M Greenwood, Meg Paceley & Sarah Jen

Title: There is an Army of Love Around You”: A Love Letter to Trans and Gender Diverse Youth

Topic: LGBTQ+ Elders in Solidarity with Trans and Gender Diverse Youth

In response to policies and bills across the U.S. that seek to persecute transgender and gender diverse youth, the Center for LGBTQ+ Research and Advocacy at KU was moved to engage in actions that would challenge negative rhetoric and empower and affirm TGD youth. We requested letters of support to compile into a love letter for trans and gender diverse youth. Over the course of a week, over 100 letters were collected which were then used to compose the love letter. Some of the most powerful voices in this letter come from transgender and queer elders. Their experiences allowed them to cross the threshold of time, speaking of the challenges that they faced as LGBTQ+ youth, sharing the wisdom gained from years in solidarity, and holding space for the newest members of our community.