Fran Tirado, editor-in-chief of Them, has launched Doll Invasion, a series of fundraising parties and an online auction supporting trans rights. The auction, held in partnership with Queer|Art and Advocates for Trans Equality, features works by artists such as Martine Gutierrez, Jeffrey Gibson, and Zackary Drucker, along with pop culture items from Chappell Roan and a cooking experience with Alison Roman. The event runs through Labor Day, with a companion party on Fire Island in late August.
This initiative matters because it repositions trans identity from passive muse to active creator, using art and celebration as tools for coalition-building in a hostile political climate. By blending high-profile contemporary art with queer historical artifacts, the auction raises funds while asserting trans agency and joy, moving beyond performative allyship toward genuine community solidarity.