Also, if you are a trans friend out there who is feeling down, I'd love to connect and commiserate. Feel free to reach out any time. I love you so so much and would be nowhere without my community of trans and enby elders, siblings, and niblings.

Over these 16 years, I have seen so many hopeful changes in celebrating and recognizing trans brilliance and joy, out loud and in public, where we belong. Together, we can choose to not go back - we exist, we are real, and we remain free; we can and must support each other.

This day was founded on March 31, 2009 by Rachel Crandall Crocker, a trans activist who wanted to move beyond our main community event (Trans Day of Remembrance) being a memorial for those we had lost to the tragedy of transphobic violence.

*You will fail.* We have always been here, we will continue to be here, and we will fight to thrive despite this horrifying y̷e̷a̷r̷ three months, so far, of federally institutionalized bigotry towards, and denationalization of, our community in the US.

A potent reminder that "political correctness" is just as strong on the right as it ever is on the left, and used for ends that tend to be harrowing, dehumanizing, and deadly.