We are deeply troubled by the Supreme Court’s decision in Skrmetti v. United States, which permits Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth to remain in effect. This ruling not only denies trans young people access to life-saving care—it sets a dangerous precedent for the erosion of bodily autonomy, legal protections, and basic dignity.
We understand this decision not as an isolated incident, but as part of a broader, accelerating campaign to restrict the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ people—especially those who are Black, disabled, poor, undocumented, and otherwise targeted by overlapping systems of harm. These attacks are strategic, coordinated, and rooted in long histories of state-sanctioned violence and neglect.
Trans people, and trans youth in particular, deserve care, safety, and the freedom to live full, self-determined lives. That must remain non-negotiable.
As an intermediary, Borealis Philanthropy is in close relationship with the organizers, advocates, cultural workers, and legal defenders who are creating safety where systems fail to provide it. We will continue to move in solidarity with and abundantly resource these communities—because this moment demands not just solidarity, but sustained, courageous action.
To our peers in philanthropy: this is a time for clear commitments, not cautious alignment. We urge you to meet this moment with urgency and intention. Invest in trans-led organizations. Fund legal and policy strategies. Resource healing, organizing, and resistance. Do not wait for permission to do what is right.
Our communities are not unfamiliar with crisis. But we are equally familiar with collective power, survival, and imagination. We will continue to fund that power—with clarity, care, and unwavering resolve.
— Amoretta Morris, President, Borealis Philanthropy