MADISON, Wis. — TMJ4 News is celebrating pride month by sharing the stories and experiences of southeast Wisconsin's LGBTQ+ community.
A new app, headquartered in Madison, was created to be a safe space for trans and non-binary people.
The TRACE app launched in July of 2021 and nearly one year later the online community has grown to almost 10,000 users.
"It really started from my own personal journey of not having a community," explained one of the app's founders, Aydin Dowling. "Wanting to build community and not knowing where to look."
And community, Dowling says, can be lifesaving. According to the Trevor Project LGBTQ youth are 40% less likely to attempt suicide if they have at least one accepting adult in their life.
"TRACE actually stands for transition, recording, and community engagement," he explained.
Dowling came out in 2009 and started medically transitioning later that year.
"I've seen a lot of the growth of the trans community in that time," he added.
But in some sense, he's still looking for a place outside of the app to express who he is — without fear.
"Me and my family had to uproot our lives in Florida given all the bills that have passed, or potentially are on their way to passing, the governor's desk and being signed into law."
Dowling says the decision to leave Florida underlines why community and support both remain crucial.
"Now is the time to speak up," he said. "Now is the time to have an app like TRACE, now is the time to come to the event, to go to the march, to show up, to show out."
Dowling says the work is not done — and TRACE, is part of that work.
The app also welcomes allies not only because they provide important support but Dowling says many times allies also transition along with their loved ones.
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