As we close out one year and emerge into another, we find value in pausing to reflect on, honor, and celebrate the progress we’ve made together. In 2024, our community was collectively called to demonstrate incredible resilience and strength in the face of devastating challenges. We’ve mourned incredible losses, celebrated hard-won victories, and stepped into our collective power with stronger determination than ever to face what lies ahead. Here are some of the accomplishments we’re most proud to share from this remarkable year!  

Direct Support to 2STGD People and Families

• Provided $30,000 in cash assistance to 2STGD survivors through our Community Security Program 
• Supported the relocation of 19 2STGD people and families fleeing anti-Trans laws and violence in states like South Carolina, Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Utah, Idaho, the Dakotas, West Virginia, and Oklahoma—helping them access safety and gender-affirming care.
• Served an astonishing 312 2STGD people—despite only being funded to serve 100 people—with cash and resource assistance; accessing shelter, including domestic violence shelter referrals; resource navigation, community connections, and legal information; and safety planning needs.

 

Advocacy

In February, we hosted our second annual Trans Advocacy Day in collaboration with Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates NW, bringing 183 advocates to Olympia to fight for gender-affirming and reproductive healthcare, protections for LGBTQ+ students, and more. Our advocates reached every Democratic member of the House of Representatives at a critical time, and changed legislators’ minds on key bills, ultimately helping to secure the passage of the Stripper Bill of Rights and curriculum inclusion for LGBTQ+ youth in schools. Among our many legislative wins of the 2024 session, some of our proudest moments were working in collaboration to help pass:

• SB 5462, ensuring all students in WA State school districts learn about LGBTQ+ peoples’ contributions as part of their coursework; 
• SB 6105, i.e. the Stripper Bill of Rights, bringing workplace safety to dancers and adult entertainers and repealing Washington’s anti-queer “lewd conduct law”;
• SB 6127, expanding access to Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) in emergency rooms; 
• SB 6151, curbing anti-abortion “activism” in crisis pregnancy centers; 
• SB 5937, i.e. the Crime Victims Support Bill, allowing survivors to testify virtually and access victim compensation without filing police reports;
• SB 5427, establishing a hate crimes hotline at the Attorney General’s Office to document bias-motivated incidents and connect survivors to resources; and 
• SB 5917, expanding the definition of a hate crime to include property defacement; 

We are also immensely proud to have worked in collaboration to defeat all four anti-Trans bills introduced in Washington during the session, which included bills targeting gender-affirming care for minors, providers of gender-affirming care, incarcerated Trans people, and Trans students. We also spent considerable energy this year fighting to avoid a ban on gender-affirming care for adults in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), collaborating with the National Women’s Law Center, Modern Military, and Minority Vets to connect Trans veterans with legislators and mobilize community members to urge legislators not to allow anti-Trans riders in the final bill. Ultimately, our work helped soften the impact of the anti-Trans measures in the bill, which became a ban on care for Trans youth rather than both Trans youth and adults. We remain deeply disappointed in these results, and that WA State Senators Cantwell (D) and Murray (D) voted against Trans people and families. This is a reminder that even in WA State, we cannot assume Democrats will have our backs, which is why we all need to be deeply involved in the protection of gender-affirming healthcare access and Trans life.

 

Trans Pride Seattle

Always a major highlight for us, in June we hosted the 11th annual Trans Pride Seattle in Volunteer Park. With the organizing power of 200 volunteers, we welcomed nearly 30,000 attendees throughout the event! Our incredible stage show celebrated the vibrancy of our community with a breadth of local and national Trans talent, including headliners Tinashea Monét and Ocean Kelly, and our lively resource fair was packed with 100+ Trans-led groups, organizations, mutual aid efforts, and artists, as well as local Trans-owned small businesses and services for 2STGD communities.     

