On a cool spring evening, over 150 people gathered at the University District light rail station, their signs and voices rising together in a powerful display of solidarity. The April 4 rally — organized in response to a brutal attack on a local Transgender woman and the escalating political threats against LGBTQIA+ rights — brought together activists, veterans, healthcare workers, and allies from across Seattle.
The event took on added urgency following recent reports of increased violence against the Trans community nationwide, and Trump's series of executive orders targeting gender-affirming care and LGBTQIA+ rights. Last year saw a record number of anti-Transgender bills introduced in state legislatures, while hate crimes against Transgender women of color continue to rise at alarming rates, according to data from the Human Rights Campaign.
"We need joy as much as we need resistance"
Elayne Wylie, a longtime Trans activist and organizer with Trans Pride Seattle, set the tone for the evening.
"When I first heard about what happened to Andie, all I could think was, how can I help? How can we turn this pain into action?" she told the crowd. Wylie, who helped found Gender Justice League before transitioning to her current role with Trans Pride Seattle, outlined four concrete ways supporters could get involved:
1. Volunteer for Trans Pride Seattle: "We need spaces of joy now more than ever," she said. "Trans Pride isn't just a protest; it's a celebration of our lives, our love, and our right to exist."
2. Oppose anti-Trans legislation: With more anti-LGBTQIA+ measures being introduced at the state level, Wylie stressed the importance of grassroots organizing. "We'll need people to knock on doors, make calls, and have tough conversations with their neighbors."
3. Support Trans refugees: "People are fleeing states like Texas, Florida, and Tennessee every day," Wylie said. "They need housing, they need jobs, they need community. If you have a spare room or can help someone navigate social services, that makes a difference."
4. Join community defense efforts: Wylie highlighted the work of Goth Sec, a volunteer security collective that grew out of Seattle's goth club scene. "What started as people looking out for each other at clubs has become a network of over 50 trained volunteers who provide safety at LGBTQ+ events," she said.
A veteran's story: "They told me Trump had gotten rid of people like me"
Andie, a Transgender veteran, described her assault two weeks earlier to the SGN. "I was just walking to the light rail station when four men started harassing me," she recounted, her voice steady but her hands trembling slightly. "They called me a drag queen. They told me to take off my makeup. When I said I was a veteran, they laughed and said Trump had gotten rid of people like me."
The attack left Andie with two black eyes, broken teeth, and a brain bleed. She credited bystanders and employees at a nearby restaurant with intervening and likely saving her life. "If it weren't for those brave people, I might not be standing here tonight," she said.
Andie connected her assault to broader political trends: how Trans veterans like herself are facing increased discrimination since Trump reinstated bans on Transgender military service, and canceled gender-affirming care for servicemembers and their families.
"As a veteran, I swore to defend this country," Andie said. "Now I have to ask: Who's defending us?"
But, she added, "Nothing's made me more alive and feel more myself in this last week [than] the goodwill and love and the outreach of everybody and the human goodness. I experienced the ugliness, and we've all experienced that ugliness. I want to say 'no more of that,' especially in our town...
"It's a scary, scary time, and as a veteran, I watched [US Secretary of Veterans Affairs] Doug Collins just strip most all Trans veterans of our care. So that's scary and frustrating. But we're here, and what gives me comfort is to know that we've always existed, so we're just kind of doing our part, living our time, and maybe someday my kids and other people's kids will live in a world where they don't have to worry about going to the bathroom or going out in public, or they could just truly be themselves — no matter what gender or whatever orientation or religion.... I want them to be able to celebrate their uniqueness and their humanness. That's all I care about. We're only here once."
Andie has issues with the military, and considers herself a veteran for peace.
"I'm against the war industry, and I would love to defund the military, and that's where I stand as a veteran, and I know that shocks people...[But with] all the kids struggling to get a school lunch right now so we can bomb the shit out of everybody, it just doesn't add up.
"I don't condone violence, but I do think everyone should be aware and look after themselves. If that's self-defense, or if that's just going out in groups, or whatever you need to do in your community to be safe right now, you're not alone. That's the most powerful thing I got out of all of this: that the community is huge, and the ally community is huge, and we aren't going away."
"This isn't just about Trans rights — it's about democracy"
Mara Rafferty, a friend of Andie's and longtime LGBTQIA+ activist, delivered one of the evening's most impassioned speeches.
"I feel really terrified about what's coming down the pipeline," she told the SGN. "As a Trans person, it's really hard not to let that get to you and to get to your own sense of self-esteem and self-worth. What I want to say to every Queer person who's out there is to remember that you matter, and ...that you're valuable, and don't forget to wake up every morning and love yourself, because you do matter. And because your life is worth living."
In addition, Rafferty had a warning: "They're not just coming for Trans people. They're coming for immigrants. They're coming for students. They're coming for anyone who doesn't fit their vision of America."
Rafferty criticized what she called "paper activism," like social media posts and symbolic gestures that don't translate to real-world change. "We need workers to strike. We need students to walk out. We need to show them the economy doesn't function without us," she said. Despite her fiery rhetoric, Rafferty admitted to feeling afraid. "I'm terrified about what's coming next," she confessed. "But that's why we have to stand together. That's why events like this matter."
A karate champion's lesson: "Burn the boats"
The rally's final speaker, Mac McGregor, brought a unique perspective as a Trans man and former member of the US karate team.
"There's an ancient military strategy... When you land on enemy shores, you burn your boats. No retreat. No second thoughts. Just total commitment to moving forward," he said.
McGregor, who transitioned later in life after a successful athletic career, said he had to "burn his boats" multiple times: first when he came out as Trans, then when he fought for the right to compete as his authentic self.
"Right now, we all need to burn our boats," McGregor urged. "No waiting to see how things play out. No hoping someone else will fix this. The time for half-measures is over."
A community stands together
Organizers passed out flyers with resources for reporting hate crimes, accessing gender-affirming healthcare, and getting involved with local advocacy groups. Many in attendance signed up on the spot to volunteer or donate to organizations supporting Transgender refugees.
The event made clear that for Seattle's LGBTQ+ community and its allies, the fight is just beginning. As Andie put it in her closing words: "They want us to disappear. But look around: we're still here. And we're not going anywhere."
For those interested in supporting local Transgender organizations, visit https://TransPrideSeattle.org or https://GenderJusticeLeague.org. To report a hate crime in Seattle, contact the Seattle Police Department's Bias Crime Unit at (206) 233-5000.
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