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Itâs not new ground, but itâs worth repeating as a disclaimer: showing up looks different for everyone. Not all of us can afford to donate significant portions of our money or time, and there are many other worthy causes and communities out there in need of attention as well. Terms like âslacktivismâ are utterly unproductive. There is absolutely value in posting on social media about Trans* issues; it keeps these issues in the public conscience and shows Trans* people that they have allies out there. On the other hand, there is absolutely no value in criticizing people for showing support to the Trans* community. Of course, people can be doing more than posting on social media, but policing the activism of others is a waste of time, creates division, and only weakens the cause. Stay in your own lane, and focus on the positive!
The very basics of allyship donât actually take any extra time or effort. I would hope that most of us try to be supportive of the people in our lives. Sort of like a happy birthday message, if you see someone post for International Transgender Day of Visibility, you might send a positive message their way to mark the occasion. I would hope that most of us do some research into the political candidate we are considering voting for. Even when busy, we can hopefully find a few moments to Google the candidateâs stance on certain policies and issues or read their flyer. I would hope that most of us call people out on their bigotry when we judge ourselves able to do so safely, in the same way we would call people out who are just being mean without the bigotry angle. An asshole is an asshole.
Going beyond the basics, I would urge you to join the conversation. A lot has been said about the importance of listening to and not speaking over Trans* voices, but it is equally important not to take this as an instruction to withdraw from the conversation altogether. In a reversal of the idea of âslacktivismâ, where peopleâs real motivations and commitment to a cause are doubted and penalized, many people seem afraid that their good intentions will be disregarded in the face of their perhaps poorly-chosen words. One of the most important things an activist or ally to any cause can do is lose their fear of discomfort. Learning comes from a space of discomfort â and this can apply to anyone in any situation. Without putting ourselves in unfamiliar spaces where we may make mistakes, we cannot learn and grow. Put simply: stick around after the talk for the Q&A, and donât be afraid to put your hand up.
If youâre looking for somewhere to start, weâve compiled some FAQs about the Trans* community here.Â
If youâre looking for ways to get more involved – why not take action with us?
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Itâs not news in the Trans* community how powerful a tool storytelling can be. Just look at the classic instance of it being used against us in the fear-mongering, fictional tale of a man infiltrating the ladies’ restroom as a “Trans* woman” to then take advantage of vulnerable parties. The recorded instance of anything like this actually happening is non-existent. But that little fictional tale has scared hundreds of people, turned them against the Trans* community, may even have helped make a TERF out of a certain famous author. Apparently, you donât need facts if you have a good story (as sales of said authorâs fantasy books can certainly testify to), and a good story canât be silenced by facts.
So rather than fight fire with a Health & Safety code (rare is the individual who actually reads those), we must fight fire with water. Why give oxygen to the inflammatory stories intended to demonize Trans* people when there exists a plethora of stories to tell that are a perfect antidote? Endless tales of Trans* folk who have been so impactful as to infringe on the mainstream. Trans* success stories like that of Laverne Cox, Elliot Page, Jonathan Van Ness, Judith Butler, Lana and Lilly Wachowski are as well-worn books, thumbed through by many a reader. Just as important are the local stories. The openly gay and married professor at my university who helped my lesbian friend believe she could live a long and happy life as herself. The Trans* guy I hung out with years ago who is now documenting his transition on social media â the Trans* guy who helped me feel less abnormal. Telling your story gives something for other Trans* folk to identify with and gives people outside the community a real person to sympathize with instead of a twisted stereotype to mock or a skewed caricature to fear. And building these connections builds influence and power.
The #MeToo movement is a useful recent example of the power of storytelling. Millions of people worldwide shared their stories, helping to build a global sense of community and getting most of the planet talking about the pervasive issue of sexual assault. This movement led to charges being brought against serial sexual predators, job losses for many accused figures, and in several states even a ban on the use of nondisclosure agreements relating to incidences of sexual misconduct. Over four years since the movement went viral on social media, more than half of Americans say they are more likely to speak out about sexual misconduct. The number of employed who received training on workplace harassment has increased. The percentage of employed who perceive a serious sexual misconduct issue at their place of work has almost halved since 2017. All because people were brave enough to tell their stories.
