There’s no sugarcoating it: this year was not without a commotion for trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people nationwide, but there remains the opportunity to foster trans joy going forward in 2026.

2024 saw the worst anti-trans legislation to date, with 669 bills introduced as tracked by Trans Legislation Tracker. Bullies killed 16-year-old nonbinary student Nex Benedict as a result of a fight at school in Oklahoma, while a community in Pennsylvania grieved 14-year-old trans girl Pauly Likens, whose body parts were found scattered across a lake.

Not to mention that the future of trans healthcare hangs in the balance as the U.S. v. Skrmetti Supreme Court case tackles Tennessee’s Senate Bill 1, signed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee in 2023 to ban gender-affirming care for trans youth. The case also asks the court to rule on whether trans Americans are protected by the Constitution. Including Tennessee, 26 states have implemented varying degrees of gender-affirming care bans.

2024, however, did not come without hope and progress despite its political turmoil, showing the continued potential for fostering trans joy. Moving towards the direction of LGBTQ rights, Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a “gay/trans panic defense” law, prohibiting courts from allowing this defense in homicide cases. With this, Michigan became the 20th state to enact a law of this kind.

Trans activists made their voices known following a bathroom sit-in demonstration protesting U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, who proposed H.Res 1579 on Nov. 18. The resolution would prohibit House members, officers and employees of the House from using single-sex facilities other than those “corresponding to their biological sex,” ultimately banning transgender people from using restrooms in the House. The demonstration made waves following the arrest of 15 participants of the sit-in who demanded justice, fostering trans joy through community resistance and activism.

Additionally, states across the country are enacting “shield” or “refuge” laws, to ensure protection and safety for those crossing state lines to receive gender-affirming care, declaring themselves safe haven states, fostering trans joy.

With 2025 making its turn around the corner, five trans and nonbinary leaders share with Reckon their wishes for the year ahead in terms of community building and fostering trans joy.

Read the full article about fostering trans joy in 2026 by Denny at Reckon.