The Time for Performative Allyship is Over

In the face of ever-increasing, and baseless, legislative and rhetorical attacks, a profound and painful question echoes through the transgender community: Where are our allies within the Democratic party? The trans community is getting hammered on a daily basis, and, though we try our best, we cannot defend ourselves alone. While the silence is deafening, it is the actions of those who once claimed to be our staunchest supporters that are even more jarring, signaling a retreat in the name of political expediency at a moment of crisis.

The visible and public engagement of figures like California Governor Gavin Newsom serves as a particularly stark example of this apparent backsliding. Newsom, who has long positioned himself as a progressive champion of LGBTQ+ rights, chose to host the late Charlie Kirk on his podcast. Beyond a simple, one-time conversation, reports indicate that Newsom expressed a sense of agreement with Kirk on certain trans-related issues and later described the conservative activist as “gracious.” This engagement, and the comments made within it, are deeply unsettling. When a prominent Democratic leader finds common ground and civility with a figure who built a platform on extremist and dehumanizing rhetoric against our community, it sends a clear message: our fundamental rights are a negotiable bargaining chip, to be traded away in the pursuit of political optics or broader electoral strategy.

Even more confounding is the recent vote by Representative Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress. The community’s hope for a voice at the highest levels of government was, in many ways, embodied by her election. Yet, in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death, McBride voted in favor of a national day of mourning for a man who repeatedly and publicly attacked the very existence of trans people, including herself. While she released a statement explaining her vote as a condemnation of political violence, this rationale does not fully alleviate the pain and frustration felt by a community under siege. It raises a critical question: when does the act of seeking common ground with those who demonize you become an act of self-betrayal? When do we stop fighting for a seat at the equal rights table and start simply being satisfied with the chance to sit with those who would deny us entry?

This is not merely a matter of political disagreement; it is an inflection point for the transgender community and, more broadly, for human rights. We have been fighting for our place at the table for far too long, and we cannot afford to be left behind for the sake of political maneuvering. The trans community’s fight is a fight for the basic right to exist without fear. Our allies, particularly those within the Democratic party who have promised to stand with us, must understand that this is a moment for unyielding conviction, not quiet compromise.

The time for performative allyship is over. We do not need elected officials who will simply tweet a rainbow flag while remaining silent on the floor of the legislature. We need vocal, unflinching allies who will stand up against every piece of discriminatory legislation and every hateful remark, no matter the political cost.

We need leaders who understand that protecting the most vulnerable is not a political choice, but a moral imperative. Without them, the transgender community is left to fight a war on its own, and in a climate of escalating hostility, that is a battle we cannot win.