SisTers PGH to join direct action at Creating Change

February 20, 2023 - We at SisTers PGH are proud to be joining a coalition of trans, nonbinary and intersex activists attending Creating Change in organizing a direct action at tonight's closing plenary.

The group, called the CC23 Trans Collective, is protesting the exclusion of trans, intersex and gender-nonconforming people in this year's conference in San Francisco.

Creating Change, hosted by the National LGBTQ Task Force, describes itself as "the nation's foremost political, leadership, and skills-building conference for the LGBTQ movement" and claims to be "building a future where everyone is free to be themselves in every aspect of their lives."

In reality, the experiences of trans and nonbinary attendees were in direct contradiction to these stated values and goals.

From the start of this gathering, it was clear Creating Change has prioritized cisness and whiteness and excluded local grassroots activists. This is particularly problematic because this year's conference takes place against the backdrop of a political climate that is actively hostile to trans and nonbinary people, Black people, Indigenous people, migrants, and people of color as a whole.

From the prohibitively expensive cost of registration and lodging to the erasure of trans masculine people, this gathering is not creating change.

In addition, the sole day-long Trans Institute was confined to the smallest meeting space. Despite this disregard for our communities, the Trans Institute gathering overflowed with participants.

Following tonight's action, a list of demands for future gatherings will be posted publicly. Make sure to follow SisTers PGH on social media (links below) to stay up to date!