We Won't Be Erased

Executive Office

While we are all reeling from yesterday’s horrifying news that the Trump Administration is seeking to eradicate the fundamental right of transgender Americans to define their own identities, I want to take a moment to remind us all of a truth that cannot be legislated out of existence: We are not who we are because other people say it is so. Our identities are ours alone to define, to explore, and to adapt to our ever-evolving understanding of ourselves. Those who seek to harm us do not have sovereignty over our bodies nor over the unique and complex spirit that makes us who we are.
 
We will not be erased because those who seek to erase us do not have the power to do so.
 
They may attempt to coerce us into a state of legal non-existence. They may threaten us with violence. They may erect walls across the paths we are taking our own individual journeys. They may mock us, insult us, and twist scientific research to conform to their vile purposes. But they cannot, and will not, take away the truth that we are, each of us, valuable and worthy. They cannot take from us that we are exactly who we need to be in this moment, and in working toward becoming a better version of the person we’ve always been we are not “becoming something” but rather embracing, celebrating, and cultivating who we already are.
 
Like you, I am tired and disgusted by the transphobia that openly dances in our streets and halls of government. Like you, I am scared by the uncertainty in which we all find ourselves. However, I know that we are deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and I remain resolved to fight for justice and equity for our community. I hope you'll continue to walk this path with me.
 
You Are Never Alone.

In Solidarity,

Darcy J. Corbitt-Hall She
President and CEO