Leading Off: Two big bills promoting bigotry reach the governor. Oregon turns back a sports ban. And trans people speak out against the Times. The week’s top story lines.

Leading Off: J.K. Rowling celebrates on her yacht, but the backlash over an anti-trans ruling begins in the US and the UK. Is Trump tired of losing? The top story lines as the week begins.

A comic based on trans news stories from the month of February 2025.

A fiery rally outside Stonewall Inn marked the re-emergence of an activist group that had been a force from the days of Brandon Teena. “You never really get away from being a menace,” a founder said, “but I’m angry I have to do it.” 

The biggest thing that changed that day in Nebraska three decades ago? Us. We began to believe that trans people being visible could make a difference, that small acts of protest made a difference.

Over the next nine months, Assigned Media will feature nine interviews of people involved in pushing back against the spread of false, distorted narratives about the trans community in the press. And we’ve tapped an old school transgender activist to do this, Riki Wilchins. To introduce this monthly feature, Evan Urquhart interviewed Riki Wilchins for Assigned. Their conversation has been lightly edited and condensed.