The Unclear Future of Trans Rights Under Trump

Two years ago, a black trans woman was photographed for the cover of Time magazine. That image represented a clear change in America—after decades of oppression and victimization, a trans woman of color had gained public power.

Laverne Cox declared that we’d reached a tipping point in America for transgender people, a notable shift toward equality across society, from pop cultural representation to fundamental needs like healthcare. There was no precedent for Cox to follow: After decades of invisibility and oppression, trans people had leapt out from a cultural shadow to seize the liberties they had been deprived of. We wanted to believe in that future, but after the presidential election of Donald Trump , many fear that years of progress are about to be undone.