Hi,
Hello little white screen. How long do I watch the blink of the cursor? Or, as per, should I through caution to the wind and just dive in…. Yes, I’m deliberating as this feels both personal and political.
/sigh
When did just existing become political?
Ah, there’s my middle class white privilege showing! If you are a person of colour and/or wearing obvious non Christian religious clothing, feel free to roll your eyes at my sheltered upbringing 🙂
Thinking about recent events, perhaps including climate protesters wouldn’t be inaccurate either… 🙄
Wordage
Apparently, I’m pushing my ideology about being trans… 🙄
Hmm. Well, here’s a thing: I don’t think I am. I would just like the same rights for myself, my friends, and my son, that – you know – cisgender people get. Choice, to exist peacefully, and get on with our lives.
I exist. I am trans. I am human.
I would like to see a health service that meets the needs of people like me and those in our community. I’m 52 this year. My body has very much felt the ravages of testosterone and I doubt ‘this is a phase’.
I… I manage and I make do, and I’m mostly okay with who I am and how I look. Occasionally it’s all a bit too much and I need to retreat and recover.
I know trans folk – including our lovely teenage son – who are not okay. I know of trans folk who are no longer here, because it took too long to get the help they needed. There is a tragic human cost to delay, delay, delay.
There are only so many times you can hide belts, dressing gown cords, rope, and knives. You worry what if you’ve missed one. You worry about the cars on the roads.
I’ve often said I wouldn’t wish gender dysphoria on anyone….
… but maybe I should.
Maybe it would help certain folk who wish to deny us autonomy and validity, to not just walk in our shoes, but live it.
To be a guy and wake up with broadening hips, breast growth, and a higher voice. For women, to change shape, sprout hair pretty much everywhere – except where you want it…. All that, but to remain you within.
The witty trans folk reading this will probably be thinking “Cool, where do I sign up?” or “Could I go just half way through that process?” 🙂
For non-trans readers, my clumsy words are to try and drive home how having to look in a way that’s completely opposite to how you see yourself, to your core identity, and to be treated by that outer form; well, imagine that. Throw in if you attempt to look like the way you feel inside, people will have a go at you, you’ll be vilified in the press, and there’s hostile actors refusing your rights and equality.
Imagine that from now on….
… and to be told ‘non-expert knows best. Just you sit back and wait. You’ll probably grow out of it‘ 🙄
Cruelty 101
Frankly, the above seems unnecessary cruelty. Forcing someone to have their formative years living with a body that doesn’t match how they feel, to miss out on life experiences that their peers would get, etc.
But, hey, given society used to tell lesbian, gay and bi people ‘have you tried not being gay?‘ maybe we’ve got a long way to go still…. and this distraction technique with a war on trans, it needs to get in the bin.
Clearly those poor confused gay folk eh? On the turn after seeing it on social media and all those positive role models in the 70s and 80s…. Oh wait. 🙄
Haven’t we got a planet to save?
Perhaps more accurately, save ourselves? The planet will exist without us just fine.
Stay cheerful 😉
L x
There is a place where we can all feel free to do as we like within the confines of proper etiquette. It’s called Australasia (Australia and New Zealand). All are welcome.
Good to hear it’s going okay in that part of the world, Danielle. We just need other countries to catch up.
Xenophobia, suspicion of those outside our own group, is a human trait. In evolutionary terms, it’s a useful adaptation as it protects us from potential harm. British insularity, though, makes this more pronounced, and coupled with British nostalgia for lost power and primacy, a legacy of Christian moral supremacism and other notions, has made the UK a uniquely toxic place following the Brexit referendum when moderate politics were replaced by the craziness of all the various extremists from racists to TERFS to religious bigots to offshore billionaires who make very odd bedfellows but have somehow found common cause in this generalised xenophobia and paranoia.
The saving graces are that the government they have espoused is incompetent and that most British on the whole are usually happy to live and let live, support the underdog and are more concerned with the wherewithal to live than worrying about the tiny number of ‘out’ trans people, boat people and other minorities. I think it’s just a phase, although a brutal and damaging one, and I get the feeling that people there are coming slowly to their senses.
A hug, Sue x
“… a uniquely toxic place…”
Yes, a series of bigots, fools, and thugs emboldened by nasty rhetoric as part of that referendum. Post that, the vileness continued under the veneer of Austerity and immigration control. Throw in a mix of, frankly, gobshite idiots in power, braying a numerous cretinous theories and here were are.
It’s been a thoroughly unpleasant few years and to an extent, it reminds me of the end of the 80s: toxic and flawed conservativism sprinkled with corruption, sexual misconduct, and criminality.
Thank you for the hug. Let’s hope things change and improve.