Written by Mina Baird and originally published on her blog.

Hi friends,

It’s a really scary time to be trans in the UK. Last week, the Supreme Court deciding that trans women aren’t “legally” women, in a clearly partisan decision that parrots the language of trans eliminationist activists, and in which no trans people or groups were allowed to speak before the court. This ruling also clearly went against the original intent of the Equality Act 2010 (a law which up to now has protected trans people’s right to live and participate in society as our lived gender), according to a civil servant key in drafting this law.

The chair1 of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)—supposedly “an independent statutory body with the responsibility to encourage equality and diversity, eliminate unlawful discrimination, and protect and promote the human rights of everyone in Britain“—has gone even further, encouraging the government to systematically exclude trans women from all single-sex spaces. And now the Labour government, under Keir Starmer, has shown that it’s more than happy to comply with this and exclude trans people entirely from public life.

It’s also worth noting that this doesn’t only affect trans people. This policing of genders in toilets, changing rooms and other spaces will create an atmosphere of prejudice and mistrust, bringing into question the gender and ability to exist in public of anyone who looks, sounds, dresses, or behaves differently. This will also intersect with racism, with Black women and women of colour being particularly affected, as well as butch lesbians.

With our rights, safety, and ability to exist in public being under dire threat, here’s some concrete things you can do as a cis (non-trans) person to show real allyship and support the trans community:

1. Check in with your trans friends and family. Let us know that you’re here for us.

2. Write to and ask to meet with your MP and MSPs. Put pressure on them to stand up for a really vulnerable community. Here’s an email template you can use when writing to your MP. It’s also worth sending physical letters if possible—it shows that you care and is harder for politicians to ignore.

3. Donate to trans fundraisers and to trans people who need financial support. There’s loads out there, both to meet the needs of individual trans people and for collective support through local trans groups.

4. Challenge transphobia and misinformation, especially when talking to people in real life (outside of the echo chambers of social media). Be a vocal advocate for us whether there’s a trans person in the room or not.

5. Educate yourself. Try to especially consume material (books, articles, videos) by trans people.

I haven’t read it yet, but The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye seems to be a good starting point with a UK focus. Trans Britain, edited by Christine Burns, provides context to the history of the trans community, activist movements, and our legal rights in the UK.

Finally, Whipping Girl by Julia Serano is a modern classic of trans theory focusing on transmisogyny, the intersection of transphobia and misogyny affecting trans women. She released a third edition last year with a substantial afterward exploring the anti-trans backlash of the last few years.

6. Show up and stand up for us. If you see a trans person being harrassed, discriminated against, or asked to leave a bathroom or other space, use your privilege and stand up for them.

7. Support trans creators and business.

8. Go to protests and get involved in local groups. Last weekend saw massive protests across the UK attracting tens of thousands of people. Here’s a piece on the protest in Edinburgh for example. Reach out to local groups in your area fighting for the trans community, and help us keep up the pressure and show that this isn’t just a flash in the pan.

9. Ask trans people you know what you can do to help. For example, if you are a cis woman, maybe you could accompany a trans woman to a public bathroom, so you can be there for her in case of any harassment.

Let’s fight this together, and have each others’ backs.