Two young people hold signs at the Trans Advocacy Day 2025 rally. Photo by Mel Ponder.
This was our context.
Still, the year made one thing clear: Trans people are not powerless. Across the country, people organized, took action, strengthened networks of care, and won real victories. We proved that collective effort can slow, challenge, and reshape even the most aggressive agendas. Throughout history, progress has rarely been simple—or guaranteed. Nevertheless, it has been built through persistence, collective action, and an unwavering commitment to something better. Even in the face of escalating, sometimes unimaginable harms, our community’s legacy has been shaped by people who organized anyway and changed what was possible.
In 2025, Gender Justice League met this moment by defending Trans life, building Trans power, and investing in Trans futures. Here are some of the accomplishments we’re most proud to share.
Direct Support to 2STGD Survivors
In a year when government systems and many traditional social services increasingly failed Trans people, Gender Justice League continued to meet urgent needs through our Community Security Program (CSP)—offering direct and individualized support rooted in dignity and self-determination. We continued to provide survivor-centered, flexible, and life-saving support to TwoSpirit, Trans, and Gender Diverse (2STGD) people impacted by gender-based violence, housing instability, and systemic discrimination. In 2025, we:
- Served 250+ 2STGD survivors with cash assistance, accessing shelter, individualized safety planning, resource navigation support, and community connections and referrals.
- Fielded 800+ calls from 2STGD survivors seeking support and services.
- Provided $30,000 in direct cash assistance to 2STGD survivors to help cover expenses like food, housing, bills, transportation to appointments and work, and other basic needs.
In 2025, we saw a substantial increase in survivors coming to us—driven in part by escalating anti-Trans laws, rhetoric, and violence nationwide. In response, GJL strengthened our staff capacity and deepened coordination with community partners—ensuring 2STGD survivors could access support that meets our unique needs with dignity, autonomy, and care.
While CSP is funded to serve a limited number of participants each year, the reality of 2025 required us to stretch beyond those bounds. We did so because Trans survival is not optional—and because community care is a form of resistance.
Advocacy
Legislative Session
Danni and Sophia, alongside other advocates who worked to help pass The Safety Act, present with WA state Governor Bob Ferguson after signing it into law, 5.20.25
Despite a difficult legislative year dominated by efforts to close a massive $16 billion federal budget gap, GJL and our supporters secured critical victories in Washington State. Together, we helped:
- Increase access to, and protections for, gender-affirming care
- Strengthen safety in schools for Trans and other marginalized students
- Strengthen protections for providers of gender-affirming and reproductive healthcare
- Sustain state funding for survivors of violence and crime
One of our proudest victories this year was helping pass The Safety Act, which was signed into law in May. As a first-in-the-nation policy, the Safety Act strengthens protections in schools for Trans students, neurodivergent students, and students who are undocumented or unhoused, allowing more students the opportunity for equitable and safe access to education in WA public schools. We also celebrated the defeat of SB 9, a federal bill that would have banned Trans girls and women from participating in women’s sports at public K–12 schools and universities. This win mattered not only in Washington, but nationally, as the bill would have rewritten Title IX to explicitly exclude Trans people, creating a dangerous precedent for civil rights nationwide.
These wins were powered by our community—including those who emailed, called, testified, and took other actions to make their voices heard—like joining us for our third annual Trans Advocacy Day in February.
Trans Advocacy Day
An attendee at the Trans Advocacy Day rally holds a sign saying “Protect Trans Lives.” Photo by Mel Ponder.
We’re proud to share that our Trans Advocacy Day brought 200+ Trans people and allies together at the Capitol to advocate for safer schools for all youth, access to healthcare, autonomy over our bodies, and other issues important to our communities. Thank you to everyone who showed up, organized, volunteered, trained, led, shared, held space, told their story, donated, or made their voice heard in some other way. Our collective efforts and dedication created a day filled with hope, connection, and unwavering commitment to Trans life!
