(Note: This statement is connected to Ashley Adam’s Title IX article in News)
I’ll say this from and as myself (Saher.) These are my personal thoughts, as a human being and as a trans person living through this too.,
We live in a modern rainbow scare, and it means that those who embody hate, transphobia, and all sorts of uninformed, ignorant, and unfortunate values will feel more emboldened to come out of the woodwork and spew their hate. These are often the same people that embody white supremacy and other forms of unjust hatred.
I want to remind you that trans people are not going anywhere. We have always been here. In every era of human existence trans people have existed. I encourage you to do what you need to do to maintain your safety, and to also remember that there is safety in numbers and in allies. I also want to remind you that trans people have always resisted oppression in ways that are not always obvious, in ways that the history books don’t always like to talk about, because they threaten the status quo. Just because the current administration removed the word trans from Stonewall’s website doesn’t mean trans people didn’t riot for Stonewall. No one can erase the legacy of Marsha P. Johnson, or of other trans-cestors, just because they don’t like it.
If you are trans on campus and you want to talk about ways to resist, I encourage students to come talk to me personally, because there are many ways, beyond even the confines of campus, that you can organize, get involved in activism, and thrive as a trans person, even in the face of extreme hatred. One example of a unique way I have witnessed resistance is the uploading of the CDC’s archive of files to the internet archive website after our current administration sought to remove and destroy all mentions of “trans” on the CDC website. You can find that dataset here: https://archive.org/details/20250128-cdc-datasets
I strongly recommend folks make note of this list of warm lines that don’t call the police if you are looking for support, but are understandably feeling nervous about interacting with law enforcement, especially for our BIPOC students. (https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/blog/suicide-and-mental-health-crisis-resources-that-don-t-involve-the-police-911-or-988)
I also encourage those who are in need of support to come talk to me, talk to Dan [Kelly]; we can help you get set up with our Wellness Center, which can also refer you to affordable trans-affirming therapists off campus if you need more care. I encourage those of you reading this to keep up with the Eastern PA Trans Equity project. Follow their Instagram: they serve Montgomery county and offer scholarships for trans students that you can apply for, and they also offer legal services regarding name changes and much more.