Trans Liberation in the Face of Fascism
Episode Description
In this episode of The Fascism Barometer, host Ejeris Dixon welcomes Shelby Chestnut, the Executive Director of the Transgender Law Center (TLC) and the first Native Trans leader to head a national LGBTQ organization. They dive into the current landscape of anti-trans legislation, and how Trans communities are organizing in the face of fascist tactics. Shelby shares how TLC is responding through litigation, safety planning, communications strategy, and sharing resources, while highlighting the strength, resilience, and solidarity at the heart of the fight for Trans liberation. This conversation is both a sobering reality check and a call to collective action.
About Shelby
Shelby Chestnut (Assiniboine Fort Peck Tribe) is a movement leader and policy expert with over 20 years of experience. They are the first Native trans executive director at Transgender Law Center, where they started as the Director of Policy and Programs. Prior to TLC, Shelby served as the Director of Community Organizing and Public Advocacy at the New York City Anti-Violence Project. Throughout their decades of experience, notable successes include helping launch projects such as the Disability Project, Black Trans Circles, and the Trans Agenda for Liberation, a community-led guide outlining solutions toward a better world for all. Additionally, Shelby has been among coalitions advancing police accountability, increasing resources for LGBTQ survivors of domestic violence, and creating rapid response models for anti-LGBTQ violence. Shelby is a graduate of Antioch College and The New School, and is currently the chair of the Board of Trustees at Antioch College.
About Ejeris
Ejeris is a political strategist passionate about strengthening liberation movements and building community safety. Ejeris serves as the Fascism Barometer's "movement meteorologist," exploring the impact of fascist movements on communities of color, queer and trans communities, and all marginalized people. Having worked for the past twenty-five years at the intersections of racial justice, LGBTQ liberation, anti-violence, transformative justice, and economic justice movements, Ejeris focuses on creating political and strategic experiments to strengthen social justice movements through the organization Ejerie Labs.
Resources
Reading
Season 2, Episode 2 Listening Guide (pdf download)
Transgender Law Center, K. Richardson “Advocates Sue to Challenge Withholding of Gender-Affirming Care in Federal Prisons”
Transgender Law Center, “Journalist Guide for Reporting on Marginalized Disabled Communities”
Them, “Our Bodies, Our Choice”
Interrupting Criminalization, Andrea J. Ritchie, Rachael Zafer, Craig Brozefsky “What is Driving the Criminalization of Women and LGBTQ People?”
Transgender Law Center, “Trans Agenda for Liberation”
The Guardian US, Naomi Klein, Astra Taylor “The Rise of End Times Fascism”
Fascist Emergency Playbook (pdf download)
Waging Nonviolence, Daniel Hunter "What To Do if the Insurrection Act is invoked"
Watching
Action
Learn more about the Action for Transformation Fund
Donate to the Transgender Law Center
Learn the next steps for the coalition that organized the April 5th protests! What’s Next in the Fight? Mass Call
Demand that every university protect their students and fight back against rising fascism
Attend the Day of Action for Higher Education on April 17th
Learn about and organize ICE watch and immigrant defense teams in your community! Attend Siembra NC’s trainings, and download the toolkit!
Mutual aid network through the All of US Directory, a sortable database that seeks to make it possible for newly activated people to easily connect with organizing and mutual aid efforts.
Learn and take a variety of actions with Choose Democracy’s guide, “What Can I Do To Fight This Coup?”
Attend Media Justice’s political education series WTF: The Rise of the Tech Broligarchy, a biweekly show examining the actions of the Tech Broligarchy, the implications of their agenda, and how to resist it.
Get Support from the Transgender Law Center's Legal Information Hotdesk
Join and support a local trans organization, using Them's guide to "100 Organizations Supporting Trans People in All 50 States"
Check out the resource hub!