Why so many celebrities are wearing this slogan tee

April 24, 2025

You probably spotted the ‘Protect the Dolls’ tee on Troye Sivan at Coachella. Pedro Pascal wore one to his 50th birthday party. Addison Rae has been sporting one too. In a powerful show of allyship, this t-shirt has been making its way through the creative community.

The term ‘dolls’ is, of course, an affectionate colloquialism for trans women. Trans women, along with the rest of the trans community, are one of the most marginalised groups in the world. They are four times more likely than cis gender people to be the victim of a violent crime. They face a higher risk of self harm. They’re twice as likely to face unemployment. Nearly three in ten trans people live in poverty.

And sadly, many of these negative outcomes and social imbalances are only getting worse. It’s hard to miss the anti-trans rhetoric that dominates much of the right-wing and even centrist media. Given that the trans community makes up less than one per cent of the the global population, the current laser focus on this community is astounding. Weaponising the imagined threat of trans people has become a favourite political dog whistle.

When British fashion designer Conner Ives closed his fall winter 2025 show, he emerged wearing a simple white tee bearing the slogan ‘Protect the Dolls’. It wasn’t a pre-planned political statement. In fact, he’d cut the piece together at the very last minute using left-over fabrics. But following that moment, a groundswell of interest propelled the ‘Protect the Dolls’ tee to epic proportions. And it’s only continuing to grow, stirring up much needed support for the community, and donations for trans rights charities. All the proceeds of sales are donated directly to Trans Lifeline which is “a trans-led US-based charity that delivers life-saving services to those who need them most.”

Ives’ tee comes during a brutal year for trans rights. US President Trump has made a number of harmful moves against the trans community including an executive order that recognises only two unchangeable sexes, defunding gender-affirming care and blocking new passports with ‘X’ gender markers. The UK Supreme Court has ruled that the term woman is defined as someone that was born biologically female. Aotearoa/New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister has introduced a bill that would legally define gender by biology.

Clear and present allyship has never been more important. First and foremost, this means voting in the best interest of trans rights. But, also wearing your allyship is another way you make the community around you feel seen and heard. It can be a small comfort at a very dark time. Of course, if the brand is donating proceeds or if the business is trans-owned, these slogan tees can also help to put money back into the community.

Below find more ways you can wear your allyship on your chest.