Nearly 1,000 people demonstrate in Chicago to show support for transgender people amid attacks
Christy Cox, 58, says she has been fighting for the rights of transgender people like herself for decades.
'I'm here to really show that queer elders do exist, so that 8-year-old kid over there can see that you can grow up and be a 58-year-old trans person,' Cox said.
The Naperville resident, who joined close to 1,000 people Sunday at a transgender rights protest in Federal Plaza, held a sign that read 'survive out of spite.' Cox said this kind of visibility is something she wishes she'd had growing up. Even with attacks on transgender rights from the Trump administration, seeing transgender youths show up with their parents at the afternoon protest gave her hope.
The protest, led by the advocacy group Trans Up Front Illinois in partnership with Indivisible Chicago, took place the day before Trans Day of Visibility, which is recognized by LGBTQ+ advocates Monday.
Trans Up Front Illinois organized another protest in February outside Lurie Children's Hospital when the hospital announced it would no longer provide gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19.
Since President Donald Trump took office in January, he has signed numerous executive orders targeting transgender people, including a ban that prevents transgender athletes from participating in women and girls' sports, an order that forces transgender women in federal prisons to be housed with men and a restriction on the ability of transgender, nonbinary and intersex people to change their gender markers on passports or to serve in the military.
At Sunday's protest, attendees displayed a range of emotions, from anger due to the Trump administration's attacks, to joy because of the sheer number of people who showed up to publicly support transgender people.
'We are a resilient people. Don't you dare tell them we don't belong,' Precious Brady-Davis, a commissioner for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and the first Black transgender woman to be an elected official in Cook County, said to the crowd. 'We belong in every (sector) of society, from the boardroom to the bathroom. Quit playing with us. Our lives matter and we deserve to be treated with respect and decency.'
The actions of the current administration against trans people hit home not just for individuals, but organizations supporting transgender people in Illinois, with some organizations put into jeopardy as the Trump administration cracks down on funding for LGBTQ+ organizations.
'As many of you know, Trans Chicago staff were laid off,' Tichike Tumalan, program coordinator for the Puerto Rican Cultural Center's Trans Chicago Empowerment Center, said to the crowd. 'Our (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) funding was temporarily cut, and even though some of us were rehired, there's still that instability of whether or not we'll lose these grants again tomorrow.'
While the protest focused on transgender rights, the event was endorsed by organizations advocating for other issues, including neighborhood groups, an abortion rights group and a cannabis rights group.
'You are on the people's menu, and on this menu, every single one of us here will be served a course of injustice,' Channyn Parker, CEO of Brave Space Alliance, said to the crowd while holding up a menu. 'We are all under attack. We are all on the people's menu.'
Once all the speakers had finished, and just as it started to rain downtown, the crowd marched from Federal Plaza to Trump Tower.
____
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Newsweek
33 minutes ago
- Newsweek
LA's Only Elected Republican Reacts to National Guard Troops, ICE Raids
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The only elected Republican in Los Angeles, Kathryn Barger, warned that there must be close coordination between federal, state, and local agencies if President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to quell the city's riots is to work. Her warning, in an email to Newsweek, comes as Trump clashes with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, both Democrats, over his deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines. Newsom and Bass oppose the moves, accusing the Republican president of fueling the disorder. Barger, a Los Angeles County Supervisor, is the sole Republican elected to office at the local government level in the LA area. There are no other Republicans on the LA County Board of Supervisors, and none at all elected to the LA City Council. She also called for "transparency, accountability, and respect" from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as it conducts raids across LA, operations that sparked the unrest. Protests in the city against raids by ICE over the weekend have descended into riots and looting. The raids are part of the Trump Administration's effort to deport all illegal immigrants from the U.S., with an emphasis on violent criminals. Newsom and Bass said state and local authorities can handle the situation without National Guard troops. But Trump says he is reestablishing law and order after failures by local and state leadership. "The deployment of National Guard troops is a significant action that must be approached with great care and coordination," Barger told Newsweek. "While I understand the urgency that may prompt federal involvement, I believe any such deployment must be done in close partnership with state and local agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of our communities. "Effective use of this powerful resource depends on clear communication, mutual goals, and a unified command structure. "My focus remains on making sure that all efforts—federal, state, and local—are aligned to deliver real support where it's needed most." This picture taken on June 8, 2025 shows a protestor raising their fist while holding a Mexican flag in front of a Waymo vehicle that was set on fire during a demonstration following federal immigration... This picture taken on June 8, 2025 shows a protestor raising their fist while holding a Mexican flag in front of a Waymo vehicle that was set on fire during a demonstration following federal immigration operations in Los Angeles. More BLAKE FAGAN/AFP via Getty Image Barger also urged ICE to minimize "fear and disruption among law-abiding residents." "Immigration enforcement is a deeply complex and sensitive issue, especially in a diverse region like Los Angeles County," Barger told Newsweek. "Federal agencies like ICE are tasked with upholding the law and I believe it's critical that their operations are conducted with transparency, accountability, and respect for the communities they affect. "My priority is ensuring that all enforcement actions are carried out in a way that upholds public safety while minimizing fear and disruption among law-abiding residents. "Local and federal agencies must work together thoughtfully to maintain trust, protect civil liberties, and ensure due process is respected at every level." This is a developing article. Updates to follow.

