The Trans Radical Activist Network changed the event’s name from ‘visibility’ to ‘vengeance’ before the Nashville incident.
Twitter has deleted over 5,000 posts containing the event’s flyer.
Even after a tragic shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville involving a transgender individual, activists are continuing to prepare for a ‘Trans Day of Vengeance’ protest, following their previous efforts to fundraise for firearms training.
Audrey Hale, a transgender individual, attacked the Covenant School in Nashville, resulting in the deaths of three nine-year-olds, Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney, and Evelyn Dieckhaus.
Despite escalating political tensions in the US, including a tweet from an Arizona Democrat Governor’s press secretary about shooting transphobes, the Trans Radical Activist Network (TRAN) is proceeding with their planned protest in Washington, DC.
The group’s Virginia chapter held a fundraiser in Richmond on March 7 for firearms and self-defence training for transgender Virginians before the mass shooting.
TRAN had sought to distance itself from Hale and her actions, emphasizing that they renamed the protest before the tragic event occurred. Originally called a ‘day of visibility,’ the name was changed to ‘vengeance’ to signify “fighting back with vehemence,” though the group clarified they do not endorse or promote violence.
Twitter has been removing posts containing threats or images of guns related to the ‘TransDayofVengeance’ hashtag. Ella Irwin, Twitter’s Head of Trust and Safety, stated that the platform deleted over 5,000 tweets featuring the event’s poster, emphasizing that Twitter does not support content that incites violence.
Despite expressing that advocating for trans individuals to arm themselves is not a solution to their challenges, Kayla Denker, a self-proclaimed communist, archaeologist, and writer, posted a widely-viewed video of herself posing with a firearm before the shooting.
The protest, scheduled for April 1 outside the Supreme Court in DC, encourages participants to “bring a buddy” and wear masks. It is promoted as a response to an alleged “trans genocide.” Organizers did not respond to inquiries about protest safety amid rising political tensions.
Websites like Etsy continue to offer pro-gun and trans merchandise, including stickers with assault rifles that read “defend equality” and items featuring “Trans rights… or else” alongside images of high-powered guns in trans colours.
TRAN is led by three co-founders, one of whom previously worked for the Virginia Democrats before joining the organization. The group has emphasized that their protest is not about promoting violence but unity, existence, and love conquering hate. In response to the Nashville shooting, they expressed horror and grief, rejecting any connection between the event and their protest.
TRAN’s co-founders include Bo Belotti, the national recruitment director, who helped the Virginia chapter raise firearms and self-defence training funds. Belotti previously worked as a fellow for Del. Elizabeth Guzman and Del. Joshua Cole as a legislative aide, contributing to the drafting of HB 145, which required the state to create model transgender policies for public schools.
Another co-founder is non-binary Tsukuru, who posted updates on the protest before locking down their account after the mass shooting. Tsukuru’s bio states they are anti-nuclear, anti-war, and human rights activists.
The third co-founder is Noah Buchanan, who was motivated to start TRAN due to his own experiences with bullying within the LGBTQIA+ community. Buchanan stated, “This protest is about uniting and letting people know that we are human beings, we exist, and love conquers hate.”
Following the Nashville shooting, the LGBTQ community in Tennessee has been heightening security measures. One activist expressed fear that further violence could occur in response to the incident.
Trans activist Alejandra Caraballo faced backlash for several tweets related to the shooting. Caraballo, previously invited to Congress by the Democratic party to discuss social media safety, had tweeted sarcastically about Tennessee protecting children from drag and gender-affirming care only for them to be attacked at school by an AR-15.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Trans Resistance Network, an unrelated radical transgender group, suggested that a barrage of anti-trans policies and sentiment drove Hale’s actions. The group declared that “hate has consequences” but acknowledged they did not know Hale personally or have access to her thoughts or feelings. This statement provoked criticism online, and the group has since made its social media account private.
Despite the tragic events in Nashville, the Trans Radical Activist Network (TRAN) remains committed to their planned protest in Washington, DC. As the group seeks to distance itself from violence and focus on unity and love, it remains to be seen how the protest will unfold amid the current political climate and rising tensions between different factions.
