Independent parliamentary candidate campaign fulfilled my right as a queer Motswana

Written by Marcus Davis |Over the past 40 years, I have witnessed social changes that were once unimaginable. As a child of the ’80s, being transgender meant living under the constant shadow of fear, with violence and exclusion always around. But we fought back. We have organized and carved out spaces where transgender people can live more freely.

This fight for recognition and security was long and difficult. In 2002, New York State passed the Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Act (SONDA), a painful compromise that intentionally excluded transgender people and left us exposed. I remember feeling a mixture of hope and frustration the first time I attended a community meeting or gathering. Our focus shifted to the passage of the Gender Expression Nondiscrimination Act (GENDA). Each delay in legislation served as a stark reminder that our rights are not a priority. For Black trans people like me, the stakes are even higher because we have navigated layers of discrimination without legal protection.

GENDA finally passed it in 2019, but that victory came after years of being told that our safety and dignity were negotiable. As anti-trans laws sweep the country, it feels like a familiar shadow is looming once again. These bills that ban gender-affirming care, force schools to exclude trans students, and criminalize our existence are not just policy decisions; they erase us, force us into fear and silence. This is a calculated effort. The darkness we thought we had escaped is approaching, and this time it is targeting our youth.

As a transgender person working on the front lines of racial justice in the Movement for Black Lives, I have witnessed how anti-trans laws amplify the oppression already faced by the most vulnerable members of our communities. I’ve been doing it. This fight is not just a cause for me, it’s about protecting the lives and future of my community, my family, and myself. Here I simply want to say: To all transgender people who are feeling the weight of these laws, feeling isolated and scared. you are not alone. You are part of a legacy of resilience, beauty, and revolution. Your life is precious, your identity is valid, and your future is worth fighting for. Let’s work together to overcome this storm. Together, we will build the world we deserve, a world where each of us can live out our fullest identities without fear or shame. Our freedoms are interconnected, and together we can win.

Our survival depends on understanding and mobilizing against these threats. Knowledge is our weapon and action is our shield.

Erase us: the battle for education

Imagine Aisha, a 14-year-old transgender girl in South Carolina, navigating a school system shaped by current anti-trans laws. Under H.3730, passed by the Republican-controlled House and signed by the Republican governor, Aisha’s daily life at school has become a minefield. Every day she enters a classroom where the teacher is legally obligated to deny her identity. The simple act of asking to be called by her chosen name could trigger reporting obligations to her family, exposing her to rejection and isolation at home. Even the teachers who might have offered her allies and comfort are silenced and unable to provide the affirmation and protection she so desperately needs. Schools, once places of possibility, are now spaces of fear and surveillance.

Now imagine that Aisha is also black. The weight of these laws is compounded by the systemic racism she may have faced. For Aisha, each classroom can become a minefield where both her gender and racial identity are scrutinized or challenged. These laws are not just isolating; They amplify existing prejudices, embolden discrimination, and silence allies. They sent a clear message to students like Aisha: “You are not welcome here.”

A matter of life and death: The medical battleground

For Aisha and thousands of transgender young people like her, health care isn’t just about feeling seen, it’s a lifeline. Gender-affirming care, particularly puberty blockers, gives young transgender people time and space to safely explore their identities and slows the permanent physical changes that come with puberty. This care provides transgender youth with the gift of pause and prevents the pain of having their bodies develop in a gender-nonconforming manner. But lifelines are being cut off across the country. In states like South Carolina, laws prohibiting anything that disrupts the adolescence of minors leave young people trapped in bodies they don’t recognize or accept.

For young people like Aisha, the barriers to care are even more devastating. Living in a health care system that is already rife with racial bias, Black transgender people often struggle to access affirming care. Now, these bans are stripping away even that limited access. Without the inhibitors of puberty, Aisha is forced to endure the changes of adolescence that feel foreign and painful, deepening her sense of isolation. These laws not only deny her treatment, but also send a message that her identity is to be punished, not upheld.

The consequences are deadly. Transgender youth already face alarmingly high rates of mental health issues, with research showing that more than half of transgender youth have seriously considered suicide. However, this risk decreases dramatically when people have access to gender-affirming care. According to research from The Trevor Project, transgender youth who receive gender-affirming care are more likely to attempt suicide than transgender youth who want care but don’t get it. It is said to be significantly lower. Lawmakers who take away this consideration are not only putting young people’s well-being at risk, they are also putting them in life-threatening danger. For Black transgender youth, who often lack strong support networks, denial of care can push them over the edge. This is not just a political debate, it is a matter of survival.

our resilience is our strength

In the face of this relentless onslaught, it’s easy to lose hope. But trans people, especially Black trans people, have always lived in resistance to systems designed to erase us. Our very existence is an act of resistance.

But resistance alone is not enough. We don’t resist just to make a point. We resist because our lives depend on it. We resist because we envision a world where trans children can grow up without fear, where black trans lives are valued and protected, and where our identities are celebrated rather than criminalized. Because there is.

To build this world, we, transgender people and our allies, must turn challenges into change. We must turn our anger into action. Every time they try to remove us from the classroom, we emerge louder and prouder in our community. Every time they try to deny us medical care, we fight harder for universal access to affirmative care. Every time they try to silence us, we speak the truth more boldly.

We cannot tolerate silence. On November 5th, and in every election from the presidency to your local school board, your vote is an act of defiance. By voting, you are directly challenging systems and laws designed to exclude transgender people from public life.

visit m4bl.link/vote To plan your vote. Choose the candidate whose values ​​most closely align with yours. These may not be ideal options. The political landscape is complex, and there are no perfect candidates. But don’t get me wrong. There are clear differences in values ​​between the options in front of you. We have come too far, fought too hard, and are at risk of backing down now. Our health is non-negotiable. Our education is our right. Our lives are sacred. And we will continue to fight, love, and thrive in the light of day, not in the shadows.

Marcus Davis is the Director of Integrative Technology for the Movement for Black Lives, where he oversees cybersecurity and digital infrastructure to support movement building and community empowerment nationwide.