Many news organizations are reporting that Donald Trump will be arrested by the Manhattan District Attorney this coming Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

Hospitals, fire stations, the US Military, and police are gearing up for unrest. This NBC News report says the cops are on high alert. Jon Cooper, Biden’s campaign manager, asked on Twitter if followers expected rioting or unrest if Trump was arrested.  Replies from hospital workers and people living near military bases report they are gearing up.

Trans people are potential targets of violence. Don’t be paranoid or do things that harm you long term, but there are reasonable precautions you can take. You’ll have to weigh the cost of any of these actions against any safety they will bring. If you’re unemployed, going camping may be no big deal. If you’re going to be fired, maybe consider if it’s worth it.

Some things you can do to protect yourself:

If you have camping gear and the weather and your job allow, consider taking some trans folks and going camping for a few days. While encountering yahoos is always a possibility, you’re unlikely to discover an organized mob at your local KOA.

If you’re staying, lay in groceries – get some staples that survive without refrigeration  –  rice, canned goods. And just do the week’s shopping this weekend so you’re not having to do it in the middle of chaos.

Get fuel for the camping stove and Coleman lantern. Fill containers with water. Refill your prescriptions.

Check your bugout bag. Replace anything that’s been taken out.

Gas the car up and keep it full. If you have a chance, on Monday, it might be a good day to take the car in and have the oil changed, tires checked, and other routine servicing you’d do before a road trip.

Minimize going out. Keep an eye on the news, and use common sense. The evening after Trump has been arrested, think about security before going to Club Uranus and getting blind drunk.

Think about visibility. It’s been our best tool over the years, but don’t become a victim because you weren’t balancing danger and visibility.

That said, do celebrate! It’s been a long road.

Protect each other.  Make sure the unpopular girl at support group has your number. Call around your local trans community and see what others need. If you are, or know, the locally visible spokesperson for the community, invite them to stay with you a few days in case local yahoos have doxxed them.

If you think you might have to flee, get ready to bug out. I’m sure someone is going to yell ‘Trans Rescue is telling people to bug out’. We are definitely not. We are telling people to be on heightened alert.

Form affinity groups.  Have a small team that shares resources. One person has camping gear. Another has a good car.

Work across class. If you are a middle class person who always played by the rules, your most valuable group member might be a streetwise person, and vice versa.

Make sure there’s a clear way to make decisions. An argument that leads to the group breaking up is not good.

Get together and make sure you’re all agreed on general strategy.   If half the group believes all trans people should have a gun, and half think that’s a recipe for disaster, split the group.  Similarly, check in if anyone uses marijuana, is everyone OK with that? Have honest discussions about money.

Be cautious in who you accept rides/housing/etc from. Remember our enemies would love to get you in a dependent position, and on the internet nobody knows you’re a dog.

Let cis friends, employers, etc know that you are concerned. Enlist them as allies if you can, but avoid having your life depend on them. When the fash knock down the door and demand to know where the trannies are hiding, their priority will be their own safety.

This is written not to promote fear, but rather preparedness. Being ready and feeling stupid after is better than not being ready and feeling stupid after.

There is no evidence to suggest that a trans genocide is coming this week in America. It’s important to avoid spreading unfounded fears and spreading panic.  But it’s definitely a week to think about your options.

Header image: Becker1999 from Grove City, OH, CC BY 2.0.