'Protect the Dolls' tee shirt

I read in the online Guardian that a fashion designer called Connor Ives concluded a February runway show with a tee shirt with the message 'Protect the Dolls' on it. The article says that 'dolls' is an affection term for trans women used by the LGBTIQ community. Perhaps I've been on another planet but I've never heard of it - has anyone else? Apparently the tee shirts are selling like the proverbial hot cakes which I guess can't do any harm.

Bronwen