There has been a drastic increase in anti-trans legislation in the past five years. The Trans Legislation Tracker has measured a significant spike between 2021 and 2025. There were 153 anti-trans bills proposed and 18 passed in 2021, and 1,022 bills proposed and 126 passed in 2025. There have already been 762 bills proposed in 2026, with 30 bills passed.
This influx of anti-trans legislation does not appear to be slowing down, as shown by the 2026 statistics. The increasing number of anti-trans bills aligns with societal transphobia across the United States. Since 2021, issues concerning transgender topics have become increasingly prevalent in conservative and far-right ideologies.
The rise in right-wing figures and influencers online, including Ben Shapiro, Tucker Carlson, and Alex Jones, has been responsible for spreading transphobic messages to wide audiences. This social discourse regarding the transgender community has caused an increase in anti-trans legislation.
Anti-trans legislation
There have been many anti-trans bills already passed across the United States this year. Some of the most aggressive bills passed include Tennessee’s House Bill 754, Idaho’s House Bill 752, and Kansas’ Senate Bill 244.
Tennessee’s House Bill 754 creates a database of all gender affirming care and de-transitioning care performed at gender clinics within the state. The bill creates a form that must be filled out by all gender clinics whenever one of these acts of care is performed. The form will include the age and sex of the person receiving care, their surgical procedures, the state and county of their residence, any record of mental health conditions, and the name and contact information of the healthcare professional providing care.
Idaho’s House Bill 752 enforces strict bathroom laws pertaining to transgender people. The bill states that if an individual “knowingly and willfully” enters a public bathroom that does not align with their sex assigned at birth, they could be entitled to misdemeanor and felony charges.
Kansas’ Senate Bill 244 also enforces a law requiring people to use the bathroom and other private spaces that align with their biological sex. It states that any birth certificate that has a sex marker that does not align with the person’s sex at birth is now “invalid.” The bill takes action to reissue driver licenses to “correct the gender identification” when the gender marker does not align with one’s sex at birth.
Impacts of anti-trans legislation
These anti-trans laws put the transgender community and healthcare professionals at risk. For Tennessee’s bill, healthcare professionals can be fined and subjected to discipline for refusing to document the details of patients and gender affirming care. The Tennessee bill will cause more trans people to feel unsafe when getting gender affirming care and may cause healthcare professionals to limit the care they provide.
The Kansas bill also took effect immediately after it was passed. Driver’s licenses with the “incorrect” sex marker were declared invalid as soon as the law was established. The lack of a grace period to change sex markers caused trans people to be unable to drive legally.
The American Psychological Association has conducted research that shows how anti-trans legislation is linked to increased depression, stress, and anxiety amongst the transgender community. The Trevor Project has released research showing that 90% of LGBTQ+ youth have stated that anti-trans politics have negatively impacted their well-being. The study also states that 45% of transgender and gender nonconforming people have considered moving to a different state due to anti-trans legislation.
Anti-trans legislation will continue to create lasting impacts on the transgender community. Bills like these will create barriers between trans people and healthcare, obtaining proper identification, and using public accommodations.
What you can do
Despite the dramatic increase in anti-trans legislation and transphobia, there are still ways to combat these issues. Political and societal aggression towards the transgender community should not deter activism and the fight for trans rights.
There are many ways to push back against anti-trans rhetoric, including testifying for transgender rights and supporting your local trans community. Attending protests and supporting trans rights organizations are also active ways of stopping the progression of anti-trans legislation. Supporting organizations like PFLAG, the ACLU, and the Trevor Project can aid their missions to fight for trans rights and provide resources to the LGBTQ+ community.
Contacting your representative is also a way to fight anti-trans legislation in your area. You can find your representatives online and can contact them regarding your thoughts on proposed legislation. Leaving an email, voicemail, or letter can influence how your representative votes on issues like anti-trans legislation.
How to testify for trans rights
Another way to fight against anti-trans legislation is to testify against policies. You can testify against anti-trans actions at a variety of levels, including at state legislatures, city councils, and school boards. Testifying at hearings or meetings is one of the most impactful ways to support transgender rights and fight against anti-trans legislation.
However, it takes time to prepare for testifying against anti-trans legislation. The Advocates for Trans Equality has created a guide on how to testify safely and effectively.
Start by checking your policymakers’ hearing schedules to find when and where you will testify. Steps to prepare include researching what bill, resolution, or ordinance you are testifying for or against. Beyond technical research, you should develop thoughts on what the impact of the bill will be on the trans and LGBTQ+ community if passed.
After crafting your testimony, address safety concerns that can come from testifying. Avoid using your full name in your testimony or referencing your place of school or work. Review your social media accounts to ensure that no revealing information is on them that may compromise your safety after testifying. The Advocates for Trans Equality’s guide to testifying goes more in-depth on how to do this and craft an impactful testimony safely.
How to support your local trans community
There are other ways to support the trans community that are accessible to everyone. Being an ally to your local trans community, friends, and colleagues can be just as impactful as protests and testifying.
Social change and political change are often intertwined, so by respecting people’s identities and pronouns proudly, you can start to make a difference in your community. You do not have to understand a person’s identity to respect it and be an ally to the community. Make an effort to use the correct name and pronouns for the people around you to create a safe and accepting environment.
Continuing to educate yourself on new policies, local protests, and the news is also a great way to be an ally. Use this knowledge to advocate for transgender people and their rights. When you hear someone make distasteful comments or jokes about trans people, speak up. Speaking up when you see transphobia in your community is just as important as protesting or testifying against anti-trans legislation.
Resources for the trans community
Navigating around anti-trans legislation is becoming increasingly difficult for transgender Americans. The Advocates for Trans Equality also has a legal survival guide to help the trans community. Topics in the guide include how to navigate healthcare, anti-discrimination, and name changes. Know your rights and stay aware of the news and any changes in policy that may impact them.
Aside from legal navigation, social support is integral to the transgender community. Find local support groups or pride events that can serve as safe spaces during this time of uncertainty. Despite anti-trans legislation, there are plenty of LGBTQ+ organizations across the country that can provide support. Anti-trans legislation is not the end. Find community, embrace pride, and continue to express yourself.
