The Cost of Silence vs. The Power of Standing Up

     Throughout history, oppression has thrived not only because of those who actively enforce it, but because of those who passively allow it. Silence, when faced with injustice, is not neutrality—it is complicity.

    Martin Niemöller captured this truth in his famous words:

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

What Silence Costs

    When oppression is met with silence, it festers. Laws restricting trans rights pass without resistance. Discrimination in workplaces and healthcare remains unchecked. Harm is done in broad daylight, and those with the privilege to speak often do nothing. Silence does not protect the marginalized—it condemns them to suffering that could have been prevented.

History has shown us the consequences. Niemöller lived through them firsthand. And today, the trans community faces relentless attacks—legislation restricting access to healthcare, threats of violence, the erasure of identities. These injustices persist not just because of those who instigate them, but because of those who say nothing.

What Speaking Up Achieves

    But when oppression is met with resistance, everything changes.

    Think of Stonewall. Think of civil rights leaders. Think of those who risked everything for marriage equality, voting rights, and dignity. When people refuse to remain silent, progress is made. Trans individuals who live openly, allies who challenge bigotry, activists who educate the fearful—every voice that speaks against oppression weakens its grip.

    My wife stands with me, not because it is easy, but because it is right. And for that, she, too, faces judgment. That is why this matters—because silence doesn’t just endanger the marginalized. It puts their allies at risk as well. And when fear keeps people quiet, oppression wins.

    History has shown us that silence enables harm. The future will show us that speaking up has the power to change everything.

    The choice remains—who will you be? Will you watch oppression happen and say nothing? Or will you stand against silence and fight for what’s right?