Protect The Dolls

On April 16, 2025, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the "legal definition" of a woman is based on biological sex. Despite stating that transgender people are protected from discrimination under UK law, the Supreme Court continues to put forward laws that directly impact their safety. Equality Act 2010 " seeks to give statutory protection to people who are at risk of suffering from unlawful discrimination". It defines woman as:

“a person who has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment (only if) the person is living as a woman and is proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose of becoming female.”

This recent ruling is not the only way in which trans women are targeted in politics. In North America, countless laws have been introduced which aim to ban trans women from women's spaces - and while the safety of all transgender people is undoubtedly at risk, anti-trans legislation affects transgender women at a much higher rate than transgender men. This demonization of trans women is rooted in segregation and transmisogyny: a type of misogyny directed towards transfeminine people. As a trans man, one of the most comment hate comments I receive is that I will never be a real woman. Transphobia is rooted in misogyny - transfeminine people are demonized and targeted at a much higher rate than transmasculine people, because being feminine is degrading, and being masculine is valued.

In February 2025, fashion designer Connor Ives appeared at London Fashion Week wearing his latest design: a white tee shirt containing the words protect the dolls. It was a simple slogan meant to display Connor's support for trans women - but the shirt went viral. Its popularity is due, in part, to being worn by well-known public figures like Troye Sivan and Pedro Pascal. All proceeds from the purchase of the shirt are donated to Trans Lifeline.

What is a doll?

Although the dolls is a phrase meant to be affectionate, its meaning and validity is debated among trans women. It's a term coined by trans women of colour as a descriptor of femininity. In the 1980's, a doll referred to a hyperfeminine trans woman. Its modern usage is more broad: used as a descriptor for transfeminine people as a whole, an affirmation of their femininity and beauty.

Protect The Dolls:

- because two thirds of all trans hate crimes are directed at Black trans women

- because transmisogyny is an epidemic that needs to be confronted

- because as a trans man, I have a privilege that trans women do not have

- because the rights of trans women and transfeminine people everywhere are under attack

- because in a society that demonizes women and trans people, trans women are at a much higher risk of violence

- because sitting back and silently watching transphobia occur is just as bad as participating in it yourself

Sources & Further Reading

https://reports.hrc.org/an-epidemic-of-violence-2023#epidemic-numbers

https://www.ellecanada.com/fashion/connor-ives-protect-the-dolls-tshirt-explained

https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/conner-ives-protect-the-dolls-t-shirt

https://www.gendergp.com/uk-supreme-court-ruling-what-it-means-for-transgender-rights-in-britain/

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cvgq9ejql39t

https://designhorizons.org/confronting-transmisogyny-in-todays-world/

https://www.them.us/story/what-does-doll-mean-protect-the-dolls

https://los40.us/2025/who-are-the-dolls-of-protect-the-dolls-and-why-do-they-need-protection-32983.html

https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/04/25/protect-the-dolls-meaning-lgbtq-trans/

https://www.them.us/story/what-does-doll-mean-protect-the-dolls