Best Primer Video on Transgender

I recently came across a video by a transwoman online. It was recommended by some friends on Twitter who are advocates of the LBGTQ community.

I highly recommend this informative video to anyone who may have questions or misconceptions about what it means to be transgender or what trans* people actually are.

This video presentation is really good all around for anyone, including those who feel they have a good grasp of trans* issues. It covers the usual, such as gas-lighting (calling trans* people trans-trenders) and the difficulties of being trans* in society.

It also reveals how difficult and dangerous video blogging can be for those unprepared for the experience. As soon as she began mentioning her trans* experiences online going further in depth about trans* issues, the harassment and death threats started to multiply exponentially. Going dark in references to being trans* did not help. It only invited horrendous speculation, curation (such as mocking videos), and vituperation.

The video also covers the general ugliness and sense of entitlement strangers online feel to another person’s personal life and sense of identity. We do not condone such behaviour usually in public or private, unless the person in question is a public figure like a movie star or a politician. But when it comes to minorities, especially queer folk, there are those who feel they have every right to know about the minutia of their lives. It is such strange and disturbing behaviour that I can only believe was born from some sort of ill-will or mistrust.

Still, this was a pleasure to watch.

There is so much misinformation and mean-spirited propaganda out there. Thankfully, this belongs in the exact opposite of those categories.