Dear Rey: On Protests and Trans Futures
How to honor our future selves through safety practices
Welcome to Dear Rey! This is an advice column about what it means to live, love, grieve, and grow as transgender and queer people, alongside the allies who support us. Here, I answer a real question submitted by a reader with intention and care.
Want to submit a question? Email me at reyandthearchive@gmail.com with the subject line “Advice Column”. Feel free to include your name and location, or let me know if you'd prefer to stay anonymous.
A reader writes:
Hello Rey!
I am a new reader, but asking for a bit of advice.
As a 21 yr old enby (trans masc), who is planning to start their transition, I feel like it’s only right of me to protest. I would like to know if you have any tips for going alone to their first protest. I am doing my best to stay safe, and I feel guilty not being able to protest often, so I’m trying to make up for it by going now. I believe that pride is protest, and I wanna make Marsha P proud, even if she isn’t with us anymore. We deserve to be visible, and not fear for our lives.
I guess what I’d like to know is just, how can you keep yourself safe while going alone? I’ve already taken a few precautions. In addition, any advice for someone who’s planning to get on HRT in later years? (I have personal reasons for not doing it yet, and I’d rather be able to do it when I don’t have someone holding stuff over me.) I know access to stuff like T is going to be in a shortage, so I’m trying to come up with a plan for shit that could happen within a year or so.
Anyways, stay safe, and happy pride!
Much love,
Nat
Hi Nat,
Thank you so much for writing in, and welcome to Rey and the Archive. I really appreciate you trusting me with this question. You’re absolutely right. Pride is protest. The first Pride was a riot.
While showing up does matter, staying safe is important! If you’re able to go with even one other person, that’s always ideal. But if you’re going alone, I recommend sharing your location with someone you trust and asking them to check in with you every so often, maybe every 30 minutes or every hour. Make sure someone knows when you’ve made it home safely afterwards.
It also helps to plan your transportation ahead of time, whether that means knowing which train or bus you’re taking or requesting a rideshare on the Uber or Lyft app. I would also recommend using Signal for encrypted messaging, as opposed to WhatsApp and regular text messages on your phone.
You also asked about planning for HRT in the future, which is just as important. The political climate is shifting quickly, and unfortunately, access to gender-affirming care is being targeted. While no one can say for sure what things will look like a year from now, here are things you can still do now.
Start by saving what you can. If you’re working, keep going. If not, and you have the capacity, try to find something that helps you build a little bit of a financial cushion. Even saving in small amounts can go a long way. It also helps to research telehealth providers, local LGBTQ+ clinics, and mutual aid networks now so you have a sense of what your options are when you're ready.
Most importantly, know that you’re already doing what’s safest for you right now. Your presence and your voice is so important right now. Stay safe.
Con mucho amor,
Rey 🌻
Recommended Resources
FOLX Health
An LGBTQ+ subscription-based telehealth platform that offers gender-affirming care, PrEP and care navigation.Plume
A transgender subscription-based telehealth platform that offers hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and gender affirming care.Signal
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Thank you all so much for trusting me with your questions, keep them coming!
I believe QueerMed has telehealth providers licensed in most, if not every, state!