Trans Kids Our Kids: Stories and Resources from the Frontlines of the Movement for Transgender Youth

Watch authors Adam Polaski, Liz Williams, and Gillian Branstetter's book talk and reading at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C.

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Over the past few years, we have witnessed a growing wave of anti-LGBTQ+ bills and policies across the United States. According to the ACLU, in 2023 alone, 507 anti-LGBTQ bills were proposed in 47 states; among these, 84 have been passed into law.

The targets of many of these legislative attacks have been the most vulnerable among us--transgender and LGBTQ+ youth. From "Don't Say Gay" laws to healthcare restrictions, anti-LGBTQ+ policies are impacting trans and queer youth in almost every sphere of their lives, including the medical care they can access, the sports teams they can play on, what they are allowed to talk about in the classroom, and the books they are allowed to check out from the library. The results of this discrimination are often deadly, with over half of transgender and non-binary youth seriously contemplating suicide, and many others falling victim to violent hate crimes inspired by this hostile climate.

Trans Kids, Our Kids: Stories and Resources from the Frontlines of the Movement for Transgender Youth shares the stories of transgender youth and their families, exploring the choices they are making to survive in today's environment. The book also gives voice to the medical providers who are providing care to transgender youth, as well as the activists, teachers and faith leaders who are leading the resistance efforts.

By contextualizing and sharing these stories, as well as offering resources and next steps, Trans Kids aims to both narrativize the pain and fear experienced by everyday Americans in this cultural moment, as well as highlighting the courage, hope, and resilience of transgender and LGBTQ+ youth, their families, and the people who support them.

Adam Polaski serves as the Communications & Political Director for the Campaign for Southern Equality. Prior to this, he worked on the digital and communication teams at Freedom to Marry, the successful campaign to win marriage for same-sex couples across the United States, and Freedom for All Americans, a national organization committed to securing LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination protections. Adam has been recognized for Excellence in Online Journalism by the National Gay & Lesbian Journalists Association and his writing has been published in Hello Mr., The Seventh Wave, The Bilerico Project, and Love Unites Us, an anthology book about the marriage movement.

Liz Williams (she/they) is a visual artist based in Asheville, NC, with 15 years of experience blending photography, digital mixed media, and graphic design to explore the interconnectedness of community and identity as a Black Southern queer artist. As the Creative Director of the Campaign for Southern Equality's art program, Southern Equality Studios, she uses her art to empower and advocate for LGBTQ equality. Her work includes collaborations with organizations like CSE, QORDS, Gender Benders, and Equality NC.

Gillian Branstetter is a Communications Strategist at the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project and LGBTQ & HIV Project. Formerly of the National Women’s Law Center and the National Center for Transgender Equality, she works with advocates, storytellers, reporters, and artists to fight for gender justice, including the safety and dignity of queer and transgender people. She is an experienced spokesperson and media strategist featured in national and local media outlets including CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, Washington Post, as well as a writer and reporter with work in The Atlantic, Newsweek, Out Magazine, and Thomson-Reuters.

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Founded by Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade in 1984, Politics and Prose Bookstore is Washington, D.C.'s premier independent bookstore and cultural hub, a gathering place for people interested in reading and discussing books. Politics and Prose offers superior service, unusual book choices, and a haven for book lovers in the store and online.

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