Jonatan Guerrero Ramirez

Jonatan (He/Him/Él) manager of the Closet Case Thrift Store, operated by We Are Family in Charleston spoke at this year’s Trans & Queer Field Day about the intersectionality inherent in this campaign, thanking folks from the movements for reproductive, environmental, and racial justice for showing up.

Hello everyone – my name is Jonatan Guerrero Ramirez, and I use He/Him/Él pronouns, and I manage the Closet Case Thrift Store, operated by We Are Family, in Charleston, South Carolina.

I am proud and honored to be a part of the planning committee that put this event together, but I am embarrassed of the so-called great state of SC has come to this. I am disgusted and disappointed that our lawmakers have attacked our trans people. But I am proud that queer people of all over the state of SC to come together for a common purpose: to defeat ant-transgender bills and support queer and trans people living here in SC. 

The feminist movement and reproductive justice movement has shown up to combat anti-trans bills. The climate justice movement has been there shoulder to shoulder. Folks have explained that they are in opposition to these bills through the lens of radical justice. Lawmakers of this state remember this when you’re trying to pass these bills: You are not making SC great, you are causing harm to our communities. 

As a DACA recipient, I grew up living in fear of deportation. And I work with queer and trans youth, and I see a similar fear in their eyes. These trans youth fear that they will be outed in schools. Trans youth, we are here to support you and we will not stop fighting for you. 

I am heartbroken, but i will never stop fighting for trans and queer youth. So I am not asking lawmakers to kill these bills; I am demanding that we end these anti-trans bills. So, enough of the thoughts and prayers, let’s get to work for our trans people. 

Thank you.