by Madison Jones
(Madison Jones is the managing editor of Seattle-based SGN. The following editorial appeared in the October 2025 issue of the newspaper and is reprinted here with permission.)

After deep consideration of the circumstances Transgender Americans have been experiencing in the United States, I, both as managing editor of the SGN and an out-and-proud Transgender woman, have decided to preface this issue with a statement:

In America today, a battle is currently being fought to convince people to turn against their neighbors, and allow the government to take their rights away. Politicians in Washington, D.C., and across the country are actively trying to erase the Transgender community, erase immigrant communities, erase communities of color, and ultimately, erase the founding principles of the U.S. Constitution itself. 

Every person in the U.S. deserves the chance to live a life of dignity and respect. However, as it stands now, Transgender Americans — alongside many others — are not being given that opportunity.

The recent death of Charlie Kirk has unfortunately become another flashpoint in the discourse around Transgender rights, despite Tyler Robinson, the alleged shooter, being a young, cisgender man with no evidence to suggest he was politically affiliated with leftist or Transgender causes, despite the numerous amount of inaccurate reporting on this from major U.S. media outlets and conservative politicians. The fact remains that a majority of U.S. shooters have been proven to be radicalized by white-nationalist ideology before committing their act of violence.

Despite this, politicians instead are claiming the real danger lies with Transgender people, who are supposedly more dangerous than Al Qaeda and the Taliban. It has even led the FBI to consider designating us as “Nihilistic Violent Extremists” with the Heritage Foundation petitioning further to have “Transgender Ideology-Inspired Violent Extremism (TIVE)” added as a category.

Historically, Transgender people have not been given much of a platform to share their stories with the public. This makes it easier to create a bogeyman to scare voters who have never had the chance to meet real, everyday Trans people and hear about their lives directly.  

That is why, as a newspaper for the Queer community, readers will find that, in this issue, we have spotlighted more Transgender stories and perspectives. Under the leadership of our Transgender publisher Renee Raketty, the SGN has made it its mission to incorporate more Transgender and other marginalized perspectives. Now more than ever, I believe we need the SGN to return to its original community role, and once again become a vibrant platform on which LGBTQIA+ people of Seattle and the region can have a voice and safe space to collectively advocate for their rights in the face of mounting adversities.

During its 51-year history, the SGN has always stood for the Queer community, advancing its interests and speaking truth to power. When the LGBTQ+ community was suffering under the HIV/AIDS crisis, the SGN was the first Seattle publication that dedicated itself to informing the public, promoting safer sex education, printing obituaries, and organizing events and vigils. Former SGN publisher George Bakan championed the inclusion of Bisexual and Transgender people in pride. The paper has also been critical to the success of Seattle Pride since its inception, including fundraising, organizing, and staff involvement. 

The SGN has historically been funded by its advertisers; however, with the withdrawal of financial support from corporations and businesses towards LGBTQ+ causes, the SGN is calling on its community of readers to get more involved to help fund its mission, whether it be a one-time or monthly donation. Ultimately, a Queer newspaper will not survive unless it is reflective of, and also supported by, the LGBTQIA+ people it serves; and the SGN stands ready to continue fighting on behalf of all the diverse communities it represents, especially the Transgender community, both now and in the future.

GUEST COMMENTARY
Volume 27
Issue 10