Impact Litigation
In 2025, we also began speaking more publicly about our impact litigation work, including our participation in Shilling v. Trump, a lawsuit challenging the federal ban on Trans people serving openly in the military. This case represents our commitment to using every available tool—including the courts—to defend Trans lives, dignity, and autonomy. Next up, we’re preparing for a full trial in district court on November 6, 2026, in Tacoma.
No Hate in WA State
This year, GJL helped to form and sustain No Hate in Washington State (formerly Washington Families for Freedom), a coalition of parents, educators, students, unions, and advocacy organizations working to protect all Washington students from abuse and discrimination.
GJL staff and board at a No Hate in WA State meeting, 8.8.25
Led by Gender Justice League alongside ACLU of WA, GSBA, Pro-Choice Washington, UFCW 3000, and SEIU 775, the coalition is organizing to defeat two extremely dangerous ballot initiatives targeting our youth. Those initiatives are IL26-638, which would require invasive genital exams for all girls to play sports; and IL26-001, which would threaten the safety and privacy of all students—especially queer and Trans students—by forcing teachers and school counselors to “out” them to unsupportive families; erode trust students have in their teachers and counselors to disclose things like abuse in the home or mental health concerns; and disrupt all students’ access to education by allowing parents to veto classroom content.
No Hate in WA State is currently working to educate voters about these initiatives so they are not fooled into voting against Trans youth, should we see these or similar initiatives on our ballots this November.
Legal Clinics
In a year where the legal landscape of our rights and options seemed to change daily, GJL’s legal clinics provided critical access and information for Trans community members navigating name and gender marker changes on our identity documents.
In 2025, we hosted three legal clinics in Columbia City, Shoreline, and Kent, serving 200+ people seeking support with name and gender marker changes. With one-on-one assistance from volunteer attorneys and case workers, participants received legal guidance, financial assistance, and up-to-date information during a time when the rules and processes were shifting rapidly. We also hosted a legal clinic pop-up at Trans Pride Seattle, extending legal information and resources to thousands more navigating an increasingly unstable legal landscape.
We’re already planning our next legal clinic for this Spring—stay tuned for more details—and actively seeking our funding opportunities to expand our legal clinics to broader geographic areas across the state. (Our legal clinics receive no grant or institutional funding and rely entirely on community support. If you want to help sustain this critical work, please consider making a one-time or recurring gift here.)
Trans Pride Seattle
Trans Pride Seattle remains one of the largest free Trans Pride events in the country—and in 2025, an estimated 30,000 people gathered in community, celebration, and resistance.
Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck presenting a City of Seattle proclamation officially declaring June 27th as Seattle Trans Pride Day, on the Trans Pride Seattle stage. Photo by Andie Deroux.
One moment we’ll never forget: live on the TPS stage, Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck surprised us with a proclamation officially declaring June 27th as Seattle Trans Pride Day. This recognition affirmed what we already know: that Trans Pride Seattle is not just fun and fabulous, but a vital community resource unlike anything else at this scale.
Having Jennicet Guiterez and several local Undocumented and Refugee Trans people on our stage to highlight the appalling attacks on undocumented Trans people, asylum seekers, and refugees by ICE and the Trump Administration was particularly powerful and poignant. Their stories made the stakes undeniable, and offered attendees concrete actions to take, organizations to support, and a deeper understanding of the real dangers facing our community.
Trans Pride Seattle continued to grow as a hub of connection and care, with 100+ organizations, artists, vendors, health care providers, and community groups joining the tabling fair. We were proud to once again host a cop-free “No Pride in Policing” event, relying instead on well-trained, community security volunteers to keep our space safe and sacred for all to celebrate without the fear of state violence and surveillance. We remain so grateful and humbled for all the community support that helps to make this event happen—from volunteers, donors, organizers, vendors, performers, and our community who come together each year to celebrate, resist, and remind the world that Trans people aren’t going anywhere.
We were so thrilled that Trans Pride Seattle was also voted Best Trans/Nonbinary Event in Seattle Gay News’ 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards—an honor that reflects the love, care, and community that make this event possible!