New Projects

  In 2024, we continued to expand our work to continue to meet the evolving needs of our community. In the first quarter, we began building out a new Washington State Trans Wiki, a living resource designed to help Trans people navigate essential services and resources across the state. Dedicated volunteers and staff are continuing to build out this resource, keeping it updated with the most current information. During election season, we put out a Voters Guide to help WA voters make informed choices about the ballot measures we saw, and to answer some frequently asked questions when it comes to voting while Trans. After the results of the election, we fielded many questions and concerns from community members about what the results would mean for our community—especially our immediate safety and access to healthcare. As a result, we developed an FAQ answering the most common questions about preparing for the next presidency, and how we can continue to show up for each other in this moment and beyond. Also as a result of the election, we organized a virtual Volunteer Power Hour, where dozens of community members joined to discuss and identify the highest priority needs in our community, and we began to organize to meet those needs. Dedicated volunteers and staff have truly exemplified the power of community collaboration in creating safety and stability for those most affected by anti-Trans policies by organizing committees focused on the highest priority needs identified:

• Name/Gender Marker Change Clinic Committee: Building on our successful “Say My Name” Clinics in response to Trump’s first election in 2016, we are working with volunteers and community partners to provide fee waivers, financial assistance, and technical/legal support to people updating legal name and gender markers on state and federal identity documents across three upcoming legal clinics—the first of which to be announced soon! 
• Welcome Committee focused on producing helpful guides and tools as people consider relocating to WA State.
• Housing + Employment Support Committee group to assist relocated Trans people and families in accessing local housing and employment—which has since evolved into a partnership with local Trans mutual aid group Seattle Trans Relocation Aid Network (SEA TRAIN), helping connect Trans people fleeing to Seattle and nearby areas with couches and spare rooms. 

(To get involved with any of the above projects, write to us at Info@GenderJusticeLeague.org)    

Organizational Updates

 

Strengthening the Team

This year, we were thrilled to welcome two new additions to our team: Ishalaa and Meredith! As Survivor Advocates focused on supporting Trans survivors of violence and crime through our Community Security Program, both of them have quickly become MVPs in our eyes. Each bringing their own highly-valued skills and qualities, their shared commitment and dedication to supporting 2STGD people have significantly enhanced our capacity to meet the needs of those we serve, making a profound impact on the lives of the hundreds of people they have already supported with cash and shelter assistance, resource navigation support, and safety planning.

 

Financial Update

Overall, this was an exceptionally strong financial year. Although we have noticed the landscape of Trans philanthropy shifting, with foundations becoming increasingly hesitant to fund Trans-led work, we have also noticed that individual giving has surged. Recurring and one-time donations from community members have allowed us to continue our vital work to support 2STGD survivors and continue our advocacy work fighting for Trans life and safety, and we are profoundly grateful for the unwavering support of our community. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and revenue from Trans Pride Seattle, we doubled our revenue in 2024, expertly positioning us to continue to expand our critical work in the coming year.  

Looking Ahead: Join Us in the Fight for Justice

  As we embark on 2025, we at Gender Justice League extend our deepest gratitude for your continued support and dedication to advancing gender justice. As we prepare for a new yet familiar presidency, our commitment to protecting the rights and lives of TwoSpirit, Trans, and Gender Diverse people remains unwavering. At this pivotal moment in history, the urgency of our work is clearer than ever, and we are ready to face the challenges ahead—strong, determined, and united. We invite you to join us for two upcoming events that highlight the power of our community and collective action: the GJL Benefit Show this Monday, January 20th, and Trans Advocacy Day on Monday, February 17th (President’s Day)—both opportunities to connect, organize, and amplify the legacy of Trans leadership in the fight of our lives, for our lives.  The legacy of Trans life and Trans organizing has always been one of courage, solidarity, and an unwavering belief in our collective power. In times like these, we are reminded of how much we need one another to ensure all people can live safely, freely, and authentically. Thank you for being part of this movement.  With love, Gender Justice League To help sustain our work, please consider starting a recurring or one-time gift at GenderJusticeLeague.org/Give