Even though Grand Forks ‘ trans community is small, that does n’t mean it’s weak.

GRAND FORKS: On Monday night, there was a little but vibrant group in the grey Alerus Center ballroom.

Winter outerwear and Levis were mixed in with strong elegant attire, and a teal mohawk stood out among less eye-catching hairstyles. A young child with short blonde curls was weaving between individuals ‘ legs while wearing the red, white, and clouds blue Transgender Pride flag around their necks like a coast.

According to event planner Parker Leigh, just under 40 people entered the room for the Transgender Day of Remembrance celebration.

Twelve people remained for the ceremony, during which Leigh and other planner Charles Vondal, both trans men, read off the names of the 40 trans and intersex Americans who were killed in 2023 as a result of their female identity.Volunteers then quickly extinguished the dead’s slate of candles.

The state of North Dakota experienced a global flood of legislatures introducing and passing legislation restricting trans people’s freedoms during the year of vigil, which coincided with an especially gloomy year for that population. However, some of Grand Forks ‘ trans population has made it clear they are n’t going anywhere despite the state’s ongoing exodus of queer people, particularly families with transgender and nonbinary youth.

Vondal remarked,” Though we are small, small does n’t mean weak.” ” We are powerful when we work up.”

The American Civil Liberties Union deemed 17 state government costs anti-LGBT+ in 2023, and 11 of them were passed.

Among other restrictions, the Legislature over the past month outlawed gender-affirming treatment for minors, forbade trans women and girls from taking part in K–12 and school sports, and outright forbiddances such as using the restroom of their choice.

Milo Ferguson, a senior in high school who is 17 years old, was grandfathered in despite the ban on gender-affirming attention and permitted to continue taking hormone, but his trans peers are no longer able to do so.

Given that state laws now mandates that teachers notify their parents if their student starts identifying as trans at school, he claimed that some of his younger brothers ‘ friends are extremely reluctant to move socially.

They are individuals who are just beginning their exploration and transition and do n’t feel secure, Ferguson said. ” The rules and the way individuals are treating you prevent you from publicly exploring and figuring it out.”

Ferguson, whose parents helped him move, made an effort to be as obvious as possible by discussing his life experiences with his classmates, teachers, and anyone else who inquires.

Ferguson remarked,” It’s a lot of educating the people around us, and being very open about our situation and our experience.” ” To live, we must take the necessary action.

He even joined Grand Forks Out and Proud, a nonprofit started by Vondal and Leigh to provide support to LGBTQ+ people and number LGBT+ children cultural events. Next year, the group intends to submit an application for 501( c )( 3 ) status.

The native section of PFLAG, an advocacy and support team for the friends, families, and friends of LGBTQ+ people, was revived last year by Merie Kirby, another participant on Monday evening.

As the first storm of anti- LGBTQ+ policy hit state legislature across the country, she recognized the need for such a group because family, associates, and friends of friends had flocked to her for advice.

Kirby said,” I was getting in touch with a lot of people who were wondering what the assets were for them, for their children, and there actually were n’t many.” ” We did n’t know that much, but we wanted to be able to gather resources for other people.”

Kirby observed that many of those people are choosing to relocate. The legislation passed in 2023 appear to have accelerated the migration of LGBT+ young people who have been leaving the state for years.

Ferguson, a Grand Forks native who intends to enter school the following month, has experienced this urge but has stated his desire to remain local.

Ferguson added that he wanted to pursue his education in order to become a doctor for trans and crippled youth like him.” It’s significant that I’m part of this area, primarily because of family but partially because I think we have trans people below fighting the good fight,” Ferguson said.

Leigh experienced the same thing. When the legislation first began to change, he acknowledged wanting to leave North Dakota. He was used to moving around because he had lived in five state in the previous ten times since turning 18 years old.

But after struggling with his personality, he started to identify as a trans man in North Dakota. He had started attending drag shows and acting in them there, where he had grown accustomed to expressing his identity.

He had spoken out against two of the costs passed this year in Bismarck in January, and now he had Up and Proud. He claimed that by this stage, the safeguards provided by Minnesota’s rules prevented him from relocating to East Grand Forks.

But why remain?

I may have felt more at ease leaving much sooner if I had someone like myself doing what I was doing, but I lacked the terms and the confidence to say that, he said. Therefore, I want to provide the picture I required as a child.