing marks the latest chapter in a long-standing battle for LGBTQ+ rights. Advocates say this case could have far-reaching implications for trans youth and their families, potentially leading to further restrictions on trans rights if the court rules in favor of the state bans.
As activists continued to dance, chant and support each other at the rally for trans rights, one attendee expressed anger that a ban would be enacted "to protect" anyone or anything. Another asked: "If they wanted to help us, why wouldn't they just ask us?"
Despite confrontations and disruptions, the energy at the rally remained positive, with speakers reminding listeners of their ancestors and resilience. "We might lose battle after battle," said Loving, "but after 500 years of this project to erase us, we are still here, and that matters."
In Washington DC, competing groups of hundreds of people gathered on Tuesday to voice their opinions on a landmark case before the supreme court. The case revolves around whether transgender children can participate in school sports, potentially impacting LGBTQ+ civil rights protections more broadly.
The rally was dominated by two opposing groups: one supporting trans rights and the other calling for laws that prohibit trans youth from participating in sports aligned with their gender identity. The latter group was described as "mostly white" and appeared to have a visible shift in tone, size and aggression.
"I'm here to tell you that we're not going anywhere," said J Gia Loving, co-executive director of the Gay Straight Alliance Network, after being released by Capitol Police following an altercation with another activist.
According to advocates, hostility towards trans rights has increased at rallies, as some groups have become more organized in their efforts to roll back LGBTQ+ rights. Some activists believe that conservative efforts may be driving this trend, possibly due to a push to sway Democrats away from supporting trans youth in sports.
Experts argue that the real issue here is not women's sports but power and control. "This hyper-focus on sports is yet another example of how they're trying to erase trans and non-binary people from public life," said Chris Mosier, an internationally ranked triathlete who came out as trans in 2010.
The US Supreme Court hearing marks the latest chapter in a long-standing battle for LGBTQ+ rights. Advocates say this case could have far-reaching implications for trans youth and their families, potentially leading to further restrictions on trans rights if the court rules in favor of the state bans.
As activists continued to dance, chant and support each other at the rally for trans rights, one attendee expressed anger that a ban would be enacted "to protect" anyone or anything. Another asked: "If they wanted to help us, why wouldn't they just ask us?"
Despite confrontations and disruptions, the energy at the rally remained positive, with speakers reminding listeners of their ancestors and resilience. "We might lose battle after battle," said Loving, "but after 500 years of this project to erase us, we are still here, and that matters."
. All this drama over sports, though - let's just play nice, guys! Who needs that kind of energy when we could be focusing on unity instead? It's like, what's the real issue here? 
Is it really about women's sports or is it about who gets to control the narrative? Power and control, right? 
But honestly, can't we just get along? 
don't we want to have a nuanced discussion about how to support trans youth in sports, not just demonize them? 
I need some facts and stats on this one before I can even form an opinion... where's the data on the number of hostile rallies vs pro-trans ones?
[GIF: a firework exploding, symbolizing the passion and energy of the rallies] 
[Meme: a picture of a person trying to hide behind a towel, with a speech bubble saying "This isn't happening..."]
. experts say its really about power and control and erasing trans people from public life... which is so unfair 
. and the fact that some groups are getting more organized to roll back lgbtq+ rights is scaring me... what can we do to make a change? should the usa supreme court just listen to both sides and find a middle ground or is it too complicated?
I'm reading this about a week late lol... what's going on with all these rallies? It seems like people are getting more extreme in their views, and it's sad because at the end of the day, isn't everyone just trying to be accepted and have equal rights? 
. The fact that some people are trying to roll back LGBTQ+ rights is really concerning and I hope the Supreme Court makes a fair decision 
.
. Like, isn't the point of sports to be inclusive and have fun? But at the same time, I also think it's totally reasonable to want to protect women's sports from biologically unfair advantages 
. And what's with all these people showing up in white? Is that some kind of thing now? 
. i mean, if trans youth can't even play sports without being bullied or discriminated against, isn't that kinda the point of having inclusive policies in the first place? 
these trans kids just want to play sports and have fun like everyone else but some people are being super mean and trying to stop them 
I'm so worried about the future of trans youth in sports. It's not just about sports, it's about their rights and dignity 
. We need to focus on building a society that accepts and supports everyone, regardless of their identity. This isn't about power or control, it's about human rights 
. I've seen some of these rallies firsthand, and the energy is always intense, but what scares me is the organized hatred I'm seeing from some groups 
. It's time for us to take a stand and fight for our rights 
.
Still, love seeing so many people showing up to support each other 