Dozens protest on the streets of Champaign for the rights of transgender people

Protesters gather in Champaign to demonstrate against recent executive orders by President Donald Trump targeting transgender and non-binary people.


CHAMPAIGN – More than a hundred people gathered on Saturday to march through the streets of downtown Champaign waving multi-colored Pride flags.

They protested recent executive orders by President Donald Trump, targeting transgender and nonbinary people with a series of executive orders.

Those orders include banning transgender people from serving openly in the military, moving transwomen in federal custody to men’s prisons, stopping the use of federal money to support gender-affirming medical care for youth, and for blocking schools from using federal funds to support students who are socially transitioning.

“When trans rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!,” shouted the protesters as they marched around downtown Champaign.

Elizabeth Sotiropolous helped organize the event. She says being a queer woman is part of why she became involved in supporting trans rights.

“I care very deeply about the liberation of all people, and we see the rise of fascism and we see the genocide of trans people by attacking trans people, denying our existence, denying us access to health care, telling children they can’t access gender-affirming care even if their parents are okay with it.”

Illinois law prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and expression, but that has no effect on the changes Trump is ordering nationwide.

Mae Antar