Traction

The Seattle LGBTQ Commission is grieving the horrific murder of a nineteen-year-old transgender woman near the University of Washington.

We are heartbroken by this tragic loss and invite our community to mourn with us, care for one another, and continue advocating for safety, dignity, and justice for Trans and Q***r people in Seattle and beyond.

We encourage anyone directly impacted by this tragedy to seek support through 2SLGBTQIA+ specific resources such as Peer Seattle, Seattle’s LGBTQ Center, The Trevor Project, or Trans Lifeline.

Read the full statement below.

One of the things about being an ally and advocate is realizing there is always more to learn.

Recently, we've been learning more about concepts like gender dysphoria, gender euphoria, and something called transmedicalism.

For a long time, many people believed that a person had to experience intense suffering or distress (gender dysphoria) in order to be “really” transgender.

That idea is often connected to something called transmedicalism — the belief that being trans must be defined primarily by dysphoria, medical diagnosis, or a desire to medically transition.

But transgender and nonbinary people have challenged the ideas behind transmedicalism.

And as allies and advocates, we do too. (***see SPECIAL NOTE)

Because not every trans person’s story begins with pain.

Sometimes it begins with relief.

With recognition.

With joy.

With finally feeling at home in yourself.

That’s where the idea of gender euphoria comes in.

Gender euphoria is the happiness, peace, comfort, or sense of rightness someone may feel when their gender is affirmed — through a name, pronouns, clothing, hairstyle, community, or simply being seen for who they truly are.

And one thing we recently heard someone say was:

“Gender euphoria can’t exist without gender dysphoria.”

But the more we learn, the more we understand that human beings are more complex than that.

Some people understand themselves through pain. Others understand themselves through joy.

Some realize something was wrong. Others realize something finally feels right.

And that distinction matters.

Because sometimes parents, teachers and even doctors only pay attention when a child is hurting badly enough.

But joy is information too.

Relief is information too.

Peace is information too.

When someone lights up after hearing the right pronouns… When they smile more freely… When they seem more grounded, more confident, more alive…

That matters.

Because a person should not have to prove their suffering before we honor their joy.

🩵🩷🩵🩷🩵

Good allies always keep learning.

🩵🩷🩵🩷🩵

***SPECIAL NOTE: We want to make it very clear — we do NOT endorse transmedicalism.

It's harmful — mot only does it create exclusionary gatekeeping and fosters ideas that exclude non-binary people and those who experience gender euphoria rather than intense distress, but by questioning the validity of individuals, it can also increase shame, anxiety, and su***de risks, particularly for those who do not fit a medicalized, binary mold.

Meet Arnold Dahl-Wooley — and the organization he built from the ground up for our Two-Spirit kids and families.

We want to introduce you to someone doing beautiful, life-saving work in northern Minnesota.

Arnold J. Dahl-Wooley is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and a nationally recognized public speaker who has spent over 20 years showing up for Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ youth — especially in rural communities where resources can feel impossible to find.

Arnold grew up on the Leech Lake Reservation without the resources or safe spaces he needed. He spent years pretending to be someone he wasn’t — and he never forgot how exhausting that was. So he decided to do something about it.

His advocacy explores the sacred roles Two-Spirit individuals held before colonization, the devastating impacts of colonialism on Indigenous identities, and the ongoing journey to reclaim and celebrate those roles in contemporary society.

In October 2024, after years of working out of borrowed spaces and community centers, Arnold opened Two Spirit Advocacy in Bemidji, Minnesota — the first resource center of its kind in the area. The organization is focused on su***de prevention, anti-bullying, and cultural inclusion.

The center includes an inclusive library with books representing LGBTQ2S+ people and people of color, a “Wall of Fame” featuring LGBTQ2S+ celebrities and politicians, and a database connecting people to vetted, safe services throughout Minnesota and neighboring states.

Two Spirit Advocacy also hosts ceremonies — including coming-of-age ceremonies for Two-Spirit youth — to help restore the cultural aspects of Two-Spirit identity that were disrupted by colonization.

In 2025, Twin Cities Pride named Arnold their BIPOC Leader of the Year, recognizing his decades of work as a leading voice for Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ visibility. His response? “It’s surreal, because in my mind I’m still that little rez kid. But I have something to say, and that’s why I was called there.”

Arnold was also part of making history in 2013, when he and his husband became the first same-sex couple whose marriage was officially sanctioned by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

To all the mama bears with Two-Spirit or Indigenous LGBTQ+ children — this man sees your kids. His whole life’s work is making sure they know they belong.

Link to their website in the comments.

📘 Find them on Facebook: “Two Spirit Celebration”

We have a new date for our stop in Vancouver! Learn more and register at tiny.cc/TLL26

Thank you to our partners Traction, Evoke Cascadia, Securing Trans Futures WA, and Q***r Community Network for helping make our Trans Leadership Labs possible 🔥