for Donald Trump and other candidates whose reinforced a widespread backlash against trans rights. For America's movement, it adds up to one of the most sustained setbacks in its history.
For transgender Americans, it鈥檚 personal: There is palpable fear of potential steps to further marginalize them. But there is also a spirit of resilience 鈥� a determination to persevere in seeking acceptance and understanding.
鈥淚 just went through an election where I couldn鈥檛 watch a sports event on TV without seeing a commercial where trans people were portrayed as monsters,鈥� said Jennifer Finney Boylan, a transgender author who teaches at Barnard College in New York.
鈥淭his hurts more than any other moment I can remember. We鈥檝e been knocked down before. We鈥檒l be knocked down again. All we can do is fight.鈥�
Anti-trans momentum has been growing for several years, with Republican-governed states enacting dozens of laws restricting trans people鈥檚 options for medical care, sports participation and public restroom access.
Activists fear the movement will grow, with the Trump administration taking power as many Americans question the trans-rights agenda. Overall, 55% of voters 鈥� and 85% of Trump backers 鈥� said support for transgender rights in government and society has gone too far, according to , a survey of more than 120,000 people who cast ballots nationwide.
鈥淭here is an urgent need to show the American people the reality of transgender lives 鈥� the ordinary people for whom being trans is not the center of their lives,鈥� said Shannon Minter, a transgender civil rights lawyer with the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
鈥淭his is a frightening moment for transgender people and their families. There is a very real possibility that the new administration may adopt policies that cause them devastating harm.鈥�
Trump and others have threatened to roll back various trans rights
Trump won the presidential contest over Vice President Kamala Harris after a campaign that included mocking her support for trans rights. 鈥淜amala is for they/them,鈥� an ad that ran over 15,000 times asserted. 鈥淧resident Trump is for you.鈥� also were targeted with anti-trans ads.
On an array of issues, Trump 鈥� and other Republicans who now hold majorities in both the House and Senate 鈥� have threatened to roll back protections and civil liberties for trans people.
鈥� Education: Trump has pledged to impose wide-ranging restrictions on . His administration could swiftly move to exclude them from , which affect school policies on students鈥� use of preferred pronouns, bathrooms and locker rooms.
鈥� Health care: At least 26 states have adopted for trans minors. In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton is against doctors he alleges were prescribing such treatments. Trump says any doctor or hospital providing gender-affirming care should be barred from Medicaid and Medicare.
鈥� Sports: Trump and other Republicans embraced the anti-trans mantra opposing 鈥渂oys in girls鈥� sports.鈥� At least 24 states already have laws on the books barring trans women and girls from participating in certain women鈥檚 or girls鈥� sports competitions. In March, 16 college athletes filed a , accusing it of violating their Title IX rights by allowing transgender woman Lia Thomas to compete at the 2022 national championships, where she won the 500-yard freestyle.
鈥� Military: Trans-rights activists worry that serving openly in the military, or 鈥� as an alternative 鈥� bar any future recruiting of trans people and curtail the availability of gender-affirming medical care for service members and veterans.
Advocates say they're angry and anxious
Trans-rights organizations are calling for coalition-building and renewed efforts to increase public understanding. They celebrated some notable victories. won Delaware鈥檚 lone seat in the House of Representatives to become the first openly trans person elected to Congress. In Montana, transgender state won reelection and will be able to return to the House floor nearly two years after she was by her Republican colleagues.
But nationwide, anger and anxiety were dominant emotions among trans activists.
鈥淭his election season has been brutal,鈥� the leaders of wrote to their supporters. "Trump targeted trans people since his campaign launch. He targeted our existence. He targeted our rights. He promised he would continue to target trans people if he won 鈥� and we know he will keep his promise.鈥�
Shelby Chestnut, executive director of the Transgender Law Center said trans people 鈥渉ave become the pawn for political groups that don鈥檛 understand our communities.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very precarious time,鈥� Chestnut said. 鈥淲e will get through this, but we have to step up and support each other. ... How do we see the long game, not just the immediate narrow view, because it is very daunting right now. Where do we want to be in 15 years?鈥�
Public opinion on trans rights issues isn鈥檛 uniform. According to AP VoteCast, slightly more than half of voters in the 2024 election strongly or somewhat opposed laws that ban gender-affirming medical treatment, such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy, for minors. Slightly less than half of voters somewhat or strongly favored them
And according to a Gallup poll conducted last year, 69% of Americans say transgender athletes should be allowed to compete only on sports teams that conform with their birth gender.
A history of struggle
Over the past 25 years, arguably the most daunting previous phase of the LGBTQ+-rights movement started in 2004, after Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. Between 2004 and 2008, voters in 26 states approved ballot measures defining marriage as between one man and one woman 鈥� in effect outlawing same-sex marriage.
By 2012, however, public opinion was swinging in favor of same-sex marriage. The Supreme Court , and it has had the support of most Americans ever since.
Boylan recalled how that long-bitter debate tilted in favor of legalization when supporters of same-sex marriage popularized the phrase 鈥淟ove is Love.鈥�
鈥淭hat opened doors and opened hearts,鈥� Boylan said. 鈥淭he challenge for trans people is we don鈥檛 have a phrase like that ... the issues are more complex.鈥�
Boylan noted that the anti-trans campaign seemed to make headway with issues that are not among the core concerns of most trans people: "The primary thing we鈥檙e fighting for is not the right to play with other women on a soccer team. We鈥檙e fighting for dignity, for respect, for the right to be left alone.鈥�
Maxwell Kuzma, a transgender man working as a film editor and writer in rural Ohio, said he was 鈥渨orn out鈥� by the relentless targeting of trans people, and blamed Trump for perpetuating it.
Looking ahead, he said life as a trans person 鈥渉as forced me to learn a resiliency that I will lean on as I continue to speak out against prejudice and discrimination.鈥�
Christine Zuba, a transgender woman from New Jersey, described a recent surge of Zoom meetings enabling trans people to express their concerns and determine next steps.
鈥砄ne of the best recommendations I have heard throughout this discussion is to not isolate yourself, rather surround yourself with your support group -- the people you love, and who love you,鈥� she said. 鈥淒o not despair. There are a lot of people who will work with you and for you.鈥�
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David Crary, currently news director of AP's global religion team, has been covering LGBTQ issues since 1999.
David Crary, The Associated Press
