finally tonight each year on March 31st the world observes transgender day of visibility to raise awareness about transgender and non-binary people and call attention to their contributions but it's also a day focused on the high levels of discrimination poverty and violence the community faces globally in New Jersey the day is set against the backdrop of an ongoing fight in Trenton over a bill that would codify gender affirming care into state law as trans rights are being threatened at the Federal level for more I'm joined by Damien Alan Lopez director of trans resiliency for Garden State equality Damien thanks for coming on the show I guess I wonder first what type of tone and tenor this visibility day is taking on this year in particular um that is a wonderful question so this year's visibility I would say is extremely imperative to the well-being as well as the mental health for folks who are trans and gender diverse um I I feel like it's more like a statement of resilience that we are still here and still advocating for ourselves as well as still having the really the courage and the strength for ourselves as well even within our own Community to continue this fight for our rights and um our wellbeing as well uh you know it's interesting you look at Census Data at um population data from the Associated Press transgender people make up about 1% of the population why do you think that they are are such a part of the national conversation I do feel like those who are unfamiliar with their history are doomed to repeat it um but also they may be compelled to attack something that they are unaware of right so we live authentically as ourselves and sometimes that can be scary for folks when they are encountering something so authentic and so Unapologetic about who we are I feel like those who are unfortunately not necessarily too Keen to our existence want to again not uplift and support mariliz communities and we are one of them um a recent poll from Stockton University found voters essentially are split but a little more than half 53% said they believe that transgender students in K through 12 schools um should participate in team sports that align with their sex assigned at Birth not with their gender identity what's your reaction to that I think the those who are Paving the way in regards to having those policies infed previously so again the New Jersey interscholastic Association already had those policies that protect um trans Youth and Trends athletes to play on the team that aligned with their gender identity right that hasn't been a problem for the last few years that they've had implemented um and I don't necessarily see it ever being a problem moving forward and I think by listening to The Experts we are providing a place where we are uplifting those trans Youth and trans athletes to be able to do that there were polls uh taken around the time of the November general election the presidential election in 2024 that found about half of I mean voters were split essentially but a little over half felt like transgender rights have gone too far um put that into context for us when we're talking about civil rights and if the American people as the president often says um have given him mandate um and to issue these types of executive orders how do you sort of find your footing both just as an individual and also within your organization so there's a few different things that come up in this topic when I when I hear of those things so one it's not a piece of like a pie right rights aren't a piece of a pie if we get a slice no you're not going to get less of or less than your own right it's just for ours to have and and to be and to thrive and to understand that okay yes we can marry who we want to marry oh yes I can have something that affirms my identity on my gender markers and my passport and my specific documentation that means a lot to me right Governor Murphy a couple of years ago signed an executive order as I know you're aware affirming um protecting gender-affirming care in the state um there's a bill in Trenton that would codify that what have you heard from lawmakers as to why they aren't taking up that bill um as of right now we are um really advocating for that bill to be passed because we do believe again in bodily autonomy and the right for individuals to have competent trans healthcare um in regards to legislators we are speaking to those who are again listening to us we have a lot of support for folks who would like to support that I think right now because of the scope of the world they are treading lightly with what's going to happen I guess um but I think also it's important to see that in New Jersey again like we've have those we have the rights and we have like the support that is garnering behind these things Damien Lopez is the director of trans resiliency at Garden State equality thank you so much for your time no of course thank you for having me [Music]