Soundside

Trans in 2025: Danni Askini answers our questions on sports bans, medical care and beyond


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2025 has been a busy year for Danni Askini.

As Executive Director of the Gender Justice League, Askini is involved in multiple lawsuits fighting Trump Administration policies related to trans rights.

She’s also the co-chair of the Washington Families for Freedom coalition, created this year to fight potential state ballot measures that could impact trans youth.

And – by the way – she’s the Executive Director of Trans Pride Seattle, which just hosted its annual celebration at Seattle’s Volunteer Park on Friday.

Danni Askini and fellow trans rights activists are confronting a rapidly shifting landscape.

Include President Trump’s executive orders banning trans people in the military, targeting funding for hospitals that provide gender affirming care for minors, and declaring the U.S. only recognizes two “immutable biological” sexes

And Supreme Court decisions including last week’s ruling the effectively upholds bans on trans healthcare for minors in 27 states, which has opened the door to re-considering states right to ban Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care for adults. 

Day by day, trans rights are changing and eroding, in a way that’s hard for even a plugged in advocate to keep track of. 

We sat down on Monday afternoon to talk about it all.

Guest:

  •  Danni Askini: Executive Director of the Gender Justice League, co-chair of the Washington Families for Freedom coalition, and the Executive Director of Trans Pride Seattle.

Related stories:

  • The Cass Review
  • An Evidence-Based Critique of “The Cass Review” on Gender-affirming Care for Adolescent Gender Dysphoria
  • Utah lawmakers’ own study found gender-affirming care benefits trans youth. Will they lift the treatment ban? - The Salt Lake Tribune

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Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. 

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