6 Trans Entrepreneurs Share How Anti-Trans Legislation Affects Their Lives And Livelihoods

According to the ACLU, there have been 435 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures across the country this year. Bills in 44 states directly target transgender and nonbinary individuals through bathroom bans, restrictions on gender-affirming care, sports bans, and the criminalization of healthcare providers who support trans patients.

Even bills banning drag performances have indirect implications on the ability of transgender and gender non-conforming people to exist in public.

Beyond the negative physical and emotional impact of the bills (particularly on LGBTQ+ youth), anti-trans legislation also takes a toll on the business community. On International Transgender Day of Visibility, six trans and nonbinary small business owners share the impact of anti-trans legislation on their lives and livelihoods, and what allies can do to show their support.

“It’s more important now than ever that we have trans and queer led spaces for healing and processing.”

“Unfortunately, the anti-trans legislation and sentiment across the nation has negatively affected me as a trans entrepreneur and human. I have been called awful slurs regarding my body shape, size, gender-affirming scars, and my trans identity. I’ve been targeted for hate on my Facebook business page, and after the Nashville shooting I was sent hate mail directly to my email. As a trans person, it has made me feel unsafe and I nearly canceled my recent public in-person yoga class due to safety concerns.

“But It also makes me adamant that I must continue doing this work and that our community needs safe healing spaces. As a result of the extra trauma our community has faced this week and this last year due to anti-trans legislation and anti-trans sentiment, it’s more important now than ever that we have trans and queer led spaces for healing and processing.”

Heart Gardener (he/him) is a queer & trans speaker, educator, activist, and yoga instructor based in North Carolina.

“The resilience of my Black transcestors runs through me, and I am motivated to keep going—loudly and proudly.”

“As a Black trans man, my existence has been under attack since birth. Unfortunately, being under attack has become the norm for many marginalized folks, especially Black queer people. However, these days feel heavier than most. Operating as a visible, forward-facing trans person is to operate in constant fear: fear of violence, fear of political ostracism, fear of bodily harm, and fear of having my dignity stripped away at any moment. Despite this, the resilience of my Black transcestors runs through me, and I am motivated to keep going—loudly and proudly—to encourage my trans siblings.

“Operating from a sense of fear makes accessing my creativity difficult, to say the least. Nonetheless, I am motivated to share my experiences through the spaces I create with the smallWORLD Collective. These sacred spaces provide Black trans folks with the freedom to exist, feel prioritized, and have a unique and intentional relationship with collective liberation.

“If you want to support marginalized groups, familiarize yourself with intentionally reallocating your privilege daily. Non-performative support is what's required. We all have individual platforms—how are you using yours? Are you sharing the work of Black queer people? Are you supporting their businesses and encouraging others to do so?”

Jae Rice (he/him) is the cofounder of smallWORLD Collective and is the Interim CEO at Brave Space Alliance, the first Black- and trans-led LGBTQ+ center located on the South Side of Chicago.

“The more they roll back our fundamental human rights, the more we will fight and win.”

“It's disheartening, but [anti-trans] bills fill me with so much motivation to succeed in my business and expand my advocacy efforts. It's almost like I want to say "hold my beer" and I think that's what these anti-queer political figures don't understand—the more they roll back our fundamental human rights, the more we will fight and win.

“LGBT+ owned businesses contribute $1.7T to the U.S. economy. Our community lifted ourselves up by the bootstraps since Stonewall to become some of the highest-earning demographics in the world's richest country; and we did it all under intense social stigma and political repression (not to mention the AIDS epidemic).

“We did this, in large part, by voting with our wallets. We put our resources back into our community-owned businesses and thrived anyway, and that's exactly what we'll do now. In my role with the Equality Chamber of Commerce and WebQ, I'm committed to creating pipelines from poverty to prosperity to further empower the parts of our community that abundance hasn't yet reached.”

Riah Gonzales-King (she/her) is founder and Principal of social media marketing agency STNNR, and is the President of the Equality Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC.

“Every time I conduct my business in person, I fear for my safety from the second I arrive at the event until I return home.”

“As a nonbinary and neuroqueer entrepreneur, the legislative attacks on body autonomy and self-determination are gut-wrenching and have far-reaching consequences. Behind the scenes, I'm having difficult conversations with fellow LGBTQ+ small business owners and entrepreneurs. We're talking about how hard it is to hold space for so much and how to handle death threats, sometimes in the same conversation. Not all of us can afford to take time off for our mental health, which we desperately need. The cost can be too high financially, especially for those of us living check-to-check.

“Fortunately, most of my work is digital. There are many ways to protect my peace online, particularly when platforms allow you the tools to take care of yourself. I'm not afraid to use the block button. I've had my websites attacked in the past in attempts to take them down or hack them.

“Every time I conduct my business in person, I fear for my safety from the second I arrive at the event until I return home. When we had the Club Q shooting here in Colorado, I had already been hired to speak the very next evening, and I considered canceling. My previous fears of attending an event that resulted in a shooting skyrocketed. I've been to LGBTQ+ events in the past that ended early due to bomb threats. Fortunately, I went and spoke anyway, and how the community came together that night was incredibly healing.”

Chris Angel Murphy, MSW (they/them) is the host of the Ambie-nominated podcast Allyship is a Verb and is a consultant who introduces corporations and nonprofits to allyship tools so they can create safer environments for their LGBTQ+ employees.

“Invest in trans people. I would not be where I’m at without the tangible allyship of the cis people in my life.”

“[The current anti-trans sentiment] has all my friends and I really emotionally messed up. It’s really hard to support each other when we feel maxed out. On top of that, it's extremely difficult to be a trans artist because I don’t want my art to always be about trans trauma and trans pain, but it feels difficult to talk about anything other than the horrors that are right in front of me.

“It can also be scary. I am a public and proud trans person, and some of my work can be pretty controversial. If the wrong media publications or Twitter thread wants to come for me, I don’t have much protection. I continue to post and be myself because I know it’s the right thing to do, but the way I have seen my fellow trans influencers get completely destroyed online overnight by the far right is something I’m constantly afraid of.

“For cis allies: invest in trans people. I would not be where I’m at without the tangible (financial and otherwise) allyship of the cis people in my life. Reach out to us for more than just to educate you. Do your own footwork and create spaces in your community where trans people are safe to be themselves. Does your child’s school have a GSA? Does your local LGBT center need volunteers? Is there a protest in your area? Have you contacted local lawmakers if you have transphobic legislation being pushed? If your answer is “no” and you can, then show up!”

Mars Wright (he/him) is a trans artist, streetwear designer, and activist.

“Times like these amplify my mission.”

“Times like these amplify my mission. I started my company to teach financial literacy to people in the LGBTQ+ community as a tool to defend ourselves against capitalism. Due to the rise in anti-LGBTQ legislation, more and more members of our community seek my resources so that they can thrive in chaotic economic climates and prepare themselves for the worst case scenarios.

“The best way that trans allies can support us is to buy from trans-owned small businesses. It's that simple. You don't have to be trans to buy from us. There are a variety of businesses within trans communities, but there is a lack of support.”

K. Kenneth Davis (he/him) is a a financial literacy activist and financial coach who educates and empowers the LGBTQ+ community through this company The Trans Capitalist.

Some interviews were edited for length and clarity.