Dallas rallies against Trump's attempt to erase transgender people

Dallas, TX -On October 28, about 50 people showed up at Belo Garden Park across from the federal building in Downtown Dallas to protest against the Trump administration’s rollback of the rights of transgender people. The protest was held by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. The event began with a rally, followed by speeches and then a march.

Signs present included, “You tried to bury us, you didn’t know we were seeds,” and “Protect trans lives!” Chants that include “It’s our history don’t deny it, Stonewall was a trans riot” and “When trans people are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!”

Nell Gaither of Trans Pride Initiative highlighted the need for justice for trans people in various fields. “We’ve been active in calling for accountability in Dallas for seven years now,” she said, “But we need to do more, and that takes bodies being involved. We need to do more to call for accountability in homeless services that still deny trans persons access to shelter. We need to do more to call for accountability in healthcare services, where providers still deny trans persons access to basic care and the public provider sends us to a ‘separate’ clinic to cover up their continued systemic discrimination.”

Sydney Loving of North Texas Action Committee, an anti-police brutality group, discussed the problem of police violence against trans people and in particular against trans people of color.

The march headed out of the park east down Main Street, before looping back west on Elm and then heading up into the West End. It passed a large number of sidewalk cafes as well as the Rosa Parks Plaza bus stops and the West End train station.