Today is Trans Day of Visibility, a day dedicated to celebrating and raising awareness of the trans community and its people around the world.
Before we go into what all of this means in more detail, I'd like to highlight that there will likely be a lot of terminology within this post that many people will be unfamiliar with. To help with this there is a glossary of terms and their definitions at the end of this post for you to
reference should you need to.
So, today is a day to recognize the struggles and accomplishments of trans individuals, to honor their resilience and strength, and to amplify their voices in a world that, now more than ever, is trying to silence them.
The reality that the trans community is being silenced is the driving force behind this years theme - "We Will Not Be Erased."
This powerful message speaks to the ongoing struggles that the trans community is facing. Just this week, these struggles include the following policies that have been passed in multiple states across the US:
The refusal of gender-affirming care for trans minors, including mental health care
The refusal of gender-affirming care for trans adults, including mental health care
The banning of all drag in public spaces, which, given the vague nature of the policy, could be misinterpreted to mean that presenting as trans in public is illegal
The removal of a trans person's right to use the correct restroom while a minor is present
The introduction of teachers and classmates legal right to misgender and deadname trans students, which was followed up with further protections in the "Right to Bully" Bill
The banning of insurance for trans adults
The right to detransition trans youth regardless of their own decision
The banning of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity) training
The introduction of medical practitioners legal right to refuse all members of the LGBTQIA+ community treatment, including mental health care
The right for homeless shelters to discriminate against trans people and deny them entry
The banning of birth certificate updates for trans people
The right to prosecute doctors and other healthcare workers should they decide to proceed with any gender-affirming treatment, including mental health care
The banning of trans people from sports
The theme also reflects a commitment to fighting back against the forces that seek to erase trans people from society, whether through horrifying policies like the ones that are being passed in the USA, or through other acts of discrimination, violence or exclusion.
Visibility is a crucial part of this fight. Trans people have long been relegated to the margins of society, forced to hide their identities and live in the shadows. But as more and more trans people come out and claim their rightful place in the world, visibility becomes a powerful tool for change.
That's why Bills like the ones being passed in Colorado and Oregon, which are designed to, within their relative states, create safe spaces for Trans refugees and to provide the often life saving gender-affirming procedures that are being banned elsewhere in the country, are so incredibly important. The amount of these positive policies may be small, only 2 this week compared to the 13+ negative ones, but they are mighty, and they give trans people a glimpse of a place where they can be embraced.
When we see trans people living their lives openly and proudly, we begin to understand that they are not a threat or a novelty, but human beings deserving of respect and dignity.
Of course, visibility is not without its risks. For many trans people, coming out can mean putting themselves in harm's way. Trans individuals are at heightened risk of discrimination, harassment, and violence, particularly if they are people of color, disabled, or otherwise marginalized.
This is why it is so important to create safe spaces for trans people to be themselves and to support organizations that work to protect their rights.
The impact on trans youth
Mental illness is more common in transgender youth compared to their cisgender peers. Because of the stress and discrimination that trans youth face, they are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideologies. Studies show that more than 50% of trans youth will contemplate suicide, with risk being higher if youth are rejected by their families.
In addition, many trans youth lack access to safe, competent, and affirming mental health care, leaving these symptoms untreated. For many transgender people, addressing their gender dysphoria with gender-affirming medical (hormone therapy) or surgical interventions leads to a reduction in their overall levels of distress.
The policies that are currently being passed in the USA will only increase the amount of trans youth that suffer from both mental and physical disorders. There are obvious issues with the policies being passed that directly affect trans youth, but more than that, the policies that affect trans adults also have a significant impact on trans youth.
Let's look at things from the perspective of the trans youth community for a moment...
Imagine knowing that, even after you've made it through life as a trans minor, after you've been misgendered, deadnamed, and bullied for years at school, after you've been denied any access to resources and people that could help you to make sense of the completely natural feelings you're experiencing, that as an adult you STILL won't be able to update your birth certificate to represent who you really are, you STILL won't be able to access any mental or physical health care or gender-affirming procedures, you STILL won't be able to use the restroom that represent your gender.
Scary, right?
Allies play a crucial role in this fight.
The cisgender and non-trans among us can use their privilege to amplify trans voices and advocate for their rights. We can educate ourselves and others on the issues facing the trans community and work to create more inclusive spaces in our workplaces, and communities. And we can stand in solidarity with trans people, affirming their right to exist and be visible.
