Grassroots groups to host National March to Protect Trans Youth on Oct. 7 in Orlando, Florida

Speakers include Miss Major, Adria Jawort, Christynne Wood, LGBTQ Teamsters

Historic event will draw protesters from across Florida and U.S. to denounce transphobic & racist policies of DeSantis & other state governments

A broad grassroots coalition of trans and LGBTQI+ activists and progressive organizations will hold a National March to Protect Trans Youth and Speakout for Trans Rights on Saturday, Oct. 7, in Orlando, Florida. The march will gather at 12 noon at Orange & Anderson near Orlando City Hall.

Featured speakers will include Miss Major, a Stonewall veteran and lifelong advocate for trans rights; Adria Jawort, Indigenous Two-Spirit trans woman who was the first target of Montana's anti-drag law; and Christynne Lili Wrene Wood, who was targeted by Fox News during an anti-trans campaign in a suburb of San Diego; at trans youth and activists from Florida and across the U.S.

Samira Burnside, Florida organizer, said: "As a transgender youth in Florida, it would be hard not to become an activist, like allowing yourself to be taken by the river instead of swimming against it. What's happened here has become a threat of such an utterly existential nature that it extends beyond borders. It has encroached on the civil liberties of everyone, and I am beyond excited to see what we can do when we are united, on Oct. 7 and beyond."

Melinda Butterfield, a march initiator from New York, said: "A protest like this is long overdue. The divide-and-conquer measures of Ron DeSantis, the Florida legislature, and their wealthy backers are echoed in states across the country: banning gender-affirming healthcare, suppressing free speech for queer students and teachers, throttling Pride celebrations and drag performances, banning trans people from using restrooms, and threatening to kidnap trans youth from supportive parents. DeSantis' racist abuse of immigrants, the Black community, and other groups has contributed to crimes like the recent white supremacist murder of three Black people in Jacksonville, Florida."

Endorsers include: Women in Struggle-Mujeres en Lucha, Queer Youth Assemble, Teamsters National LGBTQ+ Caucus, Central Florida AFL-CIO, Center for Constitutional Rights, PRISM South Florida, Orlando Come Out with Pride, Equality Florida, Pride at Work Eastern Mass., Tampa Bay Community Action Committee, NYC Reclaim Pride Coalition, New Orleans Real Name Campaign, Louisiana Women's Action Committee, Unión del Barrio, United American Indians of New England, MLK Coalition of Greater Los Angeles, Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, Orlando Umbrella Brigade & more.

Follow the National March on social media: Linktr.ee/transyouthmarch.