Refusing Scapegoating, Choosing Care: A Community Guide for Supporting the Transgender Community, Allies, and Faith-Based Leaders in Times of Fear and Grief

Refusing Scapegoating, Choosing Care:

A Community Guide for Supporting the Transgender Community, Allies, and Faith-Based Leaders in Times of Fear and Grief

In times of tragedy, transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive people are too often scapegoated even when they are not the cause, and even when they are the ones most at risk. We’ve seen it happen nationally, and we’ve seen it here in Colorado. That’s why One Colorado is offering this guide to anchor ourselves in care, not fear, and to protect our community in both word and action.

This guide is for:

• Trans folks seeking grounding and care
• Cisgender allies wondering how to show up meaningfully
• Faith communities looking for words, next steps, and faithful response

This resource may not have all the answers but it’s practical, compassionate, and grounded in love and community resilience. Please read it, share it, and adapt it for your local community as needed.

For Our Trans Community in Colorado

Q: I'm scared the shooting in Minneapolis will be used to attack all trans people. What do I do with that fear?
Your fear is real and valid. In Colorado and across the country, we’ve watched individual tragedies get twisted into harmful narratives about entire communities. Even if the person involved in this incident is trans, that does not mean trans people as a whole are to blame.

You deserve safety and care. Don’t carry this weight alone. Connect with your support system, your chosen family, or a trusted mental health provider.

One person’s actions do not define you. You are not a threat. You are loved. You belong here, in our state, in our communities, and in our collective future.

Q: I'm feeling internalized transphobia. Is that normal?
Yes. Unfortunately, many trans people feel this way during moments of crisis. That feeling doesn’t make you less strong or less valid, it’s a response to systems trying to devalue you.

If this news is triggering shame or self-doubt, know that you’re not alone. Step away from toxic media or comment sections. Lean into care from therapists, crisis lines, or those you trust the most.

Call or visit Trans Lifeline, a peer support line run by and for trans people.

Q: Should I avoid public spaces right now?
Your safety matters. Trust your instincts and adjust routines if needed, that’s not hiding, that’s being wise. But please don’t disappear. You are needed. Your presence matters to your friends, to your community, to the movement.

Colorado has trans-led organizations, safe spaces, and networks that will continue to have your back. We are stronger together. We’ve got this. We’ve got us.

Q: How do I respond to people saying this proves trans people are dangerous?
You don’t owe anyone a defense of your humanity. If and when you choose to engage, you might say:

"Violence is about one person’s choice, not an identity. Trans people are far more likely to be victims of violence than to cause it. What makes violence in the U.S. so deadly isn’t gender identity, it’s access to firearms."

Let your safety and peace come first. Let others, including cis allies , handle the heavy lifting.

For Cisgender Allies in Colorado

Q: How can I support trans people without making it about me?
Start with care, not questions. Call your trans loved ones. Don’t just ask how they are, tell them they’re loved, that you’ve got their back, and name a specific action you’re taking:

• Bring a meal.
• Offer to do a chore.
• Shield them from having to explain things over and over.
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Support Colorado-based trans-led orgs. Share their words, not your own. Center trans voices, and be ready to act when they call.

Q: My family is blaming trans people. How do I respond?
Start with shared values:

“While I hear your concerns, one person’s violent actions do not justify discrimination against a whole community. Trans people are already facing increased violence, and tragedies like this will only increase the danger they’re in. Instead of assigning blame to at risk communities, we should be focusing on the larger issue of gun violence and lack of action taken by our elected official to address this problem.”

If the conversation isn’t going anywhere, walk away. Your energy is valuable, use it to protect trans people, not argue with those who refuse to listen.

Use your social media platform to push back against scapegoating. Not to convince the original poster, but to signal solidarity to others reading.

Q: What’s the broader context here?
Trans Coloradans, especially youth, are already facing harsh political attacks, harassment, and mental health struggles. This tragedy risks becoming another excuse to roll back rights or justify harm.

Support looks like this:

• Fighting for access to gender-affirming healthcare
• Defending safe schools
• Speaking up when trans lives are under political attack
  Now more than ever, your voice and actions matter.

For Faith Communities in Colorado

Q: I want to support both victims of violence AND the trans community. Is that possible?
Absolutely. Love refuses false choices. We can grieve victims and survivors and actively protect trans people from scapegoating and blame.

Grief does not require silence. Let your mourning move you to defend those most at risk.

Q: What does a faithful response look like?

• Reaching out to trans members and families in your congregation. Offer meals, prayers, emotional and logistical support.
• Make a public statement affirming your commitment to inclusion and care, not in reaction, but in leadership.
• Host educational events or invite trans-led organizations to speak.
• Hold space for both lament and action.
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Q: How do I talk to kids about this?
With honesty and compassion. Try something like:

"Sometimes people make hurtful choices. But no one group is to blame. Everyone deserves to be safe, loved, and accepted for who they are."

Affirm that diversity is a strength, not something to fear.

Q: What does justice look like?
Justice means holding individuals and systems accountable and not the communities they come from. It means addressing root causes:

• Access to healthcare
• Gun access / safety
• Social isolation
• Food insecurity
• Disinformation and hate

It also means defending the rights of those who are already vulnerable especially when others try to exploit tragedy for political gain.

Moving Forward: Next Steps for Communities of Faith and Action

Immediate Actions:

• Call your trans members. Express love. Offer practical support.
• Reaffirm your values publicly.
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Short-Term:

• Create a pastoral care plan for trans folks and families.
• Avoid feeding despair by disengaging from harmful online spaces.
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Medium-Term:

• Invest in mental health care, safety planning, and community building.
• Support gun violence prevention policies and local advocacy.
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Long-Term:

• Deepen your community’s anti-oppression work.
• Build enduring relationships with trans-led organizations in Colorado.
• Use your resources to protect lives and expand inclusion.
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Q: How do we prepare for the political exploitation of this tragedy?
Arm yourself with facts and values. Here's what to remember:

• Trans people are not more likely to commit violence, they are more likely to be harmed by it.
• What makes American violence so deadly is our access to guns, not anyone’s gender identity.
• The solution is policy change, not scapegoating.
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Stay focused. Stay loving. Stay loud.

You Are Not Alone. We’re In This Together.

One Colorado stands with our transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive community members. We will continue to fight for safety, inclusion, and justice in policy, in public discourse, and in daily life.

Let’s lead with care. Let’s resist the scapegoating. Let’s choose each other, again and again. We are stronger when we stand united. We are stronger when we love and support each other.

Together, we’ve got this. We’ve got us.

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