Good morning, Readers!
I would love to explore this. Found this image on wallpapersafari.com.
I cannot believe that in 2020 we are rehashing the same spurious arguments trying to justify the denying of rights from trans people for no good reason that were levelled against LGB folks. But here we are.
For fuck's sake.
In case you're unsure where I stand, let me make it extremely clear for you:
Trans women are women.
Trans men are men.
Trans rights are human rights.
Now that's out of the way, I want to address one of the arguments that I've heard bandied about in particular.
That trans women somehow put cis women at risk. Somehow. Despite the fact that there is literally zero evidence that equality initiatives lead to more assaults in public restrooms.
Listen, I'm a woman who exists in this world. I know what it's like being a woman in this world. I know the fear of walking across an abandoned parking lot in the evening. I know the checklist of precautions we must take when going out at any time of the day; the restrictions in our activities based on time and company (or lack thereof) that men simply do not ever have to think about it.
I have been catcalled.
I have been followed.
I have been groped at bars.
I am a rape survivor.
I know this fear intimately; this price that society has declared is acceptable for simply existing as a woman.
But here's the thing: trans women weren't responsible for any of it. Do you know who catcalled me and made me feel unsafe? Who followed me for five blocks, and only stopped when he spied a patrol car? Who groped me at bars? Who assaulted me? Cis men.
Trans folks are not the danger. The danger is cis men who've been told all their lives that they're entitled to whatever they want whenever they want. That's the danger.
So why do some people insist on punishing trans women because they're afraid of cis men? What kind of nonsense is that? Why do some people insist on denying trans women rights because they're afraid of what cis men do?
I know how hard it is to be a woman in the world. Trans women face all of that, and far, far worse. The violent bigotry that they have to cope with every day in addition to all the bullshit that accompanies being a woman in this world... It is beyond my comprehension that any woman would look at what a trans woman must navigate in her life and not feel the deepest, most complete empathy and bond with them. That some folks would think that a woman wanting to pee in peace is somehow a threat to either them or their hard-fought rights.
Rights are not fucking pie. You don't lost yours because some group you don't belong to gets theirs.
You are not protecting women by denying trans women. You're putting women in danger, invalidating them and their experiences, denying their very personhood because of your incorrect notions of a gender binary essentialism you've subscribe to like it's a fucking religion.
I am just... I'm angry right now about this whole fucking mess that's been the focus of my twitter feed of late. I'm done. I'm sick of it.
I refuse to let anyone use my trauma as an excuse to visit trauma on another group of folks. I refuse to lay the blame of my trauma at the feet of anyone save those who are responsible.
Trans folks weren't the cause of my trauma.
You can't deny rights to people because you're irrationally afraid of them.
To the trans folks in my life, I want you to know that I love you. You are valid. I will walk with you.
For fuck's sake.
In case you're unsure where I stand, let me make it extremely clear for you:
Trans women are women.
Trans men are men.
Trans rights are human rights.
Now that's out of the way, I want to address one of the arguments that I've heard bandied about in particular.
That trans women somehow put cis women at risk. Somehow. Despite the fact that there is literally zero evidence that equality initiatives lead to more assaults in public restrooms.
Listen, I'm a woman who exists in this world. I know what it's like being a woman in this world. I know the fear of walking across an abandoned parking lot in the evening. I know the checklist of precautions we must take when going out at any time of the day; the restrictions in our activities based on time and company (or lack thereof) that men simply do not ever have to think about it.
I have been catcalled.
I have been followed.
I have been groped at bars.
I am a rape survivor.
I know this fear intimately; this price that society has declared is acceptable for simply existing as a woman.
But here's the thing: trans women weren't responsible for any of it. Do you know who catcalled me and made me feel unsafe? Who followed me for five blocks, and only stopped when he spied a patrol car? Who groped me at bars? Who assaulted me? Cis men.
Trans folks are not the danger. The danger is cis men who've been told all their lives that they're entitled to whatever they want whenever they want. That's the danger.
So why do some people insist on punishing trans women because they're afraid of cis men? What kind of nonsense is that? Why do some people insist on denying trans women rights because they're afraid of what cis men do?
I know how hard it is to be a woman in the world. Trans women face all of that, and far, far worse. The violent bigotry that they have to cope with every day in addition to all the bullshit that accompanies being a woman in this world... It is beyond my comprehension that any woman would look at what a trans woman must navigate in her life and not feel the deepest, most complete empathy and bond with them. That some folks would think that a woman wanting to pee in peace is somehow a threat to either them or their hard-fought rights.
Rights are not fucking pie. You don't lost yours because some group you don't belong to gets theirs.
You are not protecting women by denying trans women. You're putting women in danger, invalidating them and their experiences, denying their very personhood because of your incorrect notions of a gender binary essentialism you've subscribe to like it's a fucking religion.
I am just... I'm angry right now about this whole fucking mess that's been the focus of my twitter feed of late. I'm done. I'm sick of it.
I refuse to let anyone use my trauma as an excuse to visit trauma on another group of folks. I refuse to lay the blame of my trauma at the feet of anyone save those who are responsible.
Trans folks weren't the cause of my trauma.
You can't deny rights to people because you're irrationally afraid of them.
To the trans folks in my life, I want you to know that I love you. You are valid. I will walk with you.
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