Support Trans People: A Guide To Turning Allyship into Action

This guide was produced by Lush Cosmetics in solidarity and allyship with trans people everywhere. Through our campaigns and company practices, we strive to lead by example through being an inclusive and diverse workplace. This is an open resource and we welcome you to share, copy or reproduce it freely. 

Trigger warning: This guide contains mentions of violence, suicide and bigotry. This material can be difficult, so please come to it when you feel able. 

Download the guide.

Looking for sources referenced in the guide? They’re located at the bottom of this page.

Trans rights are human rights.

NOW AND FOREVER.

Acknowledgements

Written and designed by Lush Cosmetics with support from the National Center for Transgender Equality.

Learn more at: transequality.org

This guide is an update to Lush’s 2018 “How to be a Trans Ally” booklet, which was released in conjunction with the Trans Rights Are Human Rights campaign. This update includes the printing and distribution of 39,000 copies on the 25th anniversary of the creation of the trans flag by Monica Helms. Helms’ hope was that when any member of the trans community scans the flag from the top down or the bottom up, they’d be able to find their space on the banner and feel included.

Learn more at: dayofpink.org/trans-flag 

Get Involved and Get Support

In 2018, Lush produced a series of allyship videos in partnership with the National Center for Transgender Equality and the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity.

Watch the playlist here.

THRIVE Lifeline is a trans-led and operated text line for adults (people aged 18+). Text "THRIVE" to 1-313-662-8209 to begin a conversation. If you need support or are in crisis, please call the hotline: U.S. 1-877-565-8860 or Canada 1-877-330-6366. THRIVE Lifeline does NOT call emergency services for people that are at risk of harming themselves without their consent.

The Trevor Project is a leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people. Connect to a crisis counselor 24/7, 365 days a year, from anywhere in the U.S via text, chat, or phone call. 100% confidential and 100% free. Call at 1-866-488-7386 or text ‘START’ to 678-678.

BlackLine is a BIPOC LGBTQ+ support line, run by BIPOC folks, for BIPOC folks. You can call or text 1-800-604-5841 to chat with a peer. This resource does not involve law enforcement or state agencies.

We R Native has a text line where you can receive advice from a trained counselor. Text “NATIVE” to 741741. All support and resources are free and will remain confidential.

Lush Has A History of Campaigning for Queer Rights

Since 2011, Lush has hosted over six in-shop and digital campaigns with, and in support of, queer-led organizations. These campaigns have raised over $850,000 for organizations and Charity Pot’s charitable giving has supported 108 organizations since 2007 with $1.86 million. 

The campaigns have included:

Standing with trans youth in the United States and the Canadian province of Alberta against harmful proposed and legislated policies (2024, 2023).

Supporting Equality Florida as the alarming “Don’t Say Gay” law came into effect in Florida (2022).

Organizing customers in 10 states across the United States to pressure their elected Senator to vote in support of the Equality Act and ensure non-discrimination protections become law for the queer community across the country. Unfortunately, the Equality Act did not go to the Senate for a vote before the end of the Congressional session (2021).

Declaring Trans Rights are Human Rights, which included raising $450,000 for campaign partners and 35 other organizations supporting trans youth and those who love them (2018).

Campaigning globally to end the criminalization of being gay. Through the sales of the iconic #GayIsOK soap, the Love Fund granted to LGBTQ+ organizations in countries where it was illegal to be gay to support the work fighting for rights, equality and acceptance around the world (2015).

Protesting Russia’s anti-gay legislation and showing our support for the LGBTQ+ community as Russia hosted the Winter Olympics. Lush shops collected signatures from all over North America and delivered them to Russian embassies on Valentine’s Day (2014).

Supporting marriage equality in the United States. Shortly after the campaign same-sex marriage became legal in the state of New York we continued to campaign until June 26, 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states can’t prohibit the issuing of marriage licenses to same-sex couples, or to deny recognition of lawfully performed out-of-state marriage licenses to same-sex couples (2011).

Sources Referenced

1. F, U. F. T. (2023, August 3). What percentage of the US population is transgender? USAFACTS. https://usafacts.org/articles/what-percentage-of-the-us-population-is-transgender/
2. F (2022, April 7). Canada is the first country to provide census data on transgender and non-binary people. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220427/dq220427b-eng.htm
3. F (n.d.). Fatal Violence Against the Transgender and Gender-Expansive Community in 2023. HRC Foundation. https://www.hrc.org/resources/fatal-violence-against-the-transgender-and-gender-expansive-community-in-2023
4. F (n.d.). Trans Murder Monitoring Update Trans Day of Remembrance 2023. Transrespect Versus Transphobia Worldwide. https://transrespect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/TvT_TMM_TDoR2023_Table.pdf
5. F (2023, November 20). The Epidemic of Violence Against the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Community in the United States. Human Rights Campaign. https://reports.hrc.org/an-epidemic-of-violence-2023
6. F (2022, October 30). FBI Releases 2022 Hate Crime Statistics. U.S. Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/hate-crime-statistics
7. F (n.d.). Tracking the rise of anti-trans bills in the U.S. Trans Legislation Tracker. Retrieved February 8, 2024, from https://translegislation.com/learn
8. James, S. E., Herman, J. L., Durso, L. E., & Heng-Lehtinen, R. (n.d.). Early Insights Report. 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey. https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/2022%20USTS%20Early%20Insights%20Report_FINAL.pdf
9. F (2023, May 1). 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People. The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2023/
10. F (n.d.). STUDY RESULTS QUICKSTATS. Trans Pulse Canada. https://transpulsecanada.ca/research-type/quickstats/ 
11. F (n.d.). Equality Maps: Bans on Best Practice Medical Care for Transgender Youth. Movement Advancement Project. Retrieved February 8, 2024, from https://www.mapresearch.org/equality-maps/healthcare/youth_medical_care_bans
12. F (2023, December 13). Gender Affirmation Surgery. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/procedures/gender-affirmation-surgery
13. Barbee, H., PhD, Hassan, B., MD, & Liang, F., MD (2023, December 27). Postoperative Regret Among Transgender and Gender-Diverse Recipients of Gender-Affirming Surgery. JAMA Surg. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2813212
14. (n.d.). Trans Tips for Allies: Creating a more inclusive environment. MIT LBGTQ+ Services. https://lbgtq.mit.edu/sites/default/files/documents/Trans%20Tips%20for%20Allies%20%5BText-Only%5D%20%281%29.pdf
15. Schuylar Bailar [@pinkmantaray]. (2023, November 13). “A guide to trans terminology” [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/Czmay3yydvw/ 
16. (2023, November 8). 2023 Remembrance Report. Trans Remembrance: A Project of the National Center for Transgender Equality. https://www.transremembrance.org/2023-remembrance-report
17. (2022, November 20). Remembrance Report. The National Center for Transgender Equality. https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/resources/TDOR%20Remembrance%20Report%20by%20NCTE_Nov%202022%20%281%29.pdf