Don't think for a second we dont feel a strong flood emotions when we see the 66% of Americans who are a complete drain on the people around them face consequences for their actions(or inaction). The fact is, it doesnt happen nearly enough and it never changes anything.

As another trans person, I say the best thing to do now may be to avoid the typical liberal "protest and vote" advice. Protesting simply isn't as effective as it used to be, and voting should not be the foundation of your political activities. Voting is useful, but especially in a firmly blue or state, it's mostly a symbolic gesture.

There are trans people in your local area who are being hurt by this administration. Forget protesting. Focus on helping the actual material needs of the community. Every blue state currently has trans refugees coming into them. Often these are young adults showing up with few resources, often ending up homeless. There's likely a population of homeless trans kids in your own community. These are the people you should be focusing on helping right now. Join a local trans support group to help out your brothers, sisters, and siblings. If an organization doesn't exist, start one. Things to focus on:

• Housing and access to housing

• Job assistance.

• Food and other essentials (one group in my area runs a trans specific food bank, as many trans folks have had bad experiences with church-run food pantries.

• Medical assistance. Provide recommendations to local providers. Educate people on safe DIY use. If there are local HRT homebrewers in your area, help organize distribution and mutual aid.

*Traditional gender support groups for newly transitioning folks.

• General mutual aid and emergency assistance.

Honestly, for trans people, it's completely valid to just laser focus on the material needs of our own community right now. We're being targeted by an organized campaign of state persecution. There's hundreds of thousands of us that are internally displaced refugees within the borders of the US. There's a lot of people hurting, and a lot of people in need. Protest if you want, but personally, I've found focusing on direct material needs and mutual aid to be a much more productive and rewarding path. The Trump regime is trying to destroy us. Simply helping your brothers, sisters, and siblings is an act of political resistance and defiance.

Your goal is not to bring down the Trump regime. That is not your responsibility. For those most targeted, simply surviving these years is your primary act of resistance. Take care of yourself, and take care of your brothers, sisters, and siblings. That is how I as a trans person have found meaning in this time. I voted, but that was only symbolic. And I'm not currently participating in protests. I'm focusing on actually directly helping people instead. Survival is resistance.

You do know what to do and you are doing it! It's not going to magically solve everything but you are doing more than most people.