So, on this Trans Day of Visibility, let us commit to unrelenting celebration and support of the trans and community. Let us honor the bravery and resilience of trans individuals. And let us work to create a world where they are not erased but fully embraced as equal members of society.
Here are some ways you can be an ally to both youth and adults in the trans community:
Educate yourself: Take the time to learn about the experiences of trans youth and adults, and the challenges they face. You can do this by reading articles and books, watching documentaries, and attending events.
Use proper pronouns: Always use the pronouns that someone identifies with, even if it may take some time to adjust. Don't assume someone's gender based on their appearance or voice.
Speak up: If you hear someone using derogatory language or making harmful comments about trans youth or adults, speak up and let them know that it is not okay. Use your privilege and voice to advocate for everyone in the trans community.
Support trans-inclusive policies: Advocate for policies that protect the rights of trans individuals, like the ones that have passed in Colorado and Oregon. And fight those that are being passed that only aim to silence the trans community.
Amplify trans voices: Lift up and amplify the voices of trans individuals in your community and in media. Share their stories and perspectives.
Donate to trans organizations: Consider donating to organizations that support the trans community, such as the Transgender Law Center, the National Center for Transgender Equality, Stonewall, or local to you trans-led organizations.
Did you know that 'Transgender' is an umbrella term which includes a wide variety of gender identities?
This includes, but is not limited to:
Binary
Trans men
Trans women
Non-Binary
Genderqueer
Genderfluid
Demiboy
Demigirl
Bigender
Agender
Neutrois
Trans Non-Binary
Terms and their descriptions from this article
Agender: Agender is a term which can be literally translated as without gender. It can be seen either as a non-binary gender identity or as a statement of not having a gender identity.
Bigender: Bigender refers to a person who has two gender identities or a combination of two gender identities, e.g., identifying as both male and female or identifying as agender and female. It’s not to be confused with bisexuality, where a person experiences romantic, emotional, or sexual attraction to two genders.
Cisgender: Refers to individuals whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Deadnaming: Calling someone by their birth name after they have changed their name. This term is often associated with trans people who have changed their name as part of their transition.
Demigirl: Demigirl (also called a Demiwoman, Demifemale or a Demilady) is a gender identity describing someone who partially identifies as a woman or girl, and partially another gender(s).
Demiboy: Demiboy (also called Demiguy, Demiman, or Demidude), is a gender identity in which one's gender is partially male, and partially another gender(s).
Drag: Drag is a form of entertainment where individuals, often men, dress up in clothing traditionally associated with the opposite gender.
Gender dysphoria: Used to describe when a person experiences discomfort or distress because there is a mismatch between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity. This is also the clinical diagnosis for someone who doesn’t feel comfortable with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Gender fluid: This term is used to describe someone who moves between genders or has a fluctuating gender identity.
Gender identity: A person’s innate sense of their own gender, whether male, female or something else (see non-binary below), which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.
Gender queer: This term is used when a person does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders.
Gender reassignment: Another way of describing a person’s transition. To undergo gender reassignment usually means to undergo some sort of medical intervention, but it can also mean changing names, pronouns, dressing differently and living in their self-identified gender. Gender reassignment is a characteristic that is protected by the Equality Act 2010, and it is further interpreted in the Equality Act 2010 approved code of practice. It is a term of much contention and is one that Stonewall's Trans Advisory Group feels should be reviewed.
Misgender, or mispronoun: This means using a pronoun or other language which is different to someone’s way of describing themselves. Understood to mean someone’s identity has not been recognised.
Neutrois: Refers to individuals who do not identify with any gender.
Non-Binary: Refers to individuals who do not identify as exclusively male or female.
Transgender: A person who identifies with a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth. This includes transgender men (assigned female at birth but identify as male), transgender women (assigned male at birth but identify as female), and non-binary individuals (who do not identify as male or female).
Transgender man: A term used to describe someone who is assigned female at birth but identifies and lives as a man. This may be shortened to trans man, or FTM, an abbreviation for female-to-male.
Transgender woman: A term used to describe someone who is assigned male at birth but identifies and lives as a woman. This may be shortened to trans woman, or MTF, an abbreviation for male-to-female.
Transphobia: The fear or dislike of someone based on the fact they are trans, including denying their gender identity or refusing to accept it. Transphobia may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be, trans.
留言