Trans Empowerment Month 2025: Join Stand With Trans’ Free Celebration of Trans Joy and Community
Virtual October events include youth-led panels, hair empowerment sessions and appearances by trans advocates
Block out your October calendar for Stand with Trans’s sixth annual Trans Empowerment Month, a monthlong virtual celebration that's become a beloved tradition for transgender and gender expansive youth, families and allies across the country.
This year's theme, "Love Transcends," captures what makes this event so remarkable. From the comfort of your living room, you can join inspiring conversations, creative performances and empowering workshops that bring together hundreds of people who understand the power of community.
"When the world tries to tear you down, love builds you back up," says Roz Keith, executive director and founder of Stand with Trans. "That's exactly what Trans Empowerment Month represents — a powerful reminder that love transcends hate, fear and division."
Registration is free for youth and young adults through age 24, with modest fees for older participants. The monthlong celebration runs Oct. 6-30, and you can sign up now at live.eventtia.com/en/tem2025/REGISTRATION.
Programming highlights
Trans Empowerment Month Kickoff — 7 p.m. Oct. 6
The celebration launches with an energizing kickoff that introduces this year's theme and gives participants a taste of the community connection that defines Trans Empowerment Month.
Our Voices, Our Power: A Youth Panel — 7 p.m. Oct. 7
Young trans and nonbinary people take center stage to share their stories and insights. This panel, presented by Stand With Trans Youth Advisory Board members, highlights both the challenges youth face and the incredible creativity and strength they bring to overcoming them.
Empowerment Through Hair as Black Trans Women — 7 p.m. Oct. 8
Hair is culture, history, resistance and self-expression all wrapped into one. This session celebrates how Black trans femmes use hair as a source of confidence and community connection.
Gender-Affirming Care in Adolescence — 7 p.m. Oct. 9
Medical professionals and advocates discuss current best practices in gender-affirming care for young people, offering practical information for youth and families seeking affirming healthcare.
Understanding Eating Disorders in Trans and Gender-Expansive People — 7 p.m. Oct. 14
This important session explores how gender identity, body image and societal pressures can intersect with eating disorders, offering compassionate resources for healing and support.
The speaker lineup brings together advocates, artists and community leaders from across the country. Bernie Wagenblast, the voice of the New York City subway who became a prominent transgender visibility advocate after coming out in 2023, will share her journey. Comedian James Tom, known for his work on HBO Max's "Our Flag Means Death," brings his signature humor and insight as a transmasculine performer.
Detroit's own Ahya Simone, the only Black transgender harpist in the world, represents the innovative artistry that flourishes in Michigan's LGBTQ+ community. Princess Jauan Durbin, a Morehouse College alumnus and Forbes Under 30 Scholar who founded the Southern Kiki Leaders Collective, brings expertise in HIV prevention advocacy. And Michigan's Emme Zanotti, senior director of Movement Building and Political Affairs at Equality Michigan Action Network, rounds out the lineup with her coalition-building experience.
Why Trans Empowerment Month matters
What started as a way to create safe virtual spaces has grown into something that reaches far beyond Michigan's borders. Last year's event drew more than 200 participants, and this year promises even broader reach.
Keith emphasizes the community connection at the heart of the programming. "Our attendees don't just walk away with new knowledge — they walk away knowing they belong, they matter and they are deeply loved."
For a community that often faces hostility and legislative attacks, Trans Empowerment Month offers something essential: a full month dedicated to celebration, learning and genuine connection. And in an era when access to affirming spaces can be limited, the virtual format means anyone with an internet connection can join.
Founded by Keith after her own experience as the mother of a transgender son, Stand with Trans has been supporting transgender youth and their families since 2015. The Michigan-based organization provides year-round peer support groups and educational resources, but Trans Empowerment Month represents their biggest annual effort to bring the community together.
Whether you're looking to learn something new, connect with others or simply celebrate trans joy, there's space for you in this October celebration. Visit standwithtrans.org for more information about the organization's ongoing work supporting transgender youth and families.
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