Thousands March in Brooklyn To Protest Anti-Trans Legislation

NEW YORK — A sea of white undulated on the streets outside of Brooklyn Museum on Sunday, June 13. Demonstrators — in the thousands — had gathered in support of the transgender community at the second annual Brooklyn Liberation: An Action for Trans Youth event. Supporters were dressed in white at the request of the organizers to honor the NAACP's 1917 Silent Protest Parade.

Co-organizers West Dakota, Raquel Willis, Peyton Dix, Fran Tirado, Ianne Fields Stewart, Mohammed Fayaz, Kalaya'an Mendoza, Robyn Ayers and Elilel Cruz had released the event poster only several days before the "emergency action" and expected no more than 1,000 people to show up. But the power of social media and community solidarity proved themselves once again.

#BROOKLYNLIBERATION - AN ACTION FOR TRANS YOUTH. THIS SUNDAY 6/13 @ 12PM. OUTSIDE BROOKLYN MUSEUM. RALLY + MARCH TO FOLLOW. WEAR WHITE. THIS IS A STATE OF EMERGENCY. TRANS YOUTH ARE UNDER ATTACK. ART BY @BROHAMMED #ProtectTransYouth #TransYouthPower #BlackTransLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/JzuoIYPmXA
— Brooklyn Liberation (@brooklynlib) June 9, 2021

The event, which organizers intentionally avoided getting a permit for from police, was held to protest against legislation deemed hostile to the transgender community. Here is part of the statement written on the Brooklyn Liberation website:

"HEY TRANS KIDS: WE GOT YOUR BACK! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THE MORE THAN 100 PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT HAVE BEEN FILED IN OVER 34 STATES. THERE HAVE BEEN MORE ANTI-TRANS BILLS PASSED THIS YEAR THAN IN THE LAST TEN YEARS COMBINED. TRANS YOUTH ARE UNDER ATTACK. SHOW UP AND FIGHT BACK.

"THESE ANTI-TRANS BILLS ARE IGNORANT AND VIOLENT AS F*CK. THEY PUSH FAR TOO MANY TRANS YOUTH OUT OF SCHOOL. LET KIDS LEARN. THEY EMBOLDEN THE STATE TO POLICE KIDS’ BODIES. DREAMS ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM TRANS YOUTH. LET KIDS PLAY. EVERYONE DESERVES AGENCY, BODILY AUTONOMY, HEALTH CARE, AND SELF DETERMINATION.TRANS HEALTH CARE SAVES LIVES. LET KIDS SPEAK. TRANS YOUTH ARE WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE. TRANS YOUTH KNOW THEIR TRUTH."

Relive some moments from the Brooklyn Liberation march:

Introducing the inaugural #LogoLegend, part of our #PrideMonth #Logo30: The Organizers of #BrooklynLiberation (@brooklynlib) @elielcruz , @fransquishco , @FreeActorvist , @KalaMendoza, @mohomme, @DixPeyton , @RaquelWillis_ , Robyn Ayers & @iamwestdakota. This is their story. pic.twitter.com/7w4oOaoQC9
— Logo (@LogoTV) June 11, 2021

We’re about to get started #BROOKLYNLIBERATION pic.twitter.com/m7u5SUeYl3
— Eliel Cruz (@elielcruz) June 13, 2021

“I believe in your power. I believe in our power. I believe in Black trans power. I believe in trans youth power.”

Scenes from the Brooklyn Liberation #ProtectTransYouth march. pic.twitter.com/tZlvccBcjp
— Alex Berg (@itsalexberg) June 13, 2021

Black Trans Liberation #BrooklynLiberation pic.twitter.com/r7xhSK0bvl
— Eliel Cruz (@elielcruz) June 13, 2021

stopped to have a runway #BROOKLYNLIBERATION pic.twitter.com/TGchzk5Las
— chelsea (@outsidevibez) June 13, 2021

LEIOMY!!!!! #BROOKLYNLIBERATION pic.twitter.com/6kqxXicQjH
— b (@bsaundsjr) June 14, 2021

So privileged to witness this rally/march for the second year in a row, this time focusing on trans youth. Xoxo #protecttransyouth #empowertransyouth #blacktranslivesmatter pic.twitter.com/BtNHVt9XKq
— Julie Ann Pietrangelo (@JulieAnnPie) June 13, 2021

LGBTQ activists and advocates have marked 2021 as the year having the most anti-transgender legislation introduced in Congress, surpassing that of 2015 when 15 anti-LGBTQ bills became law. Thirty-three states — Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Iowa, in particular — introduced over 100 bills that advocates say infringe upon the rights of transgender people, especially youth, in areas such as athletic sports, medical care, education and religious freedom. Sixteen of those bills have been signed into law.