It’s more important than ever to highlight trans and nonbinary art, to uplift trans joy, and to share stories of healing and connection. Help us share hope through art and writing! We invite you to contribute to the new Trans Survivors digital zine. 

Throughout the year, we’ll invite submissions on specific themes (see below). These can be interpreted loosely. We welcome your full range of emotions and expressions. We encourage content focused on race and anti-racism; bodies and disabilities; class, housing, survival realities; and content that focuses or encompasses our complex, intersectional lives.   

For a better idea of the kind of work we publish, check out one of our previously published issues of the Trans Survivors Zine.

Submissions are currently OPEN May 1st through May 31st, 2026.

Current issues:

Submissions are currently open for two issues. We are looking for submissions on: 

The post Call for Submissions! Trans Survivors Zine appeared first on FORGE.

“Our coalition is worried about what is going to happen around housing and shelter of the trans survivors we work with. We’ve worked hard to ensure that all survivors can be safely housed. There is a lot of confusion about what is happening, when, or by which agency. Can you clarify what we can expect?”

Answer:

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) 2016 Equal Access Rule (EAR) provides clear, detailed guidance and requirements to that ensures housing is available to all eligible individuals and families. EAR is one of the few existing federal housing protections that protects transgender and nonbinary individuals. Read more about the EAR.

Access to housing is now being threatened by the current Administration that issued orders to halt enforcement of the rule, which would result in organizations being allowed to deny housing services to individuals currently covered under EAR (trans and nonbinary people), as well as individuals covered under the earlier 2012 rule that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. 

It is critical that communities prepare to take action to save the protections provided under the Equal Access Rule. FORGE is joining with the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, SAGE, and many others to advocate for this important protection.

What the Equal Access Rule does

Trans and nonbinary people face intersecting challenges when accessing housing. Whether someone is experiencing housing discrimination, or is leaving an abusive living situation, many trans and nonbinary people experience additional harm when seeking housing services and shelter: “Nearly 30% of homeless transgender individuals report being turned away from a shelter due to their transgender status and 22% report experiencing sexual assault perpetrated by staff or other shelter residents” (HUD). 

The Equal Access Rule seeks to prevent this kind of harm by ensuring that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s housing programs are open to all eligible individuals and families, regardless of family composition, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status.  

Originally designed to ensure that a variety of family types could access shelter arrangements without being separated, the EAR was expanded to ensure it specifically and clearly included trans/nonbinary people as well. 

As the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) points out, “the Equal Access Rule sets a standard definition of family that is self-defined by any group of people presenting for assistance, with or without children, and irrespective of age or relationship” (2025).This is critical for survivors of domestic and sexual violence with family structures that are not comprised of cisgender or heterosexual individuals.

Learn more from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/resources/policy-information/huds-equal-access-rule/

Our role in protecting the Equal Access Rule

We can all play a role in making sure all people have access to housing. Here are a few ways you might be able to take action:

 1. Continue to provide equitable services to trans/nonbinary survivors.

The Equal Access Rule is still in effect. You can also access FORGE resources to learn more about effective advocacy for trans/nonbinary survivors.

2. Educate your communities on the Equal Access Rule.

Education can help people understand the importance of the rule and ensure it is being utilized now. Knowing more now, will help folks prepare to submit comments to protect the EAR (see #4).

3. Share stories.

A coalition of advocacy groups is gathering stories about the benefits of equal access in housing and services. If you or someone you know has faced barriers accessing shelter and housing resources based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status—or has benefited from more equal access to housing and services—please fill out this questionnaire.

4. Prepare to submit a public comment.

It is anticipated that HUD will issue a public comment period, though the timing of this is not yet known. People will be able to leave comments anonymously or not, and by individuals and organizations. Start considering your comments today, and begin to talk with others who can also submit comments. FORGE will be sharing out templates and other information to help people submit comments. 

5. Sign up for National Alliance to End Homelessness Advocacy (NAEH) Alerts.

To stay informed about ways you can defend the Equal Access Rule, please sign up for the NAEH’s Advocacy Alerts. The NAEH can keep you updated on developments in the Administration and provide talking points and opportunities to weigh in with decision makers. (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2025)

The post April 2026 Technical Assistance Question: Equal Access Rule (Housing) appeared first on FORGE.

Written by D.Fox at Fox Den Consulting 

Having a safe place and community to call home free from interpersonal, familial, community and state violence is a basic human right and necessity. Many transgender and LGBTQ+ immigrants have fled harm related to sexual orientation and gender identity from punitive governments to seek safety in the United States. With recent federal Executive Orders, state laws removing basic rights and health care from LGBTQ+ communities, and immigrant enforcement surges in targeted cities and states across the country, we have seen the harms impacting Two-Spirit, transgender survivors, victim service providers, and our communities in general.  

What are the impacts on transgender survivors and their families during Immigration Enforcement surges? 

Enforcement practices create a climate of fear for survivors and their children. Survivors are less likely to engage in help seeking behaviors like seeking shelter, pursuing legal remedies like going to court, and accessing basic safety net services. There is a fear of harm from agents, possible detention and deportation, family separation, and economic/job losses. For Two-Spirit, transgender, immigrant and LGBTQ+ survivors who have fled dangerous or unsafe situations, states or countries, there are additional fears of being sent back to places where they could be harmed or killed by their harm-doers, family members, and the state. If a transgender survivor is forcefully deported to their state, country of origin or family of origin there can be real risk of harm and death and possible suicidality.  

Survivors are afraid to reach out to local law enforcement when harm doers weaponize the current climate and make threats to call the police or immigration enforcement to have their partner detained or deported. The Alliance for Immigrant Survivors recently released a report, Fear and Silence: 2025 Insights from Advocates for Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Human Trafficking. The report reveals the very real fears facing immigrant survivors. Many families feel very unsafe due to public kidnappings at schools and murders and harm by ice. As a result, families are reporting they are unable to participate in public life. In the Twin Cities, children have been kidnapped and taken to detention, making it unsafe for children to attend school in person.  

For LGBTQ+ and HIV+ people in detention centers, the sexual abuse within those facilities are ever present. LGBTQ+ immigrants and legal observers are targeted in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations. When incarcerated in detention centers, LGBTQ+ people experience high rates of sexual assault and violence. In the report, No Human Being Should be Here (2024), the majority of survey participants reported threats of assault, verbal abuse, and hate related speech including homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, and racist in nature. Half of the participants interviewed were punished with solitary confinement, and reported being outed (HIV status, confidential medical information, sexual orientation, and gender identity) without prior consent. Private for-profit detention centers with little to no oversight or ability to seek counsel are unsafe, and dangerous for LGBTQ+ survivors. The detention facilities are not in compliance with international law and deny LGBTQ+ people their basic human and constitutional rights. Immigrants and asylum seekers are worthy of dignity and respect and should not be detained by ICE or CBP. 

In communities heavily targeted by immigration enforcement, networks of volunteers are now buying and delivering food and supplies to families who are not able to leave home for fear of ICE detention or deportation. Families have gone into hiding, individuals have disappeared, and some have attempted to flee the country. In a state like Minnesota, many LGBTQ+ families, like the Good family, moved to Minnesota for the protections offered. Minnesota is a Trans Refuge state, offering specific transgender protections such as a right to gender affirming care and statewide human rights protections. Since the 1970s Minnesota has also been very welcoming to immigrant and refugee populations. The highest percentage of resettled refugees in the country is in Minnesota along with the highest percent of out transgender adults. The diversity and sanctuary city policies are one of the main reasons the federal government has targeted Minneapolis and that it has voted blue in all presidential elections since the 1970s. 

Why are LGBTQ+ communities being targeted during Immigration Enforcement raids? 

It has been reported by legal observers that CPB and ICE agents have used transphobic, homophobic, and misogynist hate and derogatory speech when interacting with neighbors in the community. Being visibly transgender and queer, and especially a visibly LGBTQ+ person of color, makes legal observers targets for illegal arrest and detainment. Black and Brown people are experiencing the majority of harm and are most vulnerable to kidnapping, regardless of citizenship status, gender, or sexual identity. As transgender Minnesota state legislator Leigh Finke remarked in the LGBTQ Nation magazine “queer folks….have become collateral damage in a system that empowers white supremacy. One of the things that sort of underlies the people who are enforcing this is that they are adherents of a certain kind of structure of power which puts targets on women and queer people, and you saw that with the murder of Renee Good”.  

In culturally and racially diverse, and queer communities, the presence of large-scale over-enforcement operations in residential neighborhoods creates conditions that increase fear, trauma, and in turn a rapid response mobilization to engage in bystander intervention violence prevention. Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ relatives have led efforts to train and become legal observers to protect our immigrant neighbors. 

How can domestic and sexual violence organization advocates support Two-Spirit and transgender survivors during this time? 

The destabilizing impacts of large-scale occupations are far reaching and create lasting generational and widespread trauma, and compounded trauma for those who have previously fled war-torn countries. Some of the key impacts for survivors and the communities are economic disruptions with small and immigrant/refugee businesses closing to keep them and their staff safer; families going into hiding to keep from being separated and forcing survivors into the shadows and less likely to seek safety at victim service provider agencies. 

The Minnesota statewide anti-violence coalitions named the disinvestments that could actually address public safety in our community by investing in domestic and sexual violence programs.  

We will not stay silent while…policymakers nationwide scapegoat Latine and Somali Minnesotans under the guise of “ending fraud and violent crime” while stripping massive amounts of money from domestic and violence services; cutting permanent housing funding; and waging campaigns of discrimination and erasure against 2SLGBTQIA+ Americans.

Tangible ways to support survivors to consider are: 

• Pivoting program services from site-based services to mobile advocacy and outreach. During an occupation survivors are afraid to leave their homes and to seek services. Modify services to safely deliver much needed services remotely.  
• Safety planning as much as needed. During a militarized occupation, leaving the house at any time is a risk. 
• Support survivors in crafting legal custody plans for children if detained or deported. 
• Get creative with flexible funding and mutual aid to meet the unique needs survivors face. If survivors are unable to work, come up with a plan to get bills and rent paid. 
• Provide real time crisis counseling, support groups, and engagement. 
• Connect survivors who are interested in community involvement by becoming legal observers, volunteers, and watchers.  
• Connect survivors with community members or staff members who can assist with getting their children to day care/school and back safely without fearing being picked up by CBP or ICE during transport. 
• Create safety plans with advocates. Advocates may be at increased risk of arrest if they are working to support immigrant survivors, accompanying children, or in other ways encountering ICE. Consider budgeting for a bail fund for staff, engaging with legal support or other measures to support staff and volunteers. 
• Advocates are often survivors and belong to many communities directly impacted by ICE enforcement. Support staff in accessing much needed emotional and financial resources. Offer them flexibility without fear of job loss and lack of income.  
• Connect with immigration and transgender rights lawyers and organizations, state legislators, members of Congress to mobilize immediately if a survivor and their children are separated or detained. Having a lawyer and political pull can prevent or return a survivor from being flown to an out of state detention center and possibly prevent deportation. 
• Get to know your neighbors and break down the isolation, fear, and disconnectedness that interpersonal and state violence feeds off of. In communities that have activated and practiced bystander intervention in real time, they have been effective in supporting their neighbors and mitigating further harm by ICE and CPB. In Minnesota, they described this value as neighborism, taking care of one another and your neighbors as a way to prevent violence in our communities.  

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Immigration Protections for Immigrant Survivors 

VAWA is still federal law and that has not changed. Survivors can still access U Visas. VAWA provides a pathway for lawful immigration status for victims of domestic violence. The U Visa allows a survivor to self-petition for a visa and remain in the U.S. for up to four years, with eligibility to apply for a green card after three years. It protects survivors from the threat of deportation and provides eligibility to work in the U.S. It is not an easy process in the current climate as filing requires the survivor to report the violence they experienced to work with law enforcement. The process and timeline are uncertain and varies. The survivor, especially transgender and LGBTQ+ survivors, will likely need to work with an immigration lawyer with VAWA expertise in applying for a U Visa.  

What to do if ICE comes to your program? 

Domestic violence programs and shelters and other spaces such as schools, medical facilities such as hospitals, doctor’s offices, and places of worship were once-protected spaces from immigration enforcement. We are now seeing CBP and ICE targeting daycare centers, schools, and kidnapping and arresting students and staff and tear-gassing and shooting rubber bullets on school grounds, creating immense fear in communities about the violence directed towards children, parents and educators.  

If ICE arrives at your organization, here’s how you can prepare and respond. 

• Clearly mark public and non-public spaces. ICE cannot enter private spaces without a judicial warrant or subpoena. Victim service providers can post signage stating that no one, including ICE or CPB, can enter the property, without a judicial warrant. 
• Ensure that staff, clients, volunteers, and community members know their rights when engaging with ICE. Printable Know Your Rights cards are available from many organizations, and are typically translated into many languages. Some examples include the National Immigration Law Center and United We Dream. 
• Ensure that staff and leadership of your organization are informed of nonprofits’ rights and responsibilities if ICE arrives. 
• Understand what to do before, during, and after a potential ICE raid, and discuss these plans with your staff, organization, and volunteers. 

Nonprofit-specific guidance from the Minnesota Council of NonProfits (MCN) 

• Nonprofits should develop good policies that protect clients: A Guide for Employers: What to Do if Immigration Comes to Your Workplace – NILC. 
• Webinar recording: What nonprofits should know about immigration site visits (MCN). 
• Training slides: Civil Rights Laws and Nonprofit Missions (MCN & MCF Partner event). 
• Nonprofit leaders: address the current climate with your staff. It’s important to recognize that your team members, and especially Black and Brown, immigrant/refugee and 2SLGBTQ+ staff, are most likely not working at full capacity right now, and that they may be fearing for their safety or the safety of loved ones. There are regular interruptions, distractions, and safety planning required as staff navigate moving through the world in an unpredictable and unsafe environment. 
• MCN has resources to navigate uncertainty and focus on key levers of organizational stability: strong internal controls; sustainable revenue mix; strategic HR; ethical leadership. 
• The National Council of Nonprofits (NCN) are working on collecting data and testimony and are leading lawsuits on behalf of nonprofits. Currently, there is ongoing concern that organizations providing on-the-ground support and involved in ICE protests could be labeled as “domestic terrorists.” If you are able: 
• Please take this short confidential survey to better equip NCN to protect our sector. 
• If you have received any subpoenas or direct communications from federal law enforcement (Homeland Security) or from Congress, please contact NCN’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Campaigns Sarah Saadian at ssaadian@councilofnonprofits.org or 202-834-5178. 
• Data security practices to protect your people and data: The safety and privacy of the people the nonprofit serves, and its staff, board, and volunteers must be a priority. Review your data security practices and avoid collecting and storing sensitive information unless necessary (NTEN). 
• Legal nonpartisan nonprofit advocacy: 501(c)3 nonprofits are legally allowed to participate in advocacy but must remain nonpartisan. Legal, nonpartisan activities include issue advocacy, speaking up about the issues central to your mission. Just ensure your messaging is about the issue, not the people running on it. Stay policy-focused, avoid partisan buzzwords, and don’t imply who voters should vote for in an upcoming election. When nonprofit staff are participating in partisan activities, they need to take PTO and should consult with their employee handbook on organizational policies (Alliance for Justice). 

What can agencies do if ICE requests staff or survivor information? 

In Minnesota there has been documented targeting and retaliation of local businesses, including a small family-owned LGBTQ+ inclusive toy store being audited by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and a larger health care provider. With a large number of agents in some communities, immigration lawyers are seeing audit cases triple that are indiscriminate and retaliatory in nature.  

If ICE or DHS specifically requests employment documentation or survivor information, follow these steps to protect employees’ rights and survivor confidentiality: 

• Place signs on the business informing the rights of the business.  
• Notify leadership and reach out to a lawyer immediately for guidance and before taking action. 
• Document interaction with ICE. If the agents cooperate, take down their name and badge numbers, reason for their search, and any warrant or subpoena details. If appropriate, and if interactions are tense, consider videotaping interactions to document in real time. 
• Do real time role playing and training of staff and residents. Interacting with a masked, unidentified man with guns and weapons can be very triggering and unsettling for survivors of interpersonal violence. Training staff on how to remain calm, de-escalate, and interact with agents can be skill building and a form of safety planning. As a reminder, it is never an employee or survivor’s fault if an agent becomes agitated and utilizes violence when interacting with them. 
• It is illegal to retaliate, discipline, or fire employees or exit survivors from services for asserting their constitutional rights.  

What are Other Ways to Support Immigrant, LGBTQ+, and other Impacted Communities

While the murder of Renee Good is deeply connected to our work and critical for us to name, it is important for the gender based violence movement and the 2SLGBTQ+ movement to address this loss and violence and stand with our immigrant communities. This is not the first murder or life lost from the attacks from ICE, and as Renee Good’s wife, Becca Good reminded us in a recent statement, “Renee was not the first person killed, and she was not the last. You know my wife’s name, and you know Alex’s (Pretti) name, but there are many others in this city being harmed that you don’t know — their families are hurting just like mine, even if they don’t look like mine. They are neighbors, friends, coworkers, classmates. And we must also know their names. Because this shouldn’t happen to anyone.” 

What are some best practices for community care and self-care? 

• Share your grief and take rest as needed and find your role(s) in addressing how this impacts survivors.  
• Address burnout: focus on the wins and the difference that you can make, where you can make it. Be gentle with yourself. 
• Acknowledging and talking about burnout and the emotional toll of this work is critical. 
• Courage is contagious and studies show being engaged in your community and giving back is rewarding and healing. Be in community. 
• Check out resources offered by FORGE and check out their new recorded webinar on IPV, Authoritarianism, and trans lives: https://youtu.be/rPGAoJy8e7E?si=BMWMsMrrbUCnmrtt 

References 

Immigration Equality, National Immigrant Justice Center, and Human Rights First, (2024). No Human Being Should Be Here. The Mistreatment of LGBTQ and HIV Positive People in U.S. Federal Immigration Jails. Retrieved from: https://immigrantjustice.org/sites/default/files/content-type/research-item/documents/2024-06/2024-06-18_FINAL%20detention%20report.pdf 

LGBTQ Nation. (2026). Minneapolis is still aching. Trans state Rep. Leigh Finke says America must not look away. Retrieved from: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/02/minneapolis-is-still-aching-trans-state-rep-leigh-finke-says-america-must-not-look-away/ 

Minnesota Anti-Violence Coalitions Joint Statement in Support of Minnesota Immigrant Communities. (2026). Retrieved from: https://shorturl.at/o9o5e 

Minnesota Council of Non Profits. (2026). Resources: supporting community during ICE operations. Retrieved from: https://minnesotanonprofits.org/ice-resources#nonprofit-guidance 

Minnesota Public Radio News. (2026). Becca Good: ‘Renee always showed up’
Retrieved from: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/02/07/becca-good-renee-always-showed-up 

Ms. Magazine (2026). How Misogyny and White Nationalism Converge in ICE Enforcement. Retrieved from: https://msmagazine.com/2026/01/27/ice-recruitment-women-violence-lesbian-masculinity/ 

Star Tribune. (2026). Renee Good came to Minneapolis seeking a safe place. Less than a year later, she was killed. Retrieved from: https://www.startribune.com/renee-good-found-refuge-in-minneapolis-then-ice-arrived/601560595 

The post March 2026 Technical Assistance Resource: Bystander Intervention and ICE appeared first on FORGE.

If you are also at the conference, please stop by our table in the vendor area or one of the workshops we’re facilitating. 

FORGE-led trans workshops at NSAC 2025: 

Caucus strategy session: Our communities are under attack
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 
5:30 – 6:30pm
Queer, trans, immigrant, disabled, and more.  Join us to strategize how anti-violence organizations can respond to fascism and build a future for all of us to thrive.  
Hosted by trans-led FORGE.  

Outside of the Institutional Box: Pod-mapping and mutual aid with trans survivors
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 
10:30am – 12:00pm 
Presenters: Emil Rudicell and michael munson (FORGE)
Pod-mapping is a dynamic, visual strategy for increasing circles of connection, heightening individual and community safety, and incorporating multiple avenues for support and solutions. This tool can be used both by trans survivors and advocates to build relationships and connection. Grounded in FORGE’s trans-specific knowledge and commitment to expansive, affirming practices, this session will explore advocacy with survivors that focuses on mutual aid, non-systems-based approaches and resources, and using pod-mapping as one way to support survivors. 

Get Empowered: A collaborative self-defense approach for reducing violence against trans/nonbinary people
Wednesday, August 27, 2025  
3:30 – 5:00pm
Presenters: Sahim Lalani (Defend Yourself) & michael munson (FORGE)
FORGE and Defend Yourself partnered to take a new approach — empowerment self-defense (ESD) trainings for survivors — to reduce violence and revictimization, and facilitate healing. In this session, we will review case studies on how empowerment self-defense strategies can be adapted for various communities. 

Other queer/trans workhops 

Strengthening Community Support for Victims of Violence*
Tuesday, August 26, 2025   
1:30 – 3:00pm 
Presenter: Bamby Salcedo (Translatin@ Coalition) 

The Path Forward Is Together: Cross-Movement Solidarity in the Next Era
Tuesday, August 26, 2025   
3:30 – 5:00pm 
Presenters: Casey Swegman, Tahirih Justice Center; Terra Russell-Slavin (The National LGBTQ Institute on IPV); Dawn Stover (ATCEV); Rocio Molina (VALOR); Linda Phan (API-GBV) 

Roundtable Discussion on Serving Survivors from Underserved Communities
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 
3:30– 5:00pm
Facilitator: Amanda Gould (The National LGBTQ Institute on Intimate Partner Violence) 

 Empowering Survivors
Thursday, August 28, 2025 
9:00 – 10:30am
Presenters: Bee Curiel and Mel Escalante Gonzalez (Translatin@ Coalition) 

The post Connect with us at NSAC 2025 appeared first on FORGE.

“My agency has done a lot of work to update all of our forms to be trans inclusive. We train staff to ask for and use pronouns, and we share ours. We’ve changed the décor in our main offices, updated our bathroom signs, and changed our description on our website. Now we specifically say that transgender and nonbinary people are welcome.  

The problem is that we still aren’t seeing any transgender people come in for services. Or at least no one has told us that they are trans. What are we doing wrong?” 

Answer 

Congratulations on all of the work your organization has done so far. These changes make services better for everyone and model inclusivity. That matters.  

You are not alone in this situation. It’s very common that mainstream agencies (those that are not culturally-specific or -focused) struggle to build strong trusting relationships with various communities. It can take time for word to spread that an organization is well-equipped to provide trans-affirming services. There are things that we can do to build trust during this time. Consider these questions to continue your outreach, connection, and service to trans survivors: 

1. What is your agency’s reputation within the trans/nonbinary and LGBTQ+ communities in your area? 
   • This may require some research to find out. Ask people. Do internet searches. Ask some more people. If there was a past negative experience that survivors had, it can take a long time for survivors to trust you again.  
   • You may need to do work as an agency to heal if there is a rift or past harm. This may look like listening sessions, mediation, or an apology and changed behavior. 
   • If trans people have had positive experiences with your agency, what can you learn from them? How can these positive interactions guide your agency’s actions? Are there ethical ways to share this information with other trans community members – such as including a quote in a newsletter or on social media? (Always ensure you have a survivor’s permission for this and make sure their privacy is protected.) 
2. How do survivors find out about your services? Where are trans/nonbinary survivors currently going (if anywhere) for support? 
   • Community members might be completely unaware of your organization. How do people learn about your agency?  Are outreach efforts reaching the populations you want to serve? 
   • If you haven’t already, assess your outreach efforts. Do you put information in places that trans people go? Do your print materials – posters, pamphlets, billboards – make it clear that trans/nonbinary people are welcome? 
   • Talking to trans/nonbinary community members and organizations can help you identify the places and people that trans survivors are going to for support. Then you can connect with those places. For example, often trans folks may call an LGBTQ+ center rather than a domestic violence agency. In some areas there are only one or two therapists and physicians that are respected within the trans community. Once you identify who these individuals are, you can share information with them and work together to best support trans survivors. 
   • Consider increasing or changing community education efforts. Many trans/nonbinary survivors report they only talk to friends and family. By sharing information with LGBTQ+ affirming community members about your services, you are increasing the number of supportive community members that exist. 
   • Are you going to where trans folks are? This may include tabling at Pride events in June, drag nights at a local bar, or attending a fundraiser for a local trans/LGBTQ+ organization. This may look like partnering with gender affirming care clinics or local LGBTQ+ businesses. Showing up for trans community events is a good way to build trust.  
     • Not all events and organizations will be very publicly advertised. It may take connections within the community to learn about useful places to outreach. 
3. Are your services relevant to trans/nonbinary survivors? 
   • It may be helpful to review the services that you offer. Are you able to adapt your services to the unique needs of each survivor? Do staff know how to provide trans-affirming support and understand how to tailor safety planning or advocacy efforts for trans folks? 
     • Are there barriers to accessing services that could be addressed? 
     • For example, do people have to show ID or go through security to access a building? Trans people are less likely to have government identification that matches their name/gender, and passing through security may involve harassment or misgendering.  
     • Trans people also face higher rates of un/underemployment and housing instability. Consider what financial resources it may take for them to access your services. Is there safe transportation to your services? How could being homeless impact someone’s ability to attend an appointment? 
     • Are there law enforcement or other agencies around that may be less safe for trans people to be near? In a nationwide survey, over 70% of trans people reported discomfort with law enforcement. 

It can be disheartening to put a lot of effort into updating your organization and then not see immediate results. Keep at it though! Your work for inclusive services is vital. It makes a huge difference to survivors. Change does take time. It is important that we don’t wait passively for trans survivors to use our services.  We can continue to make active efforts to create services available to trans/nonbinary people and communities.  

The post June 2025 Technical Assistance Question: Building Connections with Trans Communities  appeared first on FORGE.

Join us to protect the Equal Access Rule! 

The Equal Access Rule (EAR) provides clear, detailed guidance and requirements to ensure that housing programs through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are available to all eligible individuals and families. EAR is one of the few federal protections that protects transgender and nonbinary individuals.  

The federal government has issued orders to halt enforcement of the rule, and it is anticipated that they will try to rescind or amend the rule. Typically, such substantial federal rule changes include a public comment period where individuals and organizations can provide input on the rule.  

It is critical that communities prepare to save the Equal Access Rule. FORGE is joining with the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, SAGE, and many others to advocate for this important protection. 

What the Equal Access Rule does 

The Equal Access Rule ensures that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s housing programs are open to all eligible individuals and families, regardless of family composition, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status.  

Originally designed to ensure that a variety of family types could access shelter arrangements without being separated, the EAR was expanded to ensure it specifically and clearly included trans/nonbinary people as well. The EAR also protects people who are part of non-traditional family structures. 

Learn more from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/resources/policy-information/huds-equal-access-rule/   

How the Equal Access Rule protects survivors 

“As the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) points out, “the Equal Access Rule sets a standard definition of family that is self-defined by any group of people presenting for assistance, with or without children, and irrespective of age or relationship” (2025).This is critical for survivors of domestic and sexual violence with non-nuclear family structures, such as queer and trans couples, blended families and households that include one or more extended family members, and families headed by two unmarried partners, who may already face barriers in accessing shelter or housing.” – The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence 

Our role in protecting the Equal Access Rule 

Continue to provide equitable services to trans/nonbinary survivors.  

The Equal Access Rule is still in effect. You can also access FORGE resources to learn more about effective advocacy for trans/nonbinary survivors.  

Educate your communities on the Equal Access Rule.  

Education can help people prepare to submit comments to protect the EAR. It can also help people understand the importance of the rule and ensure it is being utilized now. 

Share stories. 

A coalition of advocacy groups is gathering stories about the benefits of equal access in housing and services. If you or someone you know has faced barriers accessing shelter and housing resources based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status—or has benefited from more equal access to housing and services—please fill out this questionnaire. 

Prepare to submit a public comment.  

It is anticipated that HUD will issue a public comment period, though the timing of this is unknown. Comments can be made anonymously or not, and by individuals and organizations. Start considering your comment today, and begin to talk with others who can also submit comments.  

The more comments that get made the better. 

Sign up for NAEH Advocacy Alerts. 

To stay informed about ways you can defend the Equal Access Rule, please sign up for the NAEH’s Advocacy Alerts. The NAEH can keep you updated on developments in the Administration and provide talking points and opportunities to weigh in with decision makers. (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2025) 

The post Join us to protect the Equal Access Rule!  appeared first on FORGE.

“What are the laws in my state about transgender rights and healthcare?” 

There is an amazing array of laws, regulations, and policies that impact transgender people and their families at the federal, state, and local level. These policies are constantly being changed by the government or new guidance on their implementation, interpretation, or enforcement is being issued. As of July 13, 2025, 948 bills specifically targeting transgender people were proposed in state legislatures across the country. Only a handful (118, as of 7/13/25) of these were passed. 

All of this makes it quite difficult to stay up to date on what is happening around the entire nation. Luckily there are many organizations who track this information and share it publicly.  

To figure out what is happening where you live or work 

The Movement Advancement Project 

https://www.lgbtmap.org/ 

MAP is an excellent place to start to understand the laws currently in place in your state or territory. 

MAP provides:

• State level LGBTQ+ information on a variety of laws 
• State level information on democracy and rights generally 
• Policy guidance and analysis  
• Explanations of why various laws matter and their impact on LGBTQ+ communities 
• Toolkits to explain and connect multiple issues 

Erin in the Morning Trans Risk Assessment Map 

https://www.erininthemorning.com/ 

Erin Reed and her colleagues track state legislation in all 50 states each legislative session. Monthly she updates her Trans Risk Assessment Map to create a broad state by state picture of the harmful legislation in each state. The most updated map can be found at the top of her website. 

Legislation tracking 

Several individuals and organizations track proposed legislation.  

Erin in the Morning

https://www.erininthemorning.com/ 

Erin Reed writes a newsletter with information and analysis throughout the legislative session. She tracks the vast majority of transgender focused bills that are proposed throughout the United States in state legislatures. The newsletter also provides detailed analysis on a number of different events. 

The Trans Formations Project

https://www.transformationsproject.org/  

The Trans Formations Project is a volunteer run group that tracks transgender focused state legislation.  

The Equality Federation 

https://www.equalityfederation.org/state-legislation-tracker  

Equality Federation tracks LGBTQ state and national pending legislation. Equality Federation is a non-partisan group that tracks helpful and harmful legislation. Their tracker is sortable by state as well as type of bill. 

Additional state by state resources

States have a vast array of laws and policies that affect the lives of trans/nonbinary survivors. These include laws that are not trans specific. It can be helpful to track multiple types of bills during legislative session. 

Local and state-based policy advocacy groups often have newsletters that share legislation important to their causes. Consider signing up for a variety of lists – anti-racism groups, reproductive rights, LGBTQ groups, economic justice groups, and pro-democracy groups all will likely track legislation that impacts survivors in some way. For example, funding affordable housing, voter rights, and privacy laws all can make a big difference in survivors’ lives.  

If you work for an agency, consider having a couple people compile and share out relevant data on a regular basis – that way each staff person doesn’t have to read through everything. Having multiple people work on this project can help ensure that a wider variety of information is shared and may ease the workload. 

If sharing information about pending legislation, be sure to be clear that it is not passed into law at this time. Organizations may want to make contingency plans for if certain bills pass, but there is no need to change services in advance. 

The American Bar Association Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence has created guidance for coalitions on communicating about pending and passed legislation.  

https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/domestic_violence1/Resources/admin_publications/navigating-anti-trans-rhetoric.pdf  

The post July 2025 Technical Assistance Question: State Laws on Trans Rights appeared first on FORGE.

With our #PrideInCaring campaign we are honoring the ways that trans/nonbinary survivors care for themselves and their communities, the ways that service providers and professionals offer trans-affirming, trauma-informed care, and how all of us can take part in creating a safer world.

FORGE has been a leader in the anti-violence movement for decades. We work to increase access to services and healing for trans/nonbinary survivors. We do this through free virtual offerings, tailored services for organizations, writing by and for trans survivors, and so much more!

In 2024 alone, FORGE:

• Conducted 56 trainings for victim service providers – training almost 4000 providers
• Hosted 18 events for trans survivors and their communities to build skills, support, and care
• Facilitated 14 listening sessions with trans community
• Provided ASL and Spanish interpretation at all public events
• Wrote 30 blog posts, 6 academic articles, 4 publications, and 71 chapters of an expansive toolkit on supporting trans survivors.
• Conducted a survey of over 1000 trans/nonbinary people
• Collaborated with 98 different organizations

We could not do this work without our community. We learn together with you. We heal and grow with you. And now, we need your financial help.

In 2025 we lost over half of our funding due to the devastating and unjust federal cuts. To keep doing the work we do, we need financial help. Please donate, share this fundraiser with others, and join us in continuing to support and advocate with trans survivors.

The post #PrideInCaring: Community support for community safety appeared first on FORGE.

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Update: As of April 28th, 2025, all submissions have been responded to. If you have not received a response, please check your spam folder and email caleb@forge-forward.org.

It’s more important than ever to highlight trans and nonbinary art, to uplift trans joy, and to share stories of healing and connection. Help us share hope through art and writing! We invite you to contribute to a new Trans Survivors Zine titled “Trans Survivors: Healing in Action.” 

We welcome content that focuses on trans voices, survivorship and healing from harm/trauma/violence, creative expressions of all kinds. We welcome your full range of emotions and expressions. We encourage content focused on race and anti-racism; bodies and disabilities; class, housing, survival realities; and content that focuses or encompasses our complex, intersectional lives. 

We welcome a variety of artforms, including visual art, poetry, short fiction, and nonfiction (fiction/nonfiction under 1000 words). 

You may submit multiple poems or fiction/nonfiction under 1000 words, but please include them in the same document (Word document or PDF preferred).  

We welcome your expressions of rage and grief, humor and silliness, beauty and curiosity. We reserve the right to refuse submissions that include racism, anti-trans attitudes, or other oppressive language. We are accepting original art/writing (not generated by AI). 

Submissions closed on April 15th, 2025.

Once the zine is released in early May, it will be available digitally on our website for anyone to download or print. We will be spotlighting individual pieces and contributors on social media throughout May 2025 for Mental Health Awareness Month.  

We hope this zine will be a valuable resource for solidarity and healing for trans community members, and highlight the amazing work of trans and nonbinary survivors. 

Contributors will receive $25 if their art or writing is accepted. We aim to include as many voices and experiences as possible. 

FORGE requests non-exclusive rights to publish your work in the Trans Survivors zine and promote it on our social media. Your work still belongs to you. If you have any questions about submissions, please reach out to caleb@forge-forward.org. 

Please submit your work using the link below: https://forms.gle/QncRnhfhnbFZMovZ6 

Submit your work!

The post Call for Submissions! Trans Survivors: Healing in Action zine appeared first on FORGE.