For the Billionth Time, I Define My Womanhood
Coming out as trans was by far the scariest and most rewarding experience of my life. For the first time in forever, I was finally to be comfortable with myself and my presentation. I am not immune to my insecurities or the occasional hiss of gender dysphoria. Yet I have more strength now than I ever had. What pains me the most is that we are seeing governmental shifts that are dehumanizing and marginalizing people more and more.
For those who have common sense, it’s not hard to see that Trump is a clear misogynist and lacks any regard for minorities of all kinds. However, now the lens has focused on trans rights. This was a fear I had the moment I witnessed the Electoral College’s greatest fuck up. I worried about my rights and protections being dismantled. I heard from a former datemate that Trump would be foolish to go after LGBTQ rights because in today’s society they are pretty standard. Wrong on every account. Trump’s ascent to the white house shows the stakes of racism, xenophobia, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia and beyond are deeper than anyone expected. Many people including myself had the worst wake up call imagined.
I am not bringing any new information to the table. We witnessed as NPR and several other news outlets affirmed that Trump is taking away protections for trans youth and students. It’s a fact that is sickening to stomach. However, I feel it’s important to echo the words of many other trans women in my position. I define my womanhood. My genitals have nothing to do with my gender identity. And I will not waste my breath explaining gender 101 to those who don’t or more rather simply refuse to get it. In times like these, we have to remember who we are and resist with every ounce of strength we have. I will not let my humanity be dismantled by a corrupt cis agenda. Not when trans women are often the victims of sexual violence. Not when we face discrimination day-by-day and moment-to-moment. I cannot accept this, and I refuse to. Again, this is only an echo of what millions of trans people are feeling and voicing out into the world. Listen and take action.
Chances are you’ve encountered a trans person and didn’t realize it. When it comes to humanity there’s no debate and no deliberation. Trans people work, sweat, bleed, and cry like any other human. Our identities are not a fucking costume. Beyond my makeup and skirts, I am still a woman. And don’t even bring up that tripe about trans people who regret transition. The reality is that many of us don’t. I sure as hell don’t. Transitioning saved my life, and many others feel the same. These narratives you have circulating are just ideals conjured by cis people who don’t know the first thing about a trans experience. It’s time to start listening to the source. It’s a shame that after so many trans people have fought, protested, and died that we still have to defend our basic human rights. We can do better than this.