2022 is on its way to having the most anti-trans legislation on record. Almost half of the anti-trans bills proposed in state legislatures targeted minors.

From blocking trans youth from playing sports, limiting sexual education, taking away healthcare, limiting public restroom use, restrictions on IDs and taking kids from supportive parents, there is an active effort to remove trans youth from a safe public life. Many such bills are passed in the name of fairness but only succeed in discriminating against a marginalized group.

“Throughout the course of even just American history, we see trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming people being attacked for political gain. Here we are in 2022 and it’s the same story all over again,” said Pride Executive Director Fernando Lopez. “They are taking some of the most vulnerable people in our community and making them a target and that is so dangerous. It’s deadly.”

While thankfully California has not passed any such bills, trans youth here have a heightened awareness on just how tenuous their bodily autonomy and safety are.

In the face of these attacks, Pride has chosen to loudly defend trans youth and declare that trans youth are an essential part of the San Diego community. In the Pride parade on July 16, trans youth will lead the entire parade as the Community Grand Marshal.

“With all the attacks on trans youth in the country going on right now, getting the opportunity to lead something as big as San Diego Pride just feels like such a big win after so many losses that have been experienced this year,” said 18-year-old Fin Burgess, who will be marching in the trans youth contingent.

It is an active reminder to the crowd of onlookers to protect the most vulnerable members of the LGBT+ community.

“We wanted to make sure that our trans kids saw that we have their back; that we’re gonna stand with them and we needed the rest of our community to see that these youth are important. They’re deserving of support and love,” Lopez said.

Hopefully the contingent will encourage trans youth in the crowd as well.

Burgess explained that many trans kids have lost their confidence recently so the parade will remind them “we have power and we have a voice and we have the ability to make change.” He had not met someone proud of being trans until he joined Pride’s youth programs at age 14.

“The most important thing to me is the reaction of other trans kids who are going to be in the crowd, especially those who aren’t out to their parents or aren’t out at school or don’t feel safe to be out,” Burgess remarked. “I think for other trans youth to see this group of trans people leading this parade with all this joy— I think that that’s going to build so much confidence. and like, iIt’s going to be a really important moment for I every single trans kid who’s watching to be able to see themselves represented.”

After making friends through Pride’s youth programs, Burgess became more involved, eventually becoming a youth ambassador which meant he was running the programs instead of just attending. He has also taken on additional advocacy at the local level.

“Having a voice in the school setting is still proving to be really difficult,” he said.

The Tierrasanta resident explained that on issues in schools like asking teachers not to deadname (using a trans person’s previous legal name that they no longer use) students and adding gender neutral bathrooms takes a massive amount of effort to make change. He said it takes the entire San Diego Unified School District board, plus several trans youth voices, plus the support of several LGBT+ and youth-serving organizations to get a school to possibly listen.

“It’s so exhausting right now to be a trans kid in a society that doesn’t really listen to kids,” Burgess remarked.

He said the most important thing for adults who know trans kids is to listen and ask questions even if they are uncomfortable rather than assuming they know what is best for the child.

“The biggest thing both locally and nationally is just to be uplifting trans voices and actually listening and doing your best to hear what they’re actually saying and needing instead of assuming,” Burgess said.

To Lopez, the most important thing for adults to do in this moment is to tell their kids they love them no matter what.

“Having a supportive parent can save a life – not even just a parent – having a supportive adult in a trans or non-binary kid’s life can be all the difference in the world in saving their life. That’s the number one thing everyone can do,” they said.

For step two, Lopez urged people to educate themselves on what organizations and services are available regionally to support their family.

“How can we not make sure that these kids know that they’re loved and supported? It’s the least we could do,” Lopez said.