You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Creator in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
To be merely visible as a transgender person in our society today is an act of profound courage in ways it may never have been before. Judging by the political reaction alone, you would think transgender equality posed the biggest threat to America since COVID.
One the one hand you could say it holds up a mirror to our society. But on the other, is the outsize anti-trans effort in our statehouses really reflective of the average voter’s priorities? Last I checked it was the rising cost of living.
As of this moment, according to Trans Legislation Tracker, 740 bills have been introduced in 42 states. Twenty-two have passed, an astonishing 687 are still active, and only 31 have failed.
I’m not sure I can think of what to compare that to.
As a Christian, I find myself reflecting deeply on the spaces we create and the radical welcome we as followers of Jesus claim to offer. I see those legislative statistics as nothing short of shameful. If they are a legal exponent of the lived reality our siblings face as they walk through life, then this is nothing short of horrific.
Visibility is not just about being seen; it is about being truly known, valued, and safe in a world that often demands conformity — a conformity whose consequences often go beyond imprisonment to violence and murder.
It’s a conformity that results in erasure, which is the literal opposite of what transgender equality is supposed to be all about.
Since 2010, Transgender Day of Visibility has been observed on March 31st to celebrate transgender identity separate from media coverage of the very real violence memorialized every November 20th on Transgender Day of Remembrance.
This doesn’t mean every trans person can be visible, or even wants to, but it’s about creating that space I was just talking about.
Read those words again. They remind us that celebration is a vital form of resistance, but they also demand our deepest empathy.
To be fair, we’ve witnessed remarkable progress in the intervening 16 years. We’ve seen the beautiful diversity of having visible trans and non-binary people leading movements, shaping our culture, and enriching our inclusive community.
Yet we must ask ourselves hard questions. When the political establishment and certain religious factions hurl fear and exclusion at our trans siblings, who is standing in the breach? Are we actively creating safe spaces for all, or are we merely relying on comforting words?
The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated. We live in a time where human dignity is sacrificed for political gain and false physical security.
Our progressive values mean nothing if they do not move us to engage in meaningful change.
We must fiercely and directly challenge the status quo that forces anyone back into the shadows. Empowering marginalized voices is not a passive interest; it is the very core of our shared call to justice.
We cannot claim to love our neighbors while remaining silent about the laws and attitudes that threaten their daily lives.
When you look around our society, I urge you to see the immense value in every identity. This is not a call reserved only for transgender people, or LGBTQ+ people, or Christians, or the religious — this call is for everyone who claims to believe in justice, in dignity, and in the radical potential of love.
We must move beyond passive affirmation, beyond mere tolerance, and step unapologetically into the work of transformation. To be an accomplice in the fight for trans visibility means refusing to let fear dictate our actions or silence our voices.
Allies, your presence matters. Silence is not neutrality, it is complicity. There are moments when solidarity is not just a gesture, but a shield: When your public support can stand between trans lives and the forces that want to erase them.
Rise up and use your privilege, your platforms, your power to advocate, to educate, and to amplify trans voices. Challenge exclusion wherever you encounter it — whether in the corridors of power, in faith communities, in families, or in fleeting conversations. Stand in the gap with courage, compassion, and endless hope.
We are called to envision a future that does not simply tolerate difference, but fiercely celebrates all that our trans siblings bring to the tapestry of humanity: Resilience, creativity, wisdom.
Imagine a world where visibility is not an act of defiance, but a joyful expression of self; where every trans person is free to be authentic, flourishing, and wholly embraced.
This is not some distant dream — it is a vision we can bring to life through our collective, deliberate action.
Let’s commit, with unwavering resolve, to dismantling systems of oppression and to rebuilding our communities upon the foundation of equity, expansive love, and unshakable solidarity. Let’s refuse the comfort of half-measures, and instead move with urgency, empathy, and the conviction that this work is sacred.
The future is not waiting for us — it is being shaped by every choice we make today. So let us persevere together, not just for trans visibility, but for true liberation.
The time to act is now.
Editor-in-Chief of Whosoever and Founding and Senior Pastor of Gentle Spirit Christian Church of Atlanta, Rev. Paul M. Turner (he/him) grew up in suburban Chicago and was ordained by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in 1989. He and his husband Bill have lived in metro Atlanta since 1994, have been in a committed partnership since the early 1980s and have been legally married since 2015.