39 minutes ago
Hegseth to testify on Capitol Hill as House Dem calls Marine deployment to LA ‘outrageous'
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to testify before a House panel on Tuesday, his first time on Capitol Hill since being sworn in five months ago and as questions swirl about the deployment of troops to Los Angeles as part of an immigration crackdown. Hegseth planned to appear before the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee alongside Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, and acting Pentagon Comptroller Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell to discuss the administration's upcoming 2026 budget request. During the hearing, Hegseth is widely expected to dodge many of the specifics on the military's spending blueprint, which has not been released, and instead highlight recent gains in recruiting numbers and new technology initiatives in the Army. But overshadowing much of his testimony will be the Pentagon's decision to send some 4,800 troops, including 700 Marines, to Los Angeles following several days of clashes between protesters and law enforcement there. The troops, known as Task Force 51, are being called under a law known as Title 10, which allows the president to send military forces to protect federal property and personnel. Gen. Eric Smith, commandant of the Marine Corps, is scheduled to testify separately Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee. On the eve of Hegseth's testimony, Rep. Betty McCollum on Minnesota, the top Democrat on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, accused President Donald Trump of deliberately escalating the situation in Los Angeles by pushing for military reinforcements not requested by California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. She called decision to send Marines in particular " outrageous." "The active duty military has absolutely no legal role in domestic law enforcement. President Trump and Secretary Hegseth should read the Constitution and follow the law," she said. The Pentagon has not had a news conference since the deployment of troops to Los Angeles, referring reporters with questions about the mission to Hegseth's posts on X. On X, Hegseth said the troops were needed to protect federal immigration officers and detention buildings. "There is plenty of room for peaceful protest, but ZERO tolerance for attacking federal agents who are doing their job. The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE," Hegseth said in a statement. U.S. officials said the troops would carry guns and ammunition separately for use only in self-defense and to protect federal property. They would not patrol the streets or help law enforcement arrest protesters, the officials said. Unclear is whether Trump is preparing to invoke the Insurrection Act, an 1807 law that says the president can call on a militia or the U.S. armed forces if there's been "any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy" in a state that "opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws." On his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump referred to the L.A. protesters as "violent, insurrectionist mobs" and "paid insurrectionists." When asked if Hegseth had spoken with Trump on Monday, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told ABC News, "the Secretary is in regular contact with the President regarding the National Guard presence in Los Angeles." Following his testimony, Hegseth is expected to travel with the president to Fort Bragg in North Carolina on Tuesday to participate in activities tied to the Army's 250th birthday celebration. Under Hegseth, the military has taken over control of hundreds of miles along the U.S. southern border with Mexico in an effort to tamp down unauthorized entry by migrants. He's also eliminated programs aimed at increasing diversity among military personnel, slashed the number of general officers and initiated efforts to build a $175 billion U.S. missile defense shield. At the same time, Hegseth also faces reports of dysfunction and infighting among his personal staff at the Pentagon. Since his Jan. 25 swearing in, Hegseth has fired or sidelined several of his own top political advisers and he's gone without a chief of staff since April. Tuesday's hearing also would be Hegseth's first appearance since revelations that he relied on a commercial messaging app known as Signal to relay details about a pending military attack to other high-ranking officials and others, including his wife. Hegseth's use of Signal is now under internal investigation by the Defense Department's inspector general.

39 minutes ago
New Jersey holds primaries for governor, setting up a key 2025 race
Voters head to the polls on Tuesday for New Jersey's primary elections, which will set up the state's 2025 gubernatorial election -- the results of which could be a potential harbinger for the mood of the country ahead of 2026's critical midterm elections. The Democratic candidates are sparring over how to best respond to President Donald Trump's agenda in the Garden State and each hopes to keep the state's governorship in Democratic hands. The state's current governor, Democrat Phil Murphy, can't run again after serving two terms. There are six candidates in the Democratic primary. Polling has shown that Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot who represents the state's 11th Congressional District, leads the crowded Democratic field, but the race could still be anyone's to win. The other Democratic candidates are Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who represents the state's 5th District; Newark Mayor Ras Baraka; Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop; New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller; and former state Senate president Steve Sweeney. Republicans, meanwhile, hope to flip New Jersey's governorship red in November and also have a crowded primary field. President Donald Trump has endorsed former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, who ran for governor in 2021, narrowly losing to Murphy. 'This year's election for governor is critical for New Jersey's future. You'll decide whether New Jersey is a high tax, high crime, sanctuary state,' Trump said during a rally held by telephone last week. 'New Jersey is ready to pop out of that blue horror show.' Ciattarelli faces conservative radio personality Bill Spadea, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and contractor Justin Barbera. The contest is on track to become the priciest election in New Jersey history, with over $85 million spent on advertising as of last Wednesday, according to a report from media tracking agency AdImpact. Among Democrats, Gottheimer has the most ad spending supporting him ($22.8 million), followed by Fulop ($17.8 million). Ciattarelli leads among Republicans with $5.9 million in ad spending or reservations supporting him, dwarfing Spadea's $2.2 million and Bramnick's $1.2 million. About 70% of broadcast ad airings have mentioned Trump, according to AdImpact.