Trans Tactics: Sun Tzu’s Guide to Defending Our Lives: Part 2
“To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.” – Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Pride month is here, and everywhere you look, there’s a rainbow logo; some are genuine, some are not. There’s a surge of visibility, but also backlash. In these moments, it can feel like the only option is to fight harder, shout louder.
But what if the real path to victory isn’t about shouting at all? What if the real power is in shifting the story itself, winning hearts, minds, and culture without drawing a single blade?
That’s what Sun Tzu meant. And it’s what so many trans advocates have already been doing, often without realizing it. Let’s talk about the quiet power of narrative and visibility.
What Does “Winning Without Fighting” Even Mean?
At first glance, it sounds like a cop-out. Like telling trans people to “just be nice” to the people trying to erase us. But that’s not it.
Winning without fighting isn’t about surrender. It’s about playing a different game entirely, one they’re not prepared for. It’s the difference between arguing with a troll and telling your own story so powerfully that their voice becomes irrelevant.
It’s the difference between reacting to hate and living so visibly that your life itself becomes proof of their lies. This isn’t passive. It’s strategy.
The Power of Narrative: How Stories Shape Survival
Trans people know how to survive in hostile terrain, often by controlling the story of who we are. Because whoever controls the narrative usually controls the playing field.
That’s why anti-trans forces spend so much energy creating false narratives:
- That we’re a “new trend” instead of part of an ancient lineage.
- That we’re threats instead of neighbors.
- That our care is “mutilation” instead of liberation.
But when trans people speak our truths, unapologetically, in every space we can reach, it cracks those false stories wide open.
Real-World Example: Elliot Page and Visibility
When Elliot Page came out, he didn’t just share a personal truth. He used his platform to reframe the narrative. Instead of letting tabloids and trolls define him, he defined himself.
He didn’t “fight” every transphobe on social media; he didn’t have to. His existence was the story.
Visibility Isn’t Just “Being Seen” – It’s Being Real
Visibility gets a lot of hype, but it’s not about getting a million likes or brand deals. It’s about:
- Being visible to yourself, seeing yourself clearly and without shame.
- Being visible to others so the next generation sees possibility, not just fear.
When you show up as your real self, in whatever way feels safe and possible, you create a ripple effect. Every time a trans person refuses to shrink, it chips away at the idea that we’re supposed to be hidden.
Visibility Without Fighting? Yes, It’s Possible.
Not everyone wants to or can be a public figure. That’s okay. Visibility takes many forms:
- Sharing your pronouns at work.
- Correcting someone’s harmful comment (when you feel safe).
- Existing in spaces that tried to exclude you and refusing to be quiet about it.
These moments might feel small. But collectively? They’re seismic.
Strategic Storytelling: How to Control the Narrative
Here’s where Sun Tzu meets social media. You don’t have to out-argue every hater. Instead, focus on telling your story in ways that resonate, ways that build bridges, not just walls.
Some Tactics:
- Humanize the experience. Stats are important, but your lived reality? That’s where minds change.
- Use metaphors and analogies. They help people feel what facts alone can’t do.
- Keep the focus on trans lives, not transphobia. We’re more than just the bigots we resist.
Example: Trans Joy as Resistance
Trans joy is a narrative they can’t erase. When you show trans people dancing, laughing, and thriving, you challenge every doomsday talking point about us.
It’s why Pride started as a riot but became a celebration. Visibility doesn’t erase the need for protest. But it does show what we’re fighting for, not just what we’re fighting against.
Why It Matters: Culture Shapes Policy
You might wonder, how does any of this help when lawmakers are passing anti-trans bills?
Here’s the thing: policy follows culture. The stories we tell and the visibility we create shift what people believe is possible, acceptable, and worth defending.
That’s why even small moments of visibility matter. Because they create cracks in the dam until the dam breaks.
Ally Action: Boost, Don’t Steal
Allies, your role isn’t to be the voice of trans people; it’s to amplify our voices. Share trans creators, donate to trans-led orgs, and make sure you’re not speaking over the very people you’re trying to uplift.
And if you’re a storyteller, artist, or journalist? Remember: centering trans stories doesn’t mean mining trauma for clicks. It means telling the full, nuanced, human story.
The Bottom Line
Sun Tzu said, “In war, the greatest victory is that which requires no battle.”
For trans people, the greatest victory is living as our full selves, without apology, without permission, without waiting for the world to catch up.
We will keep fighting in the streets and the courts when we need to. But our greatest triumph is that every time we walk outside as ourselves, we’re already winning.
Next Up: “Appear Strong or Weak: Shaping Perception in Advocacy”
Dropping June 7. Only on TransVitae.com
