June Run Down
This post is too long for email — if you don’t see a little thank you for reading you haven’t reached the end. Just click the banner to read it in it’s entirety :)
If you're anything like me, since Donald Trump returned to office, you've watched with a combination of horror and sorrow as rights are stripped away from the most vulnerable. Sometimes, it can be almost paralyzing to see the scale of the attacks, from the war in Iran to the threatened sale of public lands to removing the National LGBTQ+ youth suicide lifeline to ICE arrests in the workplace and the lack of due process, among many things. It's a fine line between being informed and being so overloaded it's hard to do anything else.
At the end of last year, I wrote about the importance of hope. I said, "However, I'm making the conscious choice in the face of fear and grief to hold tightly to hope and the fact that despite seeing the worst in humanity broadcast in the news, I still have an unwavering belief in the goodness of people." That hope has been tested, but in many ways, it was renewed this month. I saw an unprecedented number of people throughout the country—-even in the most red states—-come out and protest for No Kings Day. There have continued to be lawsuits brought against Trump's administration, and people have come together in the most beautiful ways on both small and large scales. It's true that at every turn, there is resistance and community, even amongst the fear and struggle.
Instead of belaboring the point, I want to leave you with some film photos from the New York No Kings protest. I hope it encourages you as much as it encourages me.
Our first edition of hankycode magazine is available now both in print and digital format, this edition is focused on music and entertainment.
Our next edition of hankycode magazine coming out late this summer is dedicated to fashion and drag. We are seeking submissions including:
Personal essays on the exploration of fashion/drag and identity
Articles exploring the intersection of queer fashion/drag and history
Feature or Q&A pieces with queer models, fashion designer or drag artists (or others in these industries)
Photo collections of drag artists, queer fashion & fashion collections
How to submit:
Send either:
A pitch + samples of your previous work
OR
A completed piece/photos
Email submissions to info@hankycodemagazine.com
Deadline: July 12th, 2025 at 12:00 PM EST
Goldfish by Raynes
Piano in the sky by Mikayla Geier
Simple Math by Emma Andersen
Nettles by Ethel Cain
Everybody Supports Women by SOFIA ISELLA
Third Eye by Florence and the Machine
The National LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Lifeline began in September of 2022, and according to federal data, it has served almost 1.3 million callers since then. However, the Trump administration has announced that this vital service will be shutting down on July 17th.
This change will certainly harm already vulnerable children. In fact, a peer-reviewed study by The Trevor Project shows there is an increase of up to 72% in suicide attempts in nonbinary and transgender youth due to anti-transgender laws. For a party and an administration that often tries to frame banning gender-affirming care for children as 'protecting children, ' it's very telling that they are now removing something that was actively helping those same children. There wasn't a downside to this program, and yet they're removing it.
It's become even more clear that the aim isn't actually to help children—-if that were the case, politicians would be listening to the medical professionals because every major medical organization, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychiatric Association, and the American Medical Association supports age-appropriate, gender-affirming care. When I say 'gender-affirming care,' I am not only referring to surgeries. Gender-affirming care spans a wide range of medical and non-medical interventions, and a trans child will make all care decisions with their parents, as well as medical providers (including mental health professionals. They won't have permanent medical interventions until they are old enough to give consent. Typically, surgical interventions don't take place until an individual is 18.
The reality is that the removal of this suicide lifeline is just another example of the danger and potential harm of many of the Trump administration's policies. It is important to note that while this resource is being taken away, there are still other essential resources for LGBTQ+ youth, including the Trevor Project's Suicide Hotline for LGBTQ+ youth.
LGBTQ+ Resources:
Project Open Arms - This group in the pacific northwest helps trans and nonbinary coming from red states. As their site says, “We can help you navigate the relocation process, including finding community connections, employment opportunities, gender-affirming healthcare, and more.”
North Texas TRANSportation Network - “Provides travel and relocation grants to North Texas families seeking out-of-state health care for trans and gender-expansive youth.”
Rainbow Railroad - “Rainbow Railroad is a global not-for-profit organization that helps at-risk LGBTQI+ people get to safety worldwide. Based in the United States and Canada, we’re an organization that helps LGBTQI+ people facing persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. In a time when there are more displaced people than ever, LGBTQI+ people are uniquely vulnerable due to systemic, state-enabled homophobia and transphobia. These factors either displace them in their own country or prevent them from escaping harm.”
Trans Youth Emergency Project - “Our team provides 1-on-1 custom patient navigation services to unimpacted providers and supports families of transgender youth with emergency grants to help them travel for care.”
The Trevor Project - “The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people.”
Immigration Resources:
National Immigration Legal Services Directory - A resource to search for immigration legal services by state, county, or detention facility.
Know Your Rights: What to Do if You Are Arrested or Detained by Immigration - This downloadable legal information guide provides important information on what to do if you are arrested or detained by immigration.
International Resources:
Denizens Society Global - A nonprofit supporting those impacted by war and displacement. They currently are focused on Gazan family relief, providing dental care, and preserving Palestinian culture.
Doctors Without Borders - Worldwide this organization is providing humanitarian assistance to those in need. This includes Sudan which is currently experiencing intense violence, forcing 1 in 5 Sudanese to flee their homes.
Climate Action Network - “Climate Action Network (CAN) is a global network of more than 1,900 civil society organisations in over 130 countries driving collective and sustainable action to fight the climate crisis and to achieve social justice. CAN convenes and coordinates civil society at the UN climate talks and other international fora.”
Mutual Aid Resources:
Black Trans Fund - https://groundswellfund.org/funds/black-trans-fund/
Project Open Arms - https://tractionpnw.org/open-arms/
Point of Pride - https://www.pointofpride.org/donate
The Okra Project - https://www.theokraproject.com/
Trans Resistance Network - https://transresistancenetwork.wordpress.com/
Mutual Aid NYC - https://mutualaid.nyc/mutual-aid-groups/
Collective Focus - https://collectivefocus.site/
“I feel like she has object permanence problems but with people.”
“It’s okay to be really dumb.”