Today, trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming students face a pivotal election. If Donald Trump is elected, anything from their ability to play sports to their access to gender–affirming care and the right to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity could be stripped away.
“[The election is] scary,” said Levi Deck, a sophomore. “It really impacts my access to healthcare and pretty much everything. School, college, general safety.”
In 2023 alone, U.S. states enacted 22 laws impacting the trans community. They ranged from laws limiting gender-affirming care to requiring the misgendering and deadnaming of trans and nonbinary students. A second Trump presidency is forecasted to be extremely detrimental for LGBTQIA+ rights and trans rights specifically, according to The Guardian. Trump has ties to Project 2025, the far-right manifesto that calls for a massive rollback in trans people’s legal rights.
“The Republican Party has shown that they’re extremely willing to introduce laws that further marginalize and demonize transgender people,” said Lily King, NWA’s former Education Technology Coordinator. “In the last few years alone many Republican-controlled states including Idaho, right on our border, have introduced laws that are dangerous to people like me.”
Tied to the uptick in anti–trans legislation is an increase in violence toward trans Americans. While overall hate crimes in the U.S. have been decreasing, violence against trans people has been increasing. In 2023, 32 transgender or gender-expansive people were killed according to the Human Rights Campaign. In 2024, there have been 27 murders and counting.
“If [Trump] is elected, it is quite possible general transphobia, homophobia and hate crimes will rise,” said Leo Conley, a sophomore.
Conservative policies are likely to restrict trans and nonbinary students’ access to activities as well. In recent years there have been a number of debates around the participation of trans athletes in sports, especially trans women. These controversies have led to initiatives to ban trans athletes from competition.
“The Trump administration wanting to cut trans people from sports could mean my friends could not be able to participate in high school sports,” said Callie Huynh, a Riverdale High School sophomore and member of the school’s track and field team. “They might not be able to play sports ever again.”
Swimming and other aquatic sports have been a focal point of these bans. In 2022, trans women were banned from all high level swimming in the female category by World Aquatics, the overseeing body of international aquatics competitions. Student athletics have been affected as well, with 19 states banning trans athletes from college and high school sports.
Naomi Engelen is a La Salle sophomore and a competitive swimmer. She explained that while she competes in the category of her assigned gender at birth, she believes conservative policies will impact fellow trans swimmers.
“I can see [Trump’s election] totally affecting people who have come out,” she said. “Especially with the locker room situation in swimming.”
Trans people’s presence in gendered spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms has been one of the main targets of legislation. So called “bathroom bills” have been instituted in conservative states, such as a 2023 Kansas law that completely bans trans people from using the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.
“Being forced to use a different bathroom would kinda suck,” said Alan Huber, an NWA sophomore. “I don’t want to make anyone else feel more uncomfortable, and I don’t want to be uncomfortable myself.”
Oregon has been largely exempt from the increase in legislation seen in more conservative areas. Since the early 2000s, Oregon has been at the forefront of legislation protecting trans rights. Many of those interviewed take comfort in the relative safety the state offers.
“I am somewhat reassured by the fact that we live in Oregon, which has some of the strongest legal protections for trans people in the country,” said King.
Portland in particular is very liberal, with one of the highest populations of LGBTQIA+ people in the U.S.. One Portland resident was the first person in the U.S. to be legally registered as nonbinary.
“I have hope that Portland will continue to show up as the city that uplifts targeted communities such as trans youth,” said Nia Johnson, NWA’s DICE program manager.
Johnson believes that down-ballot races, such as state senate and mayor, are just as crucial as the general election.
“[Equal rights] have to constantly be fought for, which again is why local elections are just as important, if not more,” said Johnson. “Who we have representing us allows for social justice movements to flourish”
Jax Pike, a sophomore, explained that while he currently feels safe, he is concerned about the effect on his future conservative policies might have.
“I’m lucky because I’m in a position where my parents are supportive of me,” he said. “But once I’m out in the world there is less they can do to help and protect me and that’s when things get dangerous. If laws are passed and things get bad, that’s the main scare.”
Trans people are not alone in facing danger if Trump is elected, stresses Conley. Other marginalized and equity seeking groups, such as the BIPOC, disabled, immigrant and wider queer communities will be impacted, he explains.
“This is a crucial election for everyone,” he said. “I think not just people in the LGBTQ+ community but minority groups in general will be affected.”
Reporting by Signe Miner and Oliver Shek
