GSA Day for Gender Justice 2019

Join the action. Moved toward liberation.

Today, November 15, 2019, we call for our right to determine who we are, who we will be. As young trans and nonbinary people, our experiences with decision making is often second-consideration to the voices of the adults in our lives. Today, we say trans youth have a stake in every conversation, especially when it comes to gender justice!

On this day of action, we are inviting all community members to take action and center gender justice today! GSA leaders can join the work through multiple tactics. Examples of ways to be involved can be found on the lower half of this page (scroll down to “Join the Action! November 15!”).

This will be a permanent homebase for 2019’s GSA Day 4 Gender Justice, as well as serving as a content home for the beautiful layers of art the National Trans Youth Council has to publish this #GSADay4GJ! Come back throughout the day and enjoy the work!

2019 TRUTH Art on Self-Determination

“We call for the right to self-determination and control of our destinies.”

-National Trans Youth Council Nine-Point Platform, 2018

“A Future We Determine”

This poem was written and spoken by the National Trans Youth Council and published on GSA Day 4 Gender Justice 2019.

Check out TRUTH’s #GSADay4GJ art kits on display by GSA clubs nationwide!

Poetry from GSA Day Participant

The mind can be a deceiving thing

We can see every part of ourselves that we try to hide 

We try to smile 

We smile so hard that dimples are indented in our faces

The same dimples that our ancestors were forced to show our oppressors

We smile to the people who constantly forget

Forget our names

Forget our pronouns

Forget our identities

While people say “it’s hard to forget who you used to be”

I say “it’s the best experience to finally be me”

Finally be free 

Finally unconstricted 

They say “enby and nonbinary people aren’t a thing”

I say “I’m right her”

I’m finally here

I’m finally existing

I am finally one with the world 

I’m finally one with myself

Even if they don’t see and accept me 

I see and accept me

I am infinite in my body 

I am infinite with my mind

I am infinite with my black and brown trans siblings 

Even if they don’t know it 

Even if they can’t see it yet

Even when the mind is trying to decieve us 

Making us feel “not trans and/or queer enough” because we’re people of color

Or making us feel “white-washed” because we are  trans and/or queer 

We are all that we want to be

I am black and beautiful

I am trans and beautiful 

I am queer and beautiful

I am me

And that is beautiful

Keep scrolling for archived info on how to join the action this #GSADay4GJ. ⇩⇩⇩

On November 15, 2019, the National Trans Youth Council invites you to join our day of action for gender justice, GSA Day 4 Gender Justice! #GSADay4GJ is our team’s annual day of action to uplift and highlight the movement for a world free of gender-based violence, with a focus on the lives realities of young trans and nonbinary people.

Following the 2018 release of the National Trans Youth Council’s Nine-Point Platform, we are focusing our day of action of each of the nine-points year by year. This November, we center the right to self-determination!

JOIN THE ACTION! NOVEMBER 15!

This GSA Day 4 Gender Justice, we’re calling on ALL clubs and organizers to join the action in ways that uplift your message in your community. We are excited to share some examples of possible actions your club can organize for our day of action.

Remember, the best way to be involved in the way that makes your voice heard, while keeping you safe. Make sure to talk through what action your club will complete with your members and advisor!

1: HOST A GSA CLUB MEETING + DISCUSSION

Our goal for this GSA Day is for young people nationwide to spark conversations on campus about what self-determination is and how it applies to your life. We often are not taught in school that we have the right to control our future and as queer and trans people, it can be scary to not feel like we have a say in who we become.
This GSA Day, let’s talk about it! Clubs can hold GSA meetings on or around 11/15 and facilitate a group conversation about what self-determination means to individuals and even what it looks like on your campus. Open the space and set group goals about what the boundaries of the conversation are… then talk! We’ve created a sample template of what the discussion can look like and your club leaders can use the facilitator guide to get some ideas of questions to pose.
Make sure to share the art in this kit with club members to see!

2. Lead an Art Campaign Across Campus!

We know art is a powerful form of communication and has the power to share messages that may be hard to attach words to. We made sure to center art this year because we believe in the magic of imagining our futures as canvas with the paintbrush in our hands.One form of action clubs can consider this GSA Day is organizing an art campaign across your campus, which can include your GSA club members and any other students. Your club can create additional posters, flyers and other media that use art to spark conversations related to youth self-determination. This campaign can also include a call for student art submissions with a prompt you assign. Art is a personal process and can be a powerful tool to help us understand ourselves and the world around us.If your club would like any of the art created to be highlighted on our social media, make sure to send photos of your work to staff at [email protected].

3. Host a Zine-making + Poem-writing Party!

This year our team used zines and poems to convey our thoughts on controlling our own destiny; we invite you to also create! Zines are cool, short DIY magazines that allow us to capture thoughts, pictures, drawings, poems, statements and so much more. We invite your club to organize a zine making party that simply include arts and crafts supplies for folks to come in and create their own zine. Remember, zines can range in format. Encourage your club to try different formats out from poem-centered zines, photo essays, etc. Provide supplies to GSA members to create and make sure to share it online. If you tag us (@ourtranstruth), we’ll be happy to reshare it!This group setting can also be used to write poems as a collective. You can encourage your club to also write poems that speak to their thoughts on self-determination.

4. Join in on the selfies! #mytransdestinyis…

Self-portraits offer an opportunity to capture our existence for the world to see… selfies included. We want the world to see us and on 11/15, we invite all GSA club members to join in on our online selfie-campaign. Getting involved is easy! On GSA Day, post a photo of yourself to Twitter, Instagram or Facebook and caption it with why you believe in trans youth self-determination.Complete the prompt: #mytransdestinyis…The goal of this campaign is to uplift ourselves as leaders in the movement for gender justice and to make it clear: young people are power enough to control our futures and destinies.Make sure to hashtag #mytransdestinyis, as well as #GSADay4GJ so we can react with your pictures and share online for our community to witness.

Things to look forward to on GSA Day 4 GJ!