Ten protesters have arms linked to block access to an entry point for Trump's first inauguration. Several hold signs, including ones that read, "BLACK LIVES MATTER," "SOLIDARITY WITH TUE UNDOCUMENTED," and "COMPLACENSY IS EVIL. #NOJUSTICENOPEACE."

Those of us in the US are dealing with the return of Donald Trump to the presidency. (Actually, most countries are facing the same thing. His impact is being felt globally.) I don't pretend to have all the answers -- or even 0.0001% of the answers.

But here are some thoughts.

There are so very, very many things that can be said about him and his impact on queer and trans communities. I won't rehash all of that.

But like many of you, i've been feeling a sense of grief, despair, dismay, disbelief, dread, and unbridled fury at his actions, especially his blatantly trans-antagonistic executive orders. Not to mention the overt kidnapping, imprisonment/disappearing, and/or deporting of people who oppose Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, as well as undocumented immigrants.

I've also had to remove dozens of links on R2T2 that had connected to pages from the CDC and other federal agencies, which the Trump administration has removed. I now also no longer use federal agency websites as sources. No matter how relevant or queer-/trans-friendly they seem, i can no longer trust any content put out by the federal government.

We are, as we always are, fighting back. We have never not fought back.

Personally, i struggle with wanting to do All The Things to counteract him and his agenda. But none of us can do everything, although that can be a hard thing to accept -- it is for me. I'm hoping that this website is one of the ways i respond. The more people who are reached by R2T2 the better.

Your support of queer and trans tweens and teens can be part of your response. Pick 1-2 of the hundreds of ideas on this website and dedicate some time to following up on them.

Donald Trump wants nothing more than for us to quietly submit to his horrid agenda, including giving up on supporting our young people. Don't. Do. It. An effective response involves all of us acting. As i've heard multiple times since the election, "Do not obey in advance." Keep resisting until you can't do what you've been doing. Then do something else.

Trump and his minions would have multiple heart attacks reading the ideas on this site. Just picture it: Ron DeSantis with a coronary because you're supporting queer and trans students and giving them queer and trans books through their school libraries. Yes, please.

(Just to be clear for any Powers That Be who have stumbled onto this humble website, no one can cause someone else to have a heart attack. I am not implying someone should kill or seriously injure DeSantis or any other person like him. Also, f*ck you.)

There are a million other ways we can respond. So make taking action and spreading the word about R2T2 part of your response. What's the rest of your response? That's up to you.

If you've never been involved politically, now's the time to start. If you're experienced, get out there and keep leading. If you're too tired to fight another fight, mentor those who are filled with youthful energy and righteous anger. And, yes, take a break if you need one.

It will take every one of us to counteract the political and social destruction of this country and the Trump administration's turning it into a repressive, authoritarian, fascist state.

Are you ready? I am.

Let's go.

Several protesters sit with arms linked. One holds a piece of fabric that says, "Love America. FIGHT. RESIST."
Approximately a dozen protesters, including me, sit with arms linked so that barriers cannot be removed to open additional places for people to get into Trump's inauguration.
Six protesters, almost all white, hold or stand behind a banner that reads, "WHITE SILENCE IS BETRAYAL."

All the photos on this page are ones i took during protest actions coordinated by SURJ at Trump's first inauguration, in January of 2017, when i lived in the DC area.

Faces blacked out because it's getting to be unsafe to protest in this country.

All photos here are © 2017, Shannon E. Wyss, All Rights Reserved.

A large group of protesters has shut down a tent that acted as a security checkpoint to enter for Trump's inauguration.
An unseen person holds a sign that reads, "MUSLIM. WOMAN. UNAPOLOGETIC."
Two people work quickly to get one of them chained to a police barricade.
A photo of multiple young African Americans who present as men. Most are draped with chains that are locked to their bodies and, off-camera, to police barricades. One unchained person is yelling into a megaphone.
A young Black person who presents as a woman is chained to a police barricade. She has her hands clasped behind her head.
A person who presents as a man is photographed from the back. He holds two signs, which read, "ACROSS THE LAND NO CONFIDENCE NULL the VOTE 9t9p.org" and "SAVE OUR PLANET STOP trump."
A large crowd heads toward a security checkpoint to get into Trump's inauguration -- or to block the entrance.
Several whiet people are photographed from behind. All have a fist raised. One fist partially blocks a sign that reads, "RESIST."
A group of protesters is photographed from behind. They have various signs, some of which read, "!STILL! HIDING HIS TAX RETURNS," "STAND with IMMIGRANTS! SAY NO to RACISM!," "Build Bridges Not Walls," and "PUTIN'S PUPPET."