Activists from Portland's transgender community plan to gather in front of Portland City Hall Friday to respond to President Trump’s recently leaked, deeply anti-trans memo, and to demand equitable treatment for trans people in Portland.

Won’t Be Erased PDX, a new trans activist group, is organizing the rally to coincide with International Standing Up to Bullies Day. The group formed a few weeks ago in direct response to the Trump memo.

“The aim of the rally is to mobilize the Portland community to actively refuse to let transgender individuals be erased, eliminated, or oppressed,” said a spokesperson for the group, who asked to be identified as Cherry Garcia (many local trans activists have expressed a reluctance to be identified in media, saying they fear for their safety). “It is to make ourselves visible on the streets and kick off momentum to take action to ensure queer and trans liberation.”

According to the ACLU of Oregon, transgender rights in Oregon cannot be erased by federal action. Garcia said that Friday’s protest is important because “a political attack on the trans community is still an attack on trans lives, and we cannot ignore that regardless of geography.”

Garcia said that Won’t Be Erased isn’t expecting to see Patriot Prayer or other reactionary far-right counter-protestors tomorrow, but that should they show up, “we will continue to take action regardless of their presence or opposition.”

Can’t Be Erased PDX’s rally will be at 4:30 pm Friday, Nov 16 in front of City Hall.