Bellingham educators, students, advocates and community acknowledge growing concerns around transgender rights and inclusion
This year’s International Transgender Visibility Day, or ITVD, took on new significance for activists and educators in light of new federal mandates. Executive Order 14190, issued in January, has raised concerns about transgender rights, particularly in schools.
“We’ve always been here,” said Michelle Harmeier, founder and board president of the Bellingham Queer Collective, or BQC, reflecting on both the historical and ongoing struggles for transgender visibility and safety. Ryan Castle, a Western Washington University professor and attorney, echoed this sentiment as the keynote speaker for Mount Baker Theatre’s ITVD event Monday evening.
The theater was packed with concerned community members, including Western professors, activists and Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund. They came together not just to celebrate transgender visibility but to discuss the legal implications of the recent presidency on Washington’s queer and trans residents.
The real threat to the trans community, according to Castle, isn’t a lack of visibility and recognition but the legal and societal obstacles posed by federal mandates. These could roll back the progress many states, including Washington, have made in advancing transgender rights.
Concerned parents and educational protections
The new mandate, Ending Radical Indoctrination in K–12 Schooling, prohibits the teaching of materials that promote “gender ideology” in K–12 schools, including content supporting transgender identities.
Under the new order, educators could face criminal charges for actions such as acknowledging a transgender student’s identity, using their preferred name or pronouns or permitting them to access facilities.
The order presents new challenges for Bellingham Public Schools, or BPS, leaders. Administrators and educators are facing a complicated balancing act with both the evolving legal and social climate.
Harmeier said they are confident that “the Bellingham school district will continue to follow the Washington state laws that protect and support LGBTQ students. As Greg Baker, superintendent, stated at a recent event, the district is committed to following the Bellingham promise, which supports inclusivity for all students.”
In an email to Salish Current, BPS assistant communications director Dana Smith wrote, “In Bellingham, we continue to follow state law and guidance from OSPI [state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction] to ensure all students’ rights to a safe and nondiscriminatory environment, both at school and in extracurriculars like athletics. As it says on the OSPI website, in Washington public schools, all students have the right to be treated consistently with their gender identity at school.”
Washington state law safeguards LGBTQ+ students in the case of access to restrooms, locker use and participation in physical education and athletics. The policy affirms that transgender students can use facilities that align with their gender identity and participate in specific gender activities.
Concern that federal mandates might bend or break these protective policies was voiced at a recent March 25 hearing with the Washington State Legislature, held regarding Senate Bill 5123. This bill, if passed, would redefine sexual orientation into three categories: sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, in the hopes of expanding the protections already in place to shield trans students from discrimination.
Supporters of the bill say the change is essential for the safety of trans students. In a testimony of concern, Dan Novogoratsky, a parent of a transgender student, said, “I would like to pass bill 5123 to expand the number of kids formally protected from discrimination in the state of Washington. All children deserve the right to feel safe at school, regardless of their gender identity.”
Grace I. Nyblade, a licensed mental health counselor who works with students, argued for the passing of the bill: “I work with students every day who are afraid for their safety and afraid for their ongoing ability to access education.”
Don Land was in opposition to the bill, concerned about redefining sexual orientation and its negative effects on women, as in the case of equal opportunity in sports. “We cannot give special rights or give extra rights to a special class, especially when it takes rights away from others like women,” said Land. “Sexual orientation is based entirely on our biological sex, either male or female.”
As of March 27, after passing in the Senate, the bill was in the House Education Committee, awaiting further action. The next steps involve review by the Appropriations Committee and potential passage in the House before proceeding to the governor’s desk for signing.
Within the classroom and among local leaders, Harmeier remains optimistic that Bellingham and Washington will continue to fight for LGBTQ+ students’ rights, regardless of mandates.
“I hope our district leaders and board members have the courage to defy and condemn unconstitutional and harmful Executive Orders,” they said. “They should never cave into threats of defunding. The district should opt to operate with a deficit, shifting the funding responsibility to the State. I hope they will boldly denounce them to model and demonstrate leadership throughout Whatcom County.”
Visibility and activism
Leadership matters, Harmeier said at the Mount Baker Theatre on ITVD: “When our city, county and state elected leaders visibly and vocally demonstrate their support and commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, I feel empowered to continue serving as an advocate and volunteer locally,” Harmeier said.
Trans people are disproportionately affected by homelessness, suicide, discrimination and bullying. According to a 2024 study done by the Trevor Project, anti-transgender laws cause up to a 72% increase in suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth.
“This groundbreaking study offers robust and indisputable evidence to support what we have already known: the recent wave of anti-transgender laws in the United States is quite literally risking the lives of young people across the country,” said Ronita Nath, vice president of research at the Trevor Project.
Harmeier said that, in the face of all this, it is the job of the community to organize and advocate when there are people in need. “As queer elders, it is our moral and ethical obligation to advocate for queer youth rights. We know what we experienced as youth and we know we can make a difference for future generations.”
Volunteering with local organizations can also make a significant impact by offering safe spaces and resources for LGBTQ+ individuals, they said. By taking action in these areas, community members can play an important role in advocating for transgender rights and fostering an inclusive, supportive environment. The Bellingham Queer Collective provides safe spaces for folks who are 18 and above to have support in developing their social health. Northwest Youth Services works with people aged 13 to 24 who need a safe community.
“The collective’s efforts, along with other LGBTQ+ organizations, are crucial in resisting harmful legislation and ensuring the protection of transgender rights,” Harmeier said.
The path forward: advocacy and support
For many at Monday’s event, the path forward hinges on continued visibility, legal protections and community support, said Castle.
Harmeier reinforced the importance of ITVD.
“This day also serves as a call to action,” they said, “urging individuals, organizations and governments to work toward creating a more inclusive and equitable world for transgender and gender nonconforming people.”
— Story and photos by Mickey Mann
Also read in Salish Current:
• “What happens to a school that refuses to obey the Trump ban on transgender athletes?” Feb. 12, 2025
• “Legislature decides Washington schools should include LGBTQ+ history,” March 14, 2024
• “Law into action: teaching sexual inclusivity in school sexual education,” May 26, 2022
• “Confrontations, demands for parents’ rights challenge local school boards,” March 4, 2022