‘Protect the Dolls’ Is Not Just For Fashion, It’s A Global Movement You Should Pay Attention To

By Aqasha Nalani  •  30 Apr 2025 in Features

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Last week, the internet was buzzing with photos of celebrities and LGBTQ+ allies wearing a plain white tee with a bold, simple message: “Protect The Dolls.”

At Coachella, Troye Sivan took to the stage in the now-iconic shirt. Just days later, Pedro Pascal donned it at the London premiere of Thunderbolts, helping fuel its visibility even further.

But what’s the story behind it? And why has this shirt become a viral staple in today’s pop culture landscape?

The design comes from Conner Ives, who originally debuted it not as merch but as a one-off statement worn during his final bow at his fashion show in February

The term “dolls” is an affectionate slang used within the LGBTQ+ community, especially to refer to transgender women. For many, it signals closeness, care, and femme celebration.

In designing the shirt, Ives was speaking directly to and for trans women in response to the wave of anti-trans legislation gaining momentum in the US, particularly under policies pushed by its president, Donald Trump, reported The Guardian.

It was also a tribute to his trans friends, including model Hunter Pifer, who has been a visible part of his creative journey.

What began as a personal statement quickly caught fire, resonating deeply with communities online and off. Not long after, the shirt was made available on the designer’s website for USD75 (RM323), and over 5,000 of them have been sold since.

Proceeds made from selling the t-shirt also go to the American organisation Trans Lifeline, which Ives recently estimated had raised about EUR380,000 (about RM1,869,676.00).

But what is happening to the transgender community in Western countries that this simple t-shirt design has become a political statement?

According to Human Rights Watch, in January, Trump issued an executive order that sought to take away crucial protections for transgender people and denies the validity of gender identity itself.

The order dismantles policies that had previously safeguarded trans people’s rights to serve in the military, access healthcare without discrimination, and be recognised in areas like housing, education, and immigration.

The move also scrapped interpretations of federal law that acknowledged gender identity as a valid and protected category, effectively stripping trans people of rights that were slowly being normalised under the Biden administration.

The consequences have already begun surfacing. Euphoria actress and model Hunter Schafer, one of the most visible trans figures in pop culture today, previously shared in an eight-minute video that her renewed passport misgendered her, referring to her as male, following the order’s implementation.

“It doesn’t really change anything about me or my transness. However, it does make my life a little harder. Trans people are beautiful. We are never going to stop existing. I’m never going to stop being trans. A letter and a passport can’t change that,” said Schafer in her statement.

Her experience isn’t isolated but emblematic of the very real erosion of rights trans people are now facing, even those with public platforms.

Across the Atlantic, the UK’s transgender community is also grappling with devastating legal setbacks

Just this month, the UK Supreme Court ruled that, regardless of gender reassignment or possession of a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), transgender women are not to be recognised as women under the Equality Act 2010—a law that was once seen as a pillar of anti-discrimination protections.

In effect, the court determined that access to single-sex spaces—like shelters, prisons, or public bathrooms—should be based on the gender assigned at birth, not one’s affirmed gender.

This decision codifies exclusion and legitimises the policing of trans bodies, sending a chilling message to a community already navigating daily marginalisation.

In response, protestors took to the streets of London last weekend. Amid the crowd, familiar signs stood out: bold, white placards reading, ‘Protect The Dolls’—the same phrase worn by Troye Sivan, Pedro Pascal, and countless others across social media.

What started as a designer’s runway gesture has now become a global emblem of resistance and solidarity, and even Ives was surprised by the impact of his design.

“I never had that intention when I was doing it, I was just like, ‘This is what I want to say. This is what feels right, and it turned into something else,” said the designer.

It’s a reminder that fashion, especially when worn on the bodies of the marginalised, can be both soft and subversive. In a world increasingly hostile to trans existence, even a t-shirt can speak volumes.

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