The Rise of "Protect the Dolls": How a T-Shirt Became a Global Symbol of Trans Solidarity in Queer Pop Culture

The term “dolls” as a descriptor for trans women and transfeminine people has deep roots in the ballroom scene, an underground culture founded by Black and Latine LGBTQ+ communities in New York City in the 1970s and 1980s. In this vibrant, competitive subculture—made famous by documentaries like "Paris Is Burning" and the TV series "Pose"—participants formed “houses” and competed in categories that celebrated gender expression, style, and confidence. “Doll” emerged as an affirming, sometimes playful term of endearment for trans women, especially those of color, who embodied femininity with flair and resilience. It was both a code word and a badge of honor, signaling belonging in a world that often denied their existence.

For decades, “doll” remained largely within queer communities, but its cultural resonance grew as ballroom aesthetics and language began to influence broader pop culture. The term’s transition into the mainstream lexicon, however, accelerated dramatically in early 2025 when London-based designer Conner Ives debuted a “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt at his Fall/Winter 2025 London Fashion Week show. Ives, who had previously kept his fashion and political lives separate, said he was moved to act by the escalating attacks on transgender rights in the United States and the United Kingdom. “When I think of the challenges that trans people in the States are facing right now, I just keep thinking about how scared I was when I was a 12-year-old gay white boy in an upper-middle-class suburb of New York City, let alone a trans girl in the middle of America under an administration that’s basically telling her that she doesn’t exist,” Ives told Vogue Magazine.

The shirt’s message was clear: a call to protect transgender women, who face disproportionate rates of violence and discrimination. Most proceeds from sales were directed to Trans Lifeline, a U.S. charity providing critical support to transgender people in crisis. By April 2025, the campaign had already raised $70,000 for the organization.

The “Protect the Dolls” shirt gained global attention when actor Pedro Pascal wore it to the London premiere of "Thunderbolts" in April 2025, just days after a controversial UK Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of “woman”. Pascal, a vocal ally since his sister Lux Pascal came out as transgender in 2021, was photographed alongside trans icon Honey Dijon, further amplifying the shirt’s message. Other celebrities, including Troye Sivan, Haider Ackermann, Tilda Swinton, Addison Rae, and Tate McRae, were also spotted wearing the shirt, turning it into a viral symbol of trans solidarity.

This moment reflects a broader trend of slogan T-shirts as vehicles for political statements, a tradition with roots in the 2000s but now revitalized by the urgency of current LGBTQ+ rights struggles. The visibility of these high-profile figures wearing “Protect the Dolls” has brought the phrase—and the issues it represents—to audiences far beyond the queer community.

While “doll” is widely recognized as a term of endearment and solidarity, its usage is not without controversy. For many transgender women, especially those of color, it is a positive affirmation of femininity and resilience, harkening back to the camaraderie of ballroom culture. However, some community members caution that the term can feel infantilizing or reductive, depending on context and intent. The resurgence of “doll” in mainstream discourse has sparked conversations about who gets to define queer language and how allies can best support transgender people without appropriating or oversimplifying their experiences.

The viral success of “Protect the Dolls” cannot be separated from the current political climate. In the United States, the Trump administration has rolled back federal protections for transgender people, including barring trans women from women’s prisons and restricting gender-affirming care for minors. In the United Kingdom, legal battles over the definition of gender and sex have intensified, with the Supreme Court ruling in early 2025 that “woman” is defined by “biological sex,” a decision criticized by LGBTQ+ advocates as exclusionary. Against this backdrop, the shirt’s message is both a rallying cry and a reminder of the stakes for transgender rights globally.

What began as a coded term of solidarity in ballroom has become a global symbol of resistance, thanks to the convergence of fashion, celebrity culture, and grassroots activism. The “Protect the Dolls” movement underscores the power of language and visual culture in shaping public discourse around LGBTQ+ rights. As the shirt continues to circulate, it serves as a reminder that protecting transgender women—especially those most marginalized—is not just a matter of policy, but of cultural visibility and collective care.

The story of “Protect the Dolls” is still being written. Its legacy will depend on how the broader public and the LGBTQ+ community engage with its message, and whether the solidarity it represents translates into lasting change for transgender people everywhere.