‘Protect The Dolls’ Is Fashion Getting Loud For Trans Women
The viral t-shirt campaign “Protect the Dolls” is a love letter and reminder to Trans Women that the community is righteously here for them.
If you haven’t seen the now-iconic “Protect the Dolls” tee, it’s a white shirt by fashion designer Conner Ives, to make a statement in protest. A warning rooted in love, urgency, and real-world action. All proceeds from the campaign go to Trans Lifeline, a nonprofit supporting trans folks in crisis. What is the message? Protect trans women. Not when it’s convenient. Not just in theory. Now.
Ives’ drop isn’t about performative allyship—it’s about real, grassroots impact. Anti-trans legislation is everywhere, targeting healthcare, visibility, and fundamental human rights. The timing was perfect, launched last minute before Paris Fashion Week, and after a recent ruling by the UK Supreme Court legally defined women based on their biological sex at birth. A most recent sighting was at the Marvel film’s London premiere. The idea was a note-to-self on Ives’ phone to “make a t-shirt that says something.” In light of the government’s decision, the night before his runway show in London at the Savoy hotel, he created the tee. The choice to display this tee, referencing transgender inclusion, gained heightened significance and populatrity. Trans women—especially BIPOC trans women—are facing violent systems that are actively trying to erase them. The shirts sold out almost instantly, helped along by a wave of celebrity support. Troye Sivan, Pedro Pascal, and Tilda Swinton were spotted rocking the tee and making the message go global.
Related: Pedro Pascal Stands With ‘The Dolls’
It isn’t just about a T-shirt. It’s about choosing to be visible in our resistance. It’s about how the community shows up when institutions don’t. “Protect the Dolls” isn’t charity—it’s kinship and trans joy. It’s chosen family energy, but make it fashion. Trans women are sacred. And we’re not letting this world look away.
The phrase “protect the dolls” started as a nod to trans femme language—coded, clever, resilient. An original phrase from the 1980s ballroom culture, Ives turned it into a battle cry.