To help sustain this beloved event, we also launched TransPrideStore.com, featuring new designs and revived classics from Trans Pride Seattle’s past. Every purchase directly supports the future of Trans Pride Seattle.
Organizational Updates
Become a Member of GJL
In 2025, we launched our official GJL membership—a new way for community members to show their support for our mission. Becoming a member strengthens our collective efforts to advance 2STGD rights and safety, and demonstrates our shared power in numbers. Membership is completely free and open to anyone who supports our work. Your information will never be sold or shared publicly or with any outside organizations for marketing or fundraising purposes. We use trusted, secure tools to collect and store membership information, and your data is only used by GJL. While we encourage members to engage with GJL in ways that feel meaningful to you, membership never requires donating or volunteering—it’s simply a way to show your support and stay connected to our work.
Team Updates
Katie at Trans Advocacy Day 2025. Photo by Mel Ponder.
In 2025, GJL strengthened our capacity by investing in the people who make our work possible. Katie moved from part-time to full-time and was promoted to Operations Manager, where she has led major projects across operations, taking the lead organizing all our legal clinics, and directing the Trans Pride Seattle tabling fair—all while strengthening the systems that keep our work running smoothly and sustainably.
We also celebrated Ishalaa’s promotion to Program Director of the Community Security Program. Since joining GJL in 2024, Ishalaa has brought fierce care, leadership, and vision to CSP, supporting 2STGD survivors with dignity and excellence.
This year marked a major milestone for Kai, who was both promoted to Director of Communications + Development and celebrated five years at Gender Justice League. Since joining the team in 2020, Kai has shaped GJL’s voice, led our communications strategy, and taken on an increasingly central role in fundraising, including managing fundraising campaigns, expanding our grant writing capacity, and coordinating Trans Pride Seattle sponsorships.
Kai and Ishalaa at Trans Pride Seattle 2025.
In the fall, we happily welcomed Alex as our new Development Coordinator. Alex approaches fundraising as movement-building, centering 2STGD voices—especially BIPOC community members—in how resources are raised, and how power is built. Even in this short time, Alex has already made a massive impact on GJL’s ability to show up for our community sustainably, thoughtfully, and with care.
Financial Update
In 2025, GJL experienced significant financial growth, doubling our income from the year prior while also increasing our spending to meet urgent community needs, including expanded advocacy and organizing through efforts like Washington Families for Freedom to fight two upcoming anti-Trans ballot measures here in Washington state. GJL remains in a strong, stable financial position, well-equipped to sustain and deepen our work. We saw meaningful increases in both grant funding and individual giving, with our community showing up in powerful ways throughout the year.
We are deeply grateful to the many people who continue to invest in this work. Your generosity makes it possible for us to respond boldly, responsibly, and with care when our community needs us most.
Nonprofit of the Year
A major highlight of 2025 was being named Nonprofit of the Year at the GSBA Impact Awards in March. We are deeply grateful to everyone who nominated and voted for us, and to GSBA and the broader community for recognizing our work toward a world where all people can live safely, truly, and freely as themselves. As our Board Chair, Sarah Moran, shared: “It has been a great honor for me to be a tiny part of the important work that GJL has done over the years. Our staff, board, and volunteers have put so much energy into making the world better for Trans and gender nonconforming people. This recognition is a nice reminder that our work really does make a difference.”
Looking Ahead
Every one of our wins in 2025 happened because each one of you showed up, testified, organized, gave, and fought. We never waited for permission. That’s how change has always happened. That’s how it always will.
We know who’s trying to break us. But they forget—we’re not built to break.
They bet on fear.
We bet on us.
Don’t let them trick you into believing there’s nothing you can do.
Join us for Trans Advocacy Day. Help us plan Trans Pride Seattle. Energy running low? We get it. A donation is one way to stay in the fight without burning out.
No matter what, there’s a place for you in this fight—and we’re here to help you find it.
With love,
Gender Justice League