Introducing The Next Generation Of Leaders And Thinkers

Why Do We Continue to Ignore Trans People?

In this day and age, the younger generation is a lot more open and accepting than previous ones. We encourage feminism and preach what it proposes, we fight against racism with movements that engage the world and we embrace and support the LGBT+ community with more passion than I can put into words. But lately, it seems as if we’re only supporting the LGB part of the community and ignoring the T.

According to The Guardian Weekend, sexuality and gender are something that is a lot more fluid within our generation. A National Citizen Service (NCS) poll produced in October last year found that out of 1000 teenagers, only 68% of them identified as 100% straight. It also discovered that 78% of young men identify as 100% male and 80% of young women identify as 100% female. We are the ‘gayest generation’, according to this report from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), so why do we remain silent when trans people voice their issues?

We’re just three months into 2017 and already seven trans people have been murdered. We cannot deny that if this was a white, cisgender person then the media would be over this story like a rash, but unfortunately, trans people are treated extremely differently by both society and the LGBT+ community itself. In 2016 at least 27 trans people were killed, these do not include the ones that weren’t reported, yet we’ve had no major media coverage about it. People turn a blind eye and, even in death, trans people are mistreated. Any media coverage we did get off these murders only went on to misgender these people in their reports, calling them by their birth name or using the wrong pronouns. People had been wrongfully murdered, mistreated and pushed aside like dirt but society didn’t even blink an eye.

Another issue that was brushed away like dust from people’s shoulders was the invalidation of trans women during the Women’s March, Jan. 21, 2017. While the Women’s March was an empowering and wonderful event that caught the attention of media outlets across the globe and helped voice people’s concerns over Donald Trump’s presidency, it also did a fair bit of trans erasure. With signs that had “pussy power” and “no uterus, no opinion” plastered over them, it’s no wonder trans women felt isolated. The whole atmosphere of this march was that “having a vagina is essential to womanhood” and while this doesn’t mean that the march was a disaster, it does prove that we have to start acknowledging trans people and the issues they face daily.

“By my count, there were three trans women onstage during the six-hour program, which included more than 60 talented and notable speakers and performers.(…) I realized there were more cisgender men onstage than transgender women.” – Advocate Magazine.

The Women’s March was a result of Donald Trump’s presidency and with Donald Trump’s presidency came more troubles for the trans community. Mr. Trump recently revoked former president Barack Obama’s guidelines on transgender bathrooms, meaning that trans kids are no longer allowed to use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identity. This further alienates and erases trans people’s identity as they are now forced to use a bathroom belonging to a gender that is not their own and by revoking these guidelines trans kids are at a higher rate of being abused and harassed in school now more than ever.

This issue did, however, provoke outrage over twitter once revealed. The hashtag “#protecttranskids” made its way around the internet and caught the attention of some celebrities.

Though the hashtag did circle its way around the internet, it didn’t spend as much time in the limelight as other ones did. Even with problems as serious as the ones faced by Trans people.

Trans people are one of the most oppressed minority groups and it is our responsibