"The fervor comes in stark contrast to the real issues the nation faces: rapidly increasing food and gas costs, ICE’s imprisonment of Americans and immigrants in concentration camps, engagement in an illegal and unprovoked war with Iran, and support for a genocidal state abroad"

@RIKIWILCHINS.BSKY.SOCIAL 2026 Jun NBC A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals upholds March 2025 ruling by fed judge that Trump’s exec order banning trans troops likely violates their constitutional rights. Ruling is expected to be appealed to the full court and then SCOTUS.

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026Jun Politico GOP hard-liners promised voters a shower of new anti-trans bills -- but tho they've introduced a record number, Rep leadership has refused to prioritize them and now time is running out, with one or both chambers poised to go blue.

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 June Supposedly "progressive" Guardian up with yet another transphobic op-ed - this one flogging the old canard that cis women need "protecting" from "men" of the "other sex" in their bathrooms-- altho they're more likely to attack _us_ than the other way around.

1/x I know I'm kind of a mouthy embryonic sugar glider about this, but while this story is important and if you care about trans ppl I encourage you to read it, I want more such stories to come with the reminder that *naturalized gender is a project of fascism*. This isn't *just* about hatred.

With midterms approaching, the right seems dead set on running back their playbook of hammering anti-trans rhetoric, even at the expense of focusing on any other issue. @valorievandieman.bsky.social looks at a handful of these stories in this week's Leading Off.

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May Picking up where his Chief of Staff Stephen Miller left off, Trump _also_ called Tx Sen candidate James Talarico "this transgender" in Fox News interview. Must be really worried his Paxton endorsement is backfiring.

I just broke out crying in my apartment while updating my tracker because I stopped to read this piece by @caseyparks.bsky.social on drag king Elsie Saldaña. This was so beautifully and sensitively told, if you missed it last week read it now. www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/...

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May RuthPearce 85 signatories send letter to NHS Natl Med Dir James Palmer documenting how its newest HRT research survey of hormone efficacy for kids has been intentionally hobbled to reach a pre-determined conclusion, just like the Cass Review did with blockers.

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May Advocate 18 y/o man Tasered and arrested by police after approaching a trans woman from behind and pulling down her underwear and dress to expose her to onlookers, including children at Ohio amusement park Cedar Point.

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May Advocate Becky Pepper-Jackson, 15, the teen at the center of the Supreme Court case over trans school sports participation wins the West Virginia state class AAA girls' shot put championship weeks before the justices are expected to issue their opinion.

Following the trend of Democratic politicians leaning to the right, James Talarico walks back previous statements made in support of transgender people. @alyssaur.bsky.social brings you the story in this week's TWIBS!

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May NYTimes hitting the fear-meter again (OMG a trans athlete might... WIN) with front page piece on how a single trans girl might take a gold medal in a CA state track meet. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/u...

"Don't print lies in the newspaper," as @mtsw.bsky.social says. Unfortunately some of the newspapers exist to print lies.

Proud to help my friends at Assigned Media do their part to combat the rampant misinformation about the Camille Kiefel detransitioner lawsuit and settlement. The story also links to my PUBLIC spreadsheet of detransitioner lawsuits w/ citations. As I stated to Valorie: "I'm not Ben fucking Ryan".

The New York Post published a story rife with misinformation about a January settlement in a detransitioner's lawsuit. I investigate and look at the facts of that settlement and trace the origins of the falsehoods here at @assignedmedia.org

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May According to Erin Reed, popular NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani pledged to spend $68m on trans health care to balance cutbacks, but hasn't spend a dime and has $0 in his current budget. NY state has stiffed trans people's care too.

The real story is that they probably settled out of fear the suit against her therapists would be dismissed with prejudice, just like an earlier suit against her surgeon had been.

The New York Post published a story of a legal win for a detransitioner that has the anti-trans crowd celebrating; but what is the real story? @valorievandieman.bsky.social digs into the facts of the story here!

"If anything about the situation has been positive, Montgomery said, it was seeing the community rally to support the children." There are far more of us. We just need to stand up

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May Mississippi Today trans student salutatorian Jonas Hole, repeatedly deadnamed by D’Iberville HS which cis-sified his yearbook picture, ignored being misgendered as "this young lady" and gave a dignified graduation speech about acceptance.

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social [Miller cont] To share your thoughts on Miller's comment, try the official White House numbers 202-456-1111 or 202-456-1414 or its online contact form at: www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May Advocate White House Dpty Chief of Staff Stephen Miller attacks TX Senate candidate James Talarico for his support on trans issues, calls him "Democrats... first transgender senate candidate. The DNC official account fired back, “shut up you ugly fuck.”

“On Wednesday morning, the Justice Department went to court to advance an argument that, if accepted, would all but erase the existence of transgender people in the law.” Read my report at Law Dork:

A real nightmare scenario here for folks who take a public stand for their queer communities, but also real courage. Jey's old school Science Twitter, and has been using that skillset to organize against gender Lysenkoism. There's a gofundme to help with medical expenses here: gofund.me/ee804efbf

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May Erin Reed does a deep-dive on CA Gov candidate Tom Steyer's full-throated endorsement of trans athletes in the face of current Gov. Gavin Newsom shifting right. in time for his presidential run. www.erininthemorning.com/p/ca-gov-can...

In an interview, Marlon Wayans goes to bat for Dave Chappelle, in spite of his own trans child. This story brought to you by @alyssaur.bsky.social

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May Advocate Bentley Hudgins, running in a safe blue district, is positioned to become first transgender lawmaker in Georgia history and among the first openly trans/NB state legislators in the Deep South.

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May LibCurrents If you read nothing else today, check out Toby Buckle's penetrating long-form analysis, "The End of Trans Rights in the UK Is the Start of Democratic Collapse"

Tangential but: Please consider joining me as a subscriber to @assignedmedia.org!

In case this reaches folks who don't already know, my independent news site is Assigned Media, where I've published two pieces of original reporting just this week. If you care about trans people, good journalism, or both follow @assignedmedia.org, bookmark assignedmedia.org and tell your friends.

I've lived on $20 - $40K per yr my whole working life. Right now things are stable, but I'm 48 with no retirement savings to speak of, a part time comment moderating gig, and an independent trans news site I run. I don't feel like prosperity is in my grasp, has ever been, or will ever be.

NEW: A likely hate crime in Chicago left a prominent trans science educator, @jeymccreight.bsky.social with severe injuries after a brutal late night beating. McCreight told @evanurquhart.bsky.social he's shaken but determined to continue his activism. CPD confirmed an ongoing investigation.

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May In-depth look by Erin Reed at the debacle with Maine's anti-trans referendum and how out-of-state signature collectors paid by the name were forging signatures, leaving sheets out for anyone to sign, etc. causing the state to reverse its certification.

Assigned Media is journalism, not content creation, and that distinction comes with a set of ethical obligations, ones I take very seriously. High among them is the need to disclose where all our funding comes from.

Chicago is friendly but still dangerous for our trans brothers and sisters. If you can, show some love to his recovery? www.gofundme.com/f/help-trans...

This is fucked up and never should have happened. I hope the assailants get caught.

this is disgusting and horrifying. our brothers deserve safety and then chance to thrive!

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May NBC Good summary of the many ways Trump has attacked trans care for adults by cutting down on coverage, options, reimbursement, and programs.

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May Yahoo Leading CA Gov candidate billionaire Tom Steyer sides with trans kids: "I’m totally in favor of trans athletes in high school. ...[A]lmost half of them try to commit suicide [and] we’re gonna cut them off from team sport.' It’s like, no we’re not."

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 May What The Trans interviews me on how trans studies refuses to talk about about trans sexuality/intimacy, how important it is for pleasure, empowerment and resistance, and my new book: "Let's (Not) Talk About (Transgender) Sex." Starts at minute 43. Enjoy.

NEW: A likely hate crime in Chicago left a prominent trans science educator, @jeymccreight.bsky.social with severe injuries after a brutal late night beating. McCreight told @evanurquhart.bsky.social he's shaken but determined to continue his activism. CPD confirmed an ongoing investigation.

In Seattle, organizers are warning of a growing crisis as more and more trans refugees seek to escape red states. Mutual aid networks of "broke trans people helping broke trans people" are being overwhelmed, and one organizer @evanurquhart.bsky.social spoke with is facing eviction herself.

More people need to wake up to the active trans genocide in this country. It’s never talked about anywhere.

NGL this is why I've been an advocate for having as much of your own infrastructure built yourself as you can manage for the past 15 years. I get it can be a huge barrier, but investing in as much independence as early as possible can save a lot of headache long term.

Unfortunately this story has spread to more mainstream outlets and comments are full of “I’m a liberal but people should stop moving here/this is a waste of tax dollars/why do they want special treatment.” As long as liberal cis society maintains this degree of apathy, the crisis will continue.

Seattle has done a lot of the heavy lifting in helping trans people leaving red states, and they need help, both in the form of donations and support from state & local government, links in the thread. ❤️🏳️‍⚧️

We must protect each other to survive. We must care about each other to thrive.

A list of trans organizations in the Seattle area who are coping with the influx of new trans refugees.

You know if he thought about this for five seconds he’d realize what he’s *actually* saying is it doesn’t matter what gender you are. “Oh, you think you’re a better soldier cause you’re a dude? Well you can’t throw your pronouns at the enemy.”