Folks gathered in downtown Youngstown early Saturday afternoon to rally for transgender rights in response to attacks against the transgender community.

Event organizer, Cody Clark is a member of the local organization who hosted the event, Mahoning Valley Queer Action. He tells 21 News that the biggest threat to the community currently are various bills that the state of Ohio is seeking to pass.

"There have been many horrendous bills. Bills about genital inspections for trans athletes, bills about taking hormones away and bills about denying trans individuals the bare basics of what we need to thrive," Clark said.

Clark went on to address the issue of suicide in the community stating that the biggest reason for these suicides is not having access to gender-affirming care or not having a supportive family. 

"The issue is, do you want your child alive or dead. That's really what the suicide rates come down to. And if the answer is you want your child alive, then you need to give them as much support and love as you can and protect them from the people who want to harm them," Clark said.

The event coincided with eight consecutive marches across the state of Ohio in the same day, all rallying for transgender rights.