Trans Tactics: Sun Tzu’s Guide to Defending Our Lives: Part 6
“He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.” – Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Fighting alone is noble. Fighting together is unstoppable.
In any campaign, whether it’s a battlefield or a legislative hearing, there’s power in numbers. And not just raw numbers, but in the kinds of support you bring to the table: grassroots voices, institutional allies, media power, political leverage, legal backing, and everyday people showing up when it counts.
Trans advocacy isn’t just about surviving; it’s about commanding the terrain. That means building coalitions that span class, race, religion, profession, and privilege.
If we want to win, we don’t just fight on one front. We command all of them.
Why Coalitions Win What Individuals Can’t
One person with a sign can spark a movement. But it takes a coalition to change a law, shift a system, or rewrite a narrative. Sun Tzu knew that the most effective forces weren’t always the biggest; they were the best organized, the most adaptable, and the most unified.
Trans advocacy is no different. In a world where we’re constantly being divided and isolated, coalitions make us unignorable.
Real-World Example: The March for Queer and Black Lives
When Black-led protests intersected with queer and trans organizing during 2020’s uprising, it wasn’t just solidarity; it was strategy. The overlap exposed shared roots of state violence, policing, and political neglect. Joint actions resulted in policy proposals, mutual aid networks, and local government concessions. Coalitions didn’t just amplify; they redirected the spotlight.
Who’s On Your Side (Even If They Don’t Know It Yet)
Here’s the truth: there are allies everywhere who don’t yet realize how aligned their struggles are with ours. That’s where coalition-building becomes a superpower.
Potential allies across sectors:
- Healthcare professionals fighting for patient rights
- Educators resisting censorship and erasure
- Religious leaders advocating for inclusion
- Labor unions fighting discrimination at work
- Racial justice groups demanding systemic reform
- Parents and families of transgender youth
- Tech workers and coders building safer spaces online
Sometimes they need an invitation. Sometimes they need a challenge. But often, they’re already on the edge, waiting for a reason to jump in.
How to Build a Coalition That Doesn’t Crumble
Solidarity isn’t automatic. It takes maintenance. Respect. Accountability. And a hell of a lot of listening.
Here’s how to build coalitions that last:
Center Shared Goals, Not Perfect Agreement
You don’t need to align on everything. You just need to agree on what you’re building together. Keep the mission clear. The rest is negotiable.
Value All Roles
Not everyone is a frontline protester. Some are logistics wizards, policy nerds, social media magicians, or donation channelers. All are needed.
Check Your Ego at the Door
Coalition work means sometimes not being the loudest. Make space for those who’ve been fighting the same fight from different angles.
Trans People Are the Intersection
We’re not just part of coalitions; we’re often at the center of them. Trans people are also Black, disabled, undocumented, working-class, neurodivergent, survivors, religious, and caregivers. Our lives intersect with every movement for liberation. That means we bring lived experience that other movements need, whether they realize it or not.
Reminder: You Don’t Have to Lead Everything
Sometimes commanding a front means stepping back to let others lead theirs. Trusting your partners to hold their line is a radical act of solidarity and a form of self-preservation.
Ally Action: Stop Waiting for a Formal Invite
If you’re outside the trans community, coalition work doesn’t require a formal invite. If you care about justice, you’re already implicated in the fight.
How to be useful in a coalition:
- Show up before the crisis.
- Ask what’s needed, not what’s convenient.
- Use your resources, platforms, funding, and connections.
- Amplify, don’t overshadow.
- Know when to speak and when to step aside.
Real-World Example: Legal + Grassroots Synergy
In multiple U.S. states, anti-trans laws were stopped (or stalled) because of coordinated efforts between trans youth, civil rights lawyers, and policy wonks. Grassroots groups flooded hearings with testimony while attorneys prepped lawsuits. Doctors gave expert evidence, and journalists kept the pressure on. No one group could’ve done it alone, but together, they formed a wall.
The Bottom Line
The systems attacking trans people thrive on isolation. They count on you feeling like there’s no one else on your side. But that’s a lie.
We are everywhere. And when we link arms across every front; activists, lawyers, teachers, pastors, nurses, hackers, and organizers, we’re not just defending trans lives. We’re reshaping the whole damn battlefield.
So build your coalition. Expand your front. And remember:
The most powerful movements are never solo missions.
Next Up: “Irritating the Enemy: Weaponizing Joy, Art, and Defiance”
Dropping June 21. Only on TransVitae.com
