In the wake of Trump’s remarks and actions on his inauguration day, the organization’s crisis helpline is once again inundated with calls. According to the group, 62% of incoming calls this week are from transgender and gender-nonconforming teenagers aged 14 to 17.
The callers are conveying various levels of emotional and psychological turmoil, frequently expressing feelings of despair and trepidation. A prevalent sentiment among them is the belief that “my nation does not want me to exist.”
While the actions of the Trump administration are triggering significant distress within the trans community and their families, there has also been a sharp increase in hostility, both online and offline, reportedly from Trump supporters who feel more empowered.
“We have already noticed a surge in hate directed at us,” says Fisher. “Just last Tuesday someone approached our home and left a note in our mailbox that read: ‘He’s your daddy now, he’s your president. You people won’t exist anymore.’ So yes, they feel emboldened.”
A trans pride flag that they displayed on their porch has been stolen twice within just a week. At a local supermarket, Fisher overheard patrons at a nearby table expressing relief that Trump had “eliminated” trans individuals.
“He didn’t eliminate them; they will always exist—but he significantly targeted them, particularly my teenage son,” Fisher stated.
Moreover, the hostility is also directed towards organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community.
“We are witnessing a notable increase in animosity,” Lance Preston, executive director of the Rainbow Youth Project, tells WIRED. “We frequently receive alarming messages stating that ‘Trump is your president, and now all of you will have to disappear. We don’t want you here.’ Such communications have surged since the election, and it’s truly disheartening.”
Some activists are worried that those who traditionally advocate for the LGBTQ+ community may hesitate to take a stand under Trump’s administration.
“Whenever situations like this arise, we observe that supporters tend to retreat and remain silent,” Chris Sederburg, who aids trans and gender-nonconforming individuals through the Rainbow Youth Project, tells WIRED. “Not everyone, but a significant number do because they are frightened of the prevailing circumstances. They worry about potential repercussions or being targeted for their stance.”
Sederburg, a trans man who works as a truck driver, interacts with young trans individuals on social media and describes the recent reaction from the community as one of “acute, immediate anxiety.”
For Jamie Anderson, a 40-year-old educator residing in Texas, her greatest concern is that the Trump administration could force her 15-year-old daughter Dawn, who identified as trans last year, to face a distressing choice.
“My primary fear is that she may have to revert to living a lie, not being true to who she is meant to be,” Anderson shares. “She is happy now, significantly happier than before she came out. She was deeply depressed. We were unaware of what she was going through. Once she revealed her identity, she transformed into this brand-new, wonderful, loving child.”
