Trans Awareness Week with ITF

The International Trans Fund is a trans activist and funder-led participatory grant-making fund, increasing the capacity of trans movements to self-organise and advocate for trans people’s rights. While the LGBTQI rights movement is severely under resourced, funding for trans organising is particularly limited. ITF addresses this gap, helping local and national trans groups access funding, while also providing capacity and technical support. It is well established and highly respected in the global trans movement. Trans rights are under attack across the globe, from an epidemic of violence against trans women of colour, sex workers and immigrants, to the rise of anti-gender ideology that is fuelling the backlash against hard-fought progress. We spoke with their Director Broden Giambrone and Deputy Director Chivuli Ukwimi for Trans Awareness Week about the systemic and systematic pressures trans people face globally and how we can all support the trans movement. 

Could you introduce yourself, and the work of your organisation? Why were you established? 

BRODEN: My name is Broden Giambrone (He/Him), I’m the Director of the International Trans Fund (ITF) and I’m joined by my colleague Chivuli Ukwimi (She/Her), the new Deputy Director.

The ITF is the only trans-led, global funder focused on safety, dignity, and justice for trans people. We envision a future where gender diversity is celebrated, and where trans people have the power to live as their true, authentic selves in communities across the globe. Our grant making is led by a global panel of trans activists. We believe it is essential for trans activists who understand the context in different regions to make the decisions about what trans communities need to make progress. Since 2017, the ITF has sowed the seeds of strong, global movements.

The creation of the ITF was the culmination of the vision and persistence of a transnational group of trans activists and funders who wanted to create a participatory mechanism to ensure the flow of resources to trans movements. In 2013, GATE and American Jewish World Service (AJWS) undertook a survey of 340 trans and intersex groups from across all regions. This ground-breaking survey found that groups led by trans and intersex activists were severely under resourced—yet in the midst of this challenging funding context they were doing remarkably successful work to promote the rights and improve the lives of their constituents and communities.

What important successes have you had as an organisation or movement? 

 BRODEN: There have been so many successes! Even though our communities struggle daily, there have been incredible achievements. Here are a few of the ITF’s key accomplishments:

• Moving resources to global trans-led organisations: The ITF has disbursed $3.87M to 133 trans-led groups in 80 countries over five grant cycles. We have focused on getting resources to groups who are working intersectionally and with limited access to funding.

• Increasing the awareness and appreciation of the funding gap that exists for trans groups and work among over 40 funders through our continued philanthropic advocacy as co-chairs of the trans and intersex working group of the Global Philanthropy Project.

• Strengthening the ITF’s infrastructure to support long-term organisational development and autonomy: The ITF has grown into a thriving, robust, and sustainable organisation over the past four years and is on the path to incorporation. The ITF has developed its governance and oversight structures, built out our staff, cemented processes for engaging the Steering Committee and the Grant Making Panel and, most importantly, developed grant making processes and infrastructure suitable for moving over $1M in grants to trans-led organisations yearly. The ITF has also published our first strategic plan and annual report.

 What are some of the major challenges that the trans community faces now within your context?

 CHIVULI: Transgender people worldwide face both systemic and systematic exclusion and violence on the legal, socio-economic, and political front. Trans people lack access to affirming health care, are unable to get formal employment or enter the formal economic sector, and are unable to obtain legal gender recognition and self-organise due to restrictive and discriminatory laws. This continued exclusion and marginalisation is further exacerbated by a lack of access to resources.

 What does the future look like for trans rights in your region or globally? 

 CHIVULI: The future of trans rights globally is one that is mixed. On the positive we see increased visibility of trans persons with most media promoting positive narratives of trans people. However, on the negative we see many states and countries passing trans repressive laws which further endanger the lives and mental health and wellbeing of trans people.

On Trans Awareness Week, what is a central message you want the world and allies to know?

 CHIVULI: Trans people like any other person have the right to live in dignity and enjoy personal wellbeing in a world where their choices are respected, their dignity upheld, and rights protected.

How can allies best support the trans community? 

BRODEN: Donate money to trans-led organisations and directly support their critical and life-saving work! There are incredible grassroots groups working on the frontlines with little to no funds. Across the globe, trans-led organisations are chronically underfunded and receive very little mainstream funding support. Showing your support with real, tangible funds goes a long wa

Stand up for trans rights! Across the globe, trans people are fighting for their rights in hostile contexts. In many places we are also seeing the rise of the anti-gender ideology movement and expansion of TERF (trans exclusionary radical feminist) narratives. We need to challenge this. Allies can play a crucial role in supporting trans-led groups and activists by centring and uplifting trans voices, expressing solidarity, challenging transphobia, and supporting trans people.