Transmissions: Surviving

So, let's break it down. President Donald Trump and his administration have taken some pretty concrete steps against transgender people, making it their policy that there are only men and women, and no one ever goes from one to the other. Much of this has been acted upon, most notably with the resurgence of the trans military ban.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court has done major damage to health care for trans youth with its 6-3 decision in U.S. v. Skrmetti that upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans minors. The court has also agreed to review trans sports bans in its next session, which begins in October. This has a strong likelihood of codifying the policies of this administration in our laws, as well as upholding state bans on trans girls and women competing on female sports teams.

All of this, further, is being done against a backdrop of utter chaos and ruin. Republicans in Congress passed Trump’s tax and budget bill, which he signed into law July 4, that will throw countless people off of needed assistance, will upend health care via Medicaid cuts, and will vastly strengthen the police state we exist under.

It is a very hard time to find even the barest shred of hope. Yet, hope we must.

Indeed, Republicans might expect they can control us through terror and fear. It's vital to remember that the only way they truly can win is if we give up. We should never give them that satisfaction.

With that in mind, I want to go over a few actions I think we best focus on in these times, both to help us weather the storm, but also to aid us in coming out better on the other side.

1.Protect your neck
You have to keep yourself safe and well, and that covers both mental and physical wellness.

You may wish to consider learning and preparing for self-defense, but also remember that the best defense may be getting the hell out. As trans people, sometimes fighting back directly can lead to more trouble.

Likewise, it is easy to live in fear during fearful times, but that is not healthy for you. Find times for joy, for hope, and for beauty, no matter how small.

2. The basics
Make sure you have all that you need to survive. Find a good supply for any of your medications if you can, and consider stockpiling what you can. Get your identity documents in order if you haven’t already, and consider all possible sources of good ID (library cards, for example).

Likewise, make sure you have anything you might need to survive in a worst-case scenario. I'd recommend having a "bug out bag" at the ready if necessary, or at least keep things you might need in an emergency at hand.

Related to the above: focusing on your preparations can help keep you from catastrophizing. This has helped me. Which leads us to …

3. Chop wood, carry water
As I said above, don't let them terrorize you. It is going to be really easy to panic. Keep yourself mindful and focus on the mundane when you can. Being grounded is key here.

Keep up on your chores, do whatever jobs you do, and try to keep to an active, healthy schedule, and keep focused on the small things. This will help keep you in the moment.

 
4. Build your network
Have contact information with trusted trans friends and allies that you can reach out to. Same with family, if they support you. Make sure that contact information is deeper than a link to their social media profile, too: trade emails, phone numbers, and addresses. Keep in contact.

In a worst-case scenario, finding supportive voices may get challenging for a while, so line up your friends right now.

Remember, too, that as much as you may need their support, they will need yours. Support when you can, ask for support when you can’t. We’re all in this together.

5. Make alliances
There are people in other communities who are struggling. We can build allies with pro-abortion causes, death with dignity activists, disability activists, sex-workers’ rights, unhoused rights, anti-racist groups, and so on. We have mutual causes and needs, and we are larger as one. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids affect us, too. We can help, just as others may help us.

Conversely, watch for people who seek to sow division. There are those who know that a divided community is a weak community and will do all they can to keep us there. Let's not let them. Related to this …

6. Trust, but verify
Much news and information are corrupted and propaganda is king, especially in the age of Trump. Objective reality is going to be hard to sort through, and lies will run like water. Many will tell lies about us, but many other lies will be aimed at harming you.

Be wary of all sources and seek out truth.

7. Be non-compliant
In many cases, people will claim authority they do not have. Ignore them when you can. Speak back. You know who you are, and they do not.

Likewise, be ready to protest. We may need to go beyond marches and slogans, and it might get dangerous. It may, however, be far more dangerous if we don't make our voices heard and our actions seen.

8. Don't forget who you are
Remember to stay true to yourself: remember your values, your goals, and your beliefs. Don't let them take who you are away. Resisting also means being the shining, beautiful soul that you are.

Your existence matters, perhaps more so now than it ever has. We need your voice as much as anyone’s, and your existence is vital.

We can only resist if we have something to fight for, and being yourself is worth the battle. Even if you need to survive out of spite, please survive.

Gwen Smith would never mess with the Wu-Tang Clan. You'll find her at www.gwensmith.com