Trans Day of Visibility 2025 Statement
Today is Trans Day of Visibility. Typically this is a more joyful day where we like to celebrate trans people in the community. This year feels different. Trans people are very visible but have been made so by people who wish to eradicate them. Trans people are being stripped of their bodily autonomy and right of expression. Trans people have been made vulnerable through state violence for the perceived crime of living authentically.
Who decides what a real woman or man is? It isn’t the ability to bear children or who we enter romantic and/or sexual partnerships with. Male and female aren’t so much a spectrum as two points on a vast plane of options which aren’t mutually exclusive. Oppression of trans people is not about their mental health or the safety of children. These are distractions made to exploit your empathy so you do not notice the true intended purpose of limiting gender expression. Gender is cultural and state repression of trans people is to destroy and limit culture.
The state has decided what a man and woman are within the confines of white Christian hegemony. You should care because trans people deserve dignity and safety like all people but you also need to take this as the warning sign it is. When we let the state legislate anyone’s existence we all become vulnerable. It is not a mistake that those who challenge power in any way are targeted. Look at what is happening to student protestors, activists, and labor leaders. State adoption of appropriate expression being within white Christian hegemony means that simply existing in any way outside of that will challenge power and you could be next.
This is important to us as marching arts performers, alumni, staff, educators, and fans because we are stewards of a vibrant and diverse community. As a performing artform we exist to push the boundaries of creation and expression. Limiting gender expression is limiting culture which will have downstream effects for the performing arts. Whether they’re fun and silly or have deeper themes, our shows are meant to say something. The increased push to conceptualize marching arts as a sport cannot result in holding ourselves to whatever restrictions are being placed on athletic activities. We cannot allow ourselves to fall into the trap of craving legitimacy in the form of state approval. Competitive circuits were created outside the military and military-adjacent associations for a reason. We decide who and what we are.
Cis community members: this is your moment to step up. What is legal is not what is moral. Do not comply in advance if you receive orders to limit the freedom of trans people. Get in touch with local groups organizing on trans issues and participate in their actions. Safety plan for your trans students if you are an educator particularly if you are travelling out of state. MAASIN will be revamping our free trans safety workshop so stay tuned for that in the future.
Trans community members: we have been with you from our beginning and will always stand with you. If you need assistance with anything, marching arts related or not, please reach out to support@maasin.net. We are happy to help you find access to resources you need.
The situation is scary but sad, hopeless, and disempowered is exactly where evil people want you. Don’t make their job easier. The antidote to disempowerment is connecting with others in your community to dream of a better future and take action to make it reality. If you want to connect with like-minded people in marching arts, consider joining our Discord server or even joining MAASIN.
Sincerely,
Your fellow community members in MAASIN