We often hear about the struggles transgender youth face in America. This year, state legislators have introduced 500 anti-trans bills, limiting trans kids’ access to gender-affirming care, participation in sports, and use of public bathrooms that match their gender identity.
But a group of young trans activists want the world to see another side of their lives: joy.
On Monday, 200 trans kids ages 6 to 20 from across 18 states gathered in Washington, D.C., along with their parents for a prom featuring music, dancing, and celebration. It was an effort to re-center the conversation on the humanity of trans youth and their desire to experience the joys of adolescence, just like everybody else.
“We’re really trying to create a safe space in the event that encourages and inspires joy,” says Hobbes Chukumba, a 16-year-old organizer from Trenton, New Jersey. “We just want to be happy, like other kids.”
Libby Gonzales, a 13-year-old from Dallas, had the idea for the prom. She joined forces with Chukumba and two other kids to launch the steering committee for the event. They spent several months planning the program, which included music from DJ Nico Craig and a drag performance from Stormie Daie. There were also speeches by activists such as lawyer Chase Strangio and author Raquel Willis.
The organizers raised money from prominent supporters, including celebrities Elliot Page, Lilly Wachowski, Demi Lovato, and Ariana Grande. Part of the funding ensured that each child was given a $100 stipend to outfit themselves for the event. Hobbes wore a suit paired with comfy sneakers to be ready for dancing. Michael Coppola, a 15-year-old from New York, wore a stunning ball gown covered in blue flowers.
Finding the right outfit can be a challenge. As fashion scholars have noted, ready-to-wear clothing is cut and designed with cisgender people in mind, and transpeople often struggle to find clothes that fit well. Gonzales says she tried on “thousands” of dresses when she went shopping with her mother. She settled on a black outfit with a black statement headband covered in spikes and roses. “I was really picky,” she says. “But we finally found an outfit I’m very comfortable wearing.”
While the trans prom was a party, it also served as a political statement in the nation’s capital. Since January 2023, the number of anti-trans bills introduced has already surpassed that of the previous four years combined. NPR reports that right-wing groups have also poured tens of millions of dollars into ads that target trans youth.
“Trans Prom came from the anger and exhaustion trans kids like me felt after continuously debating our personhood and our identity to people who don’t seem to care,” Daniel Trujillo, a 15-year-old organizer from Tucson, Arizona, explains.
All of this is having an effect on trans and nonbinary youth, 86% of whom say that the political debate around anti-trans bills has negatively impacted their mental health. According to another Trevor Project study, 45% of LGBTQ youth have seriously considered suicide in the past year. But reports also show that these rates are preventable: Both suicide considerations and attempts drop dramatically for youth who receive support from adults.
In many ways, the prom was a way to demonstrate how many people around the country do support these trans kids, from the funding that poured in to the encouraging messages sent from allies around the country.
Trujillo says the event “is living proof of what trans people can achieve when supported and loved not only by parents but by friends and even strangers,” adding that he hopes people gain more of an understanding that trans kids are “just kids, deserving dignity, respect, and freedom.”
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