Hello everyone as most of you know I am back on twitter. On my break I did a lot of reflection and seeing 51 trans people lose their lives in 2021, made me realize I can not be silent about this anymore. I am not afraid of using my voice or getting hate. Unfortunately, that is something that I am used to. Do I wish it were different sure which is why I push and try to motivate others to join in fighting what we are entitled too. As most of you have noticed I decided to start tracking what has been going on in our community. I also listen to my fellow trans comrades about their struggles.
I also got inspired to write this article because I am taking a doctoral class and I have been advocating for counselors utilizing eclectic approaches. My professor was suggesting that I need to have a foundational approach. I kept telling him that my life philosophy matches with each theory and by choosing one theory isolates the uniqueness of a human being. I finally won the argument with my professor because I was able to demonstrate that it is not impossible to integrate multiple approaches. My point is I was able to give him an understanding of how I felt as a trans man. I would want someone to see me as unique, not as a generalization.
There are multiple stigmas in society, one can even make the argument that society in itself is one huge stigma. For the trans community it has been a challenge to make progress in society due to the trans stigma and performative allies. There are trans advocates out there but the problem their voices are silenced. They are only uplifted when it serves a convenience. Being a trans ally is more than just accepting them for who they are, but it is about fighting for our rights as human beings. That is why I always say if you acknowledge the trans community experiences oppression and you do nothing to help fight against it you are not an authentic trans ally.
2 trans women have lost their lives so far this year due to this stigma of society. How we make a dent in the stigma is by educating and being open minded. Although more people are coming out as trans or non binary, there are still many others still in the closet. Being trans is hell when you can’t live your life authentically. There are days I punished myself for even coming out as trans because of discrimination I got from my jobs. However, I snap out of it pretty quick because my anger and depression turns into motivation. Another is my child and the bullying she experienced since being out.
2022 hasn’t even really begun and trans youth are targeted. There are 5 anti trans bills in the making stripping away their right to be who they are. Being authoritarian about our identity is a number one trigger to push many trans people particularly trans youth to suicide ideations. I was in a mental torture for 33 years and being able to transition has been very relieving. Do not get me wrong I still experience dysphoria, but in general I always look at the positives to defeat it.
Trans youth in particular experience rejection from family and most are homeless. Most do not have health care and can not afford to transition. Trans youth are getting discriminated in school and trans adults are getting discriminated in every setting. It personally amazes me how liberals can sleep at night knowing they supported a demented man that tortures trans people mentally. Another disturbance I see is people misusing the term transphobia and you know why it is getting misused it is because we live in a performative society where we avoid accountability.
Transphobia for me is defined by many levels. Phobia means fear as we all know and for me if you are a performative ally and engage in JK Rowling talking points you are being transphobic. Someone who is refusing to learn about the trans community in my opinion because they really do not want to get humbled is being transphobic. They would rather be garbage. When you are using the trans community to attack someone else without keeping in mind how much more harm it can cause that is transphobic.
Society paints the trans community as unwell. They say we are not only freaks of nature but that we stalk and harass others. I experienced this last year and for me it wasn’t what was being said about me that was upsetting because I knew the truth I just chose not to engage in it. However, suggesting to others I am psychotic is a JK Rowling talking point and also tells trans people that your not safe to go to. Cis people please keep this in mind.
Experiencing this has made my resentment for cis people grow. There are a select few that I truly trust. Most trans people feel this way. My facebook account is where most of my trans comrades are and I have vented this frustration with cis people. Most of my trans friends flooded my DMs and shared that same frustration. I honestly hate having trust issues with cis people but it is what it is. That being said allies please do better. My trans family please be more open. The only way we can achieve our goal is if we have everyone fighting along side us.