Storytelling is important not just to build political power in the current moment, but for crafting a lasting Trans* history and a data resource on Trans* identities and lives. As of right now, alongside the Trans* historical figures we have, there are plenty of famous figures of unknown or ambiguous gender identity, and those presumed to be cisgender. The more Trans* stories we tell now, the more solidified the place of Trans* people in history becomes. The larger the data pool, the harder it is to ignore, the more it has to be factored into more general cultural and political conversations. Trans* literature is an emerging discipline; just as writing by women had to be told again and again to become the established academic sect it is today, writing and engaging with more Trans* stories will help to establish the Trans* voice in literary study. Beyond literature, our language itself is shaped by cultural forces â and the influence of Trans* storytelling has led to words including âcisgenderâ and âgenderqueerâ being added to dictionaries. In 2018, the Oxford English Dictionary added âTrans*â. Pop-culture is currently littered with slang from and references to queer culture. History is not always written by the victors, but being able to write yourself into history is a form of victory.
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Today, the Supreme Court has ruled that Roe V. Wade be overturned.
This is disturbing, but not surprising. Attacks against abortion have been a common theme in the playbook of colonizers and white supremacists. Today’s ruling is just the latest of their work, setting the stage for further attacks against our own bodily autonomy, and encouraging the belief that others can make choices for your body.
This overturn is a direct attack against the rights we have to make decisions about our own bodies, and we can not let this stand. We must not allow the ignorance and entitlements of white supremacy to go unchecked and we should demand better from all those around us. The time for complacency is over! We need to take action now!
Join us at Trans Empowerment Project as we work to create an equitable future where we all thrive!
If you would like to take action and aid us in amplifying the voices of our communities, come visit our Reproductive Justice Fund Page.
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When it comes to the idea of ânormalâ, weâve been sold a lie. In truth, the concept of ânormalâ and its moralization are an illusion of privilege. People in charge â and those in the cultural majority â can pretend their reality is âthe normâ, and that the experiences and identities of others which differ from that ânormâ are abnormal, undesirable, deviant. They can (and do) use their power and privilege, sometimes unconsciously, to reinforce this idea that their ânormâ is the natural, good, proper one. This means the very idea of ânormalâ is an oppressive concept in society. Referring to what is ânormalâ implies that everything and everyone who falls outside of those bounds is on their own, isolated by their abnormality. It helps to weaken marginalized persons by persuading them they are anomalies and convincing them they lack power. It offers an easy excuse for the dismissal of concerns raised by those who donât fit âthe normâ. So long as Trans* people wanting access to gender-affirming treatment doesnât fit within âthe normâ, it can more easily be ignored. So long as queer topics arenât part of âthe normâ, those in power can keep pretending thereâs no need to discuss these things in schools. In fact, even discussing things that fall outside the bounds of ânormalâ is often claimed to be dangerous or harmful.
The situation can seem bleak. How can Trans* voices and concerns be heard when Trans* identities and people themselves are so quickly dismissed as abnormal and therefore unworthy of audience? Speculation began early in the year that 2022 âcould be [the] most anti-Trans legislative year in historyâ in the USA[i]. Yet when it comes to a battle for the culture, for simply the right to exist, Trans* people are the ones gaining ground. Every anti-Trans bill introduced faces fierce resistance, and not just from Trans* folks themselves. That Trans* related issues and controversies are covered so extensively in the media can be frustrating â particularly in terms of the tone of that coverage â but it is a victory. There exist more platforms than ever which can be used to tell your story, to raise your concerns, to add your voice to a collective â and the collective Trans* voice is louder than ever.
Every time an âabnormalâ story is told, it chips away at the very concept of ânormalâ, stretches and weakens those boundaries that exist to divide us all. When your identity, your very existence, has been deemed irregular, telling your story becomes a powerful political act, a way of reclaiming the idea of ânormalâ for yourself â by destroying the very definition of ânormalâ and ridding it of its moralizing. There is no right or wrong way to be yourself. And you are never as alone as you might think. Every Trans* voice raised is a Trans* voice heard, a reminder that someone else has the same ânormalâ as you. Not everyone is in a position to tell their story, or perhaps can only tell it anonymously. No one is ever obligated to tell their story â but every Trans* person who does tell their story is giving the world a gift. Offering themselves up as evidence that there is a lot more to people than what is considered ânormalâ. Offering other Trans* people a chance to see that they are not alone in their supposed âabnormalityâ. Claiming a space for Trans* people in âthe normâ.
[i] https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/2022/01/20/2022-anti-trans-legislation/6571819001/
