Refuge and Resistance: Trans+ Community Building during Growing North American Hostilities

Introduction: Seeking Safe Harbour in Tumultuous Times

In a world where our safety feels ever-shifting, trans+ individuals have sought refuge, often envisioning Canada as a safe harbour amidst rising tides of hostility. We hoped for a place to live openly, to transition with dignity, and to build lives in peace. But even in this “progressive” nation, threats to our agency and autonomy remain real. We continue to navigate systemic discrimination, particularly in government healthcare, government services, employment, and out on the streets, often finding only conditional acceptance. With political winds shifting across North America, trans and queer individuals everywhere feel the renewed weight of uncertainty and apprehension.

The re-election of Donald Trump in the U.S., paired with Canada’s conservative momentum, casts long shadows over our vulnerable trans+ community. It feels as if we’re caught in a “failed state”—a system that repeatedly dehumanizes and endangers us. As trans women and therapists, Audrey and I witness the effects of this climate every day, working with clients who share in these fears. Together, we ask ourselves: How do we navigate these hostile waters, not as isolated individuals, but as a unified, unstoppable force?

This blog moves beyond therapy. It is a call to trans+ survival as a collective act of defiance. Together, we will support one another, build strength, and resist—no matter how hostile the world becomes.

Beyond Borders: The Shared Journey of Survival

The search for safety transcends borders, driven by the need to survive and honour one’s truth. Canada has served as a destination for many, but as Transgender Migrations makes clear, crossing borders alone does not guarantee sanctuary (Cotton, 2012). Discrimination, exclusion, and the shadow of systemic barriers continue to affect trans lives everywhere, even in “progressive” nations. In this sense, both the U.S. and Canada often operate as “failed states,” where marginalized people experience harm and neglect from the very systems meant to protect them (Chomsky, 2006).

Audrey and I are not only therapists but members of this shared struggle. The stories we hear echo our own experiences of “conditional acceptance,” of being tolerated rather than fully embraced. Each session is a reminder that survival is not simply a matter of finding safe ground but an act of resistance against systems that would deny us.

To truly create safe spaces—within ourselves, our communities, and beyond—we must actively build them. As Spade’s Mutual Aid asserts, building community is about more than survival; it’s an assertion of our right to live fully and freely (Spade, 2020). Together, we reinforce that our solidarity transcends borders. Our community is not defined by boundaries, but by the strength we find in one another.

Resisting Erasure: Reclaiming Visibility and Voice

In times of political hostility, the impulse to erase or silence marginalized identities grows stronger. Trump’s re-election has brought transphobia to the forefront, with policies designed not only to regulate but to erase trans lives from the public sphere. As Going Stealth reveals, policies that surveil and scrutinize our bodies go beyond regulation; they seek to erase our visibility and deny our humanity (Beauchamp, 2019). This push for erasure exists in Canada, too, where conservative rhetoric challenges our right to exist openly and fully.

Yet visibility is one of our most powerful tools of resistance. Each story shared, every act of self-expression, and all instances of collective presence serve to counter attempts to silence us. As we stand up and speak out, we transform attempts to erase us into declarations of our enduring presence. In our shared visibility lies a testament to our resilience, turning fear into a fierce commitment to live fully.

Political Hostility and the Urgency of Collective Resistance

Rapidly shifting political landscapes can devastate our lives. Trump’s re-election has shaped policies that target our bodies, restrict healthcare, and deny our humanity. Canada, too, is experiencing a conservative shift that threatens our rights. This hostility is not limited by geography—it’s a universal threat that binds us together in a shared fight. As This Bridge Called My Back illustrates, those of us who face multiple axes of oppression—such as racialized and disabled trans individuals—bear an even greater weight of hostility (Moraga & Anzaldúa, 1981). The political landscape can be especially brutal for those who live at the intersection of marginalized identities.

But we come from a powerful lineage of resistance. Our community has fought oppression before, and we will again. Rainbow Revolutions shows that even in the most oppressive times, queer communities have risen to demand justice (Lawson, 2019). We draw upon that legacy, knowing that our strength lies in solidarity, not isolation. Our lives are not shaped by hostile policies but by the unwavering connections we build with one another. Each act of collective support, every moment of resistance, affirms that we are here to stay—visible, unbreakable, and free.

Conditional Safety and the Importance of Mutual Support

Canada’s reputation as a haven often obscures a harder truth. Accessing healthcare, particularly gender-affirming care, remains fraught with obstacles. The Transgender Issue reminds us that the idea of “conditional safety” can mask the reality that acceptance is often contingent, granted only within certain limitations (Faye, 2021). Trans people are left navigating a system where safety is uncertain, where approval and access can be revoked at any time. This “conditional safety” often feels like a maze of qualifications and limitations that leaves many of us vulnerable and uncertain.

In response, we turn to one another. Mutual support is not just a fallback; it is a refusal to let our survival be dictated by systems that marginalize us. Dean Spade’s Mutual Aid provides a blueprint for building self-sustaining networks that uplift and empower us, reminding us that community care is our path to thriving (Spade, 2020). Whether it’s sharing resources, housing, or support, mutual aid embodies our collective power, asserting that our lives and safety depend not on external validation but on our own solidarity.

Through mutual support, we affirm that no one is alone in this journey. Every time we offer or receive help, we reclaim our dignity, build resilience, and refuse to be silenced. Our community is an ecosystem of care that defies boundaries and transcends oppression.

Building Chosen Families and Collective Belonging

Isolation has long been a tool of oppression, severing us from community and care. Yet, through chosen family, we redefine “family” on our own terms, creating spaces of belonging that reject societal constraints. As We Do This ’Til We Free Us describes, chosen family is a radical act of love and resistance, a rejection of structures that seek to isolate us (Kaba, 2021). These relationships are built as an assertion of our humanity, providing lifelines in an often hostile world.

Chosen family is more than comfort; it is survival. For Audrey and myself, chosen family has been a wellspring of strength, and we see its transformative power in the lives of those we support. In times of profound uncertainty, these bonds remind us that we are worthy of joy, connection, and unwavering support.

We call on others to build their own support systems, to seek kinship with those who honour them. Chosen family anchors us, offering safety and affirmation beyond what society grants us. Our true worth lies not in society’s acceptance but in the communities we build and sustain.

Call to Action: Creating Our Collective Future

This is our call to action. In the face of hostility, we are creating a future built on collective care and liberation. Each one of us has a role to play—no act of solidarity is too small, and no individual’s efforts are in vain. Every shared meal, every shoulder offered, every resource given strengthens our collective resistance and reclaims our dignity. This isn’t just about survival. It’s about building a world where we don’t merely exist but where we thrive.

We need to show up for each other in real, tangible ways. Join local support networks, offer your skills and resources, and lift each other up. Find those who affirm you, who empower you, who remind you that you are not alone in this struggle. Together, we are not just surviving—we are building a new reality, a future where our right to live fully is unquestionable.

Conclusion: Together Toward Trans+ Liberation

In an age marked by escalating hostility, state structures may seek to undermine our dignity, but within our community lies an unbreakable spirit. Against Equality teaches us that true liberation demands a world where we are seen and celebrated, beyond mere tolerance (Conrad, 2013).

For Audrey, myself, and trans and queer people around the globe, survival is a revolutionary act. Each resource shared, every connection through chosen family, and each story told builds the world we want to live in—a world where we belong fully and where our worth is recognized not as a matter of tolerance but as a matter of truth. Our existence is a declaration of freedom. Together, we are laying the foundation for a future where all of us can thrive.

In every small act of resistance, in each bond we nurture, and in each new connection, we breathe life into our vision of liberation. We are not merely existing. We are creating a world in which our lives and our community’s place within it are undeniable, empowered, and celebrated.

Continue the Convo

If the ideas in this blog resonate with you, I warmly invite you to connect with Audrey or myself. Whether you’re seeking ways to navigate hostility or looking to connect with others in support of trans+ rights, we’re here to help. You may book individual therapy sessions or peer consultations online. Be sure to bookmark this blog for future insights, reflections, and updates.

References

Beauchamp, T. (2019). Going stealth: Transgender politics and U.S. surveillance practices. Duke University Press.

Chomsky, N. (2006). Failed states: The abuse of power and the assault on democracy. Metropolitan Books.

Conrad, R. (Ed.). (2013). Against equality: Queer revolution, not mere inclusion. AK Press.

Cotton, T. (2012). Transgender migrations: The bodies, borders, and politics of transition. Routledge.

Faye, S. (2021). The transgender issue: Trans justice is justice for all. Allen Lane.

Kaba, M. (2021). We do this ’til we free us: Abolitionist organizing and transforming justice. Haymarket Books.

Lawson, J. (2019). Rainbow revolutions: Power, pride, and protest in the fight for queer rights. Hachette Children’s Group.

Moraga, C., & Anzaldúa, G. (Eds.). (1981). This bridge called my back: Writings by radical women of color. Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press.

Spade, D. (2020). Mutual aid: Building solidarity during this crisis (and the next). Verso.