Trans Defense Fund LA – Organization Analysis

Trans Defense Fund LA (henceforth abbreviated to TDFLA or just TDF) is a Los Angeles-based mutual aid fund and grassroots organization dedicated to raising money to provide self-defense kits to BIPOC trans folks and specifically Black trans women who do sex work. TDFLA addresses the critical intersection between Black and POC trans people, trans women, and sex workers, providing members of these populations with free tools for self-defense, on occasion free beauty + self-care kits, and at other times partners with local queer and Black-led shops and organizations to host events, giveaways, or self-defense classes. TDFLA also regularly boosts other mutual aid funds, gofundmes, Venmos, and Cashapps on their social media and an updating list on their website for direct support to BIPOC trans folks. The organization runs entirely on community-sourced donations through Venmo or Paypal, and sometimes sells zines or stickers to raise funds.

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Bibliography

“About Us.” Trans Defense Fund LA. Shopify, accessed 10 June 2022, https://transdefensefundla.org/pages/about-us

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DasGupta, Debanuj. “Rescripting Trauma: Trans/Gender Detention Politics and Desire in the United States.” Women’s Studies in Communication, vol. 41 no. 4. London and New York, NY; Routledge, 2018. 

“Donate Directly to Trans Folks.” Trans Defense Fund LA. Shopify, accessed 10 June 2022,  https://transdefensefundla.org/pages/donate-directly-to-trans-folks

“MMIWG2S.” Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women. EnvisionIT Solutions, accessed 10 June 2022. https://www.csvanw.org/mmiw/

Queer and Trans Defense Fund. Photo advertising Eugene Defense Fund’s 2021 gofundme. Instagram, March 9 2021. Accessed 10 June 2022.  https://www.instagram.com/p/CMNkY6eBIxJ/

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Soloman, Alisa. “Trans/Migrant: Christiana Madrazo’s All-American Story,” in Queer Migrations: Sexuality, U.S. Citizenship, and Border Crossings. Edited by Eithne Luibhéid and Lionel Cantú. Minneapolis, MN; University of Minneapolis Press, 2005. 

Stryker, Susan. Transgender History: The Roots of Today’s Revolution. Berkeley, CA; Seal Press, 2017.

Trans Defense Fund Los Angeles. Collection of photos featuring various QTBIPOC at a health and wellness popup. Instagram, January 10, 2022. Accessed 10 June 2022.  https://www.instagram.com/p/CYj70tKP2__/. Trans Defense Fund Los Angeles. Photo of kit contents labeled “Kit Update.” Instagram, January 22, 2021. Accessed 10 June 2022. https://www.instagram.com/p/CKXNDFOAXMG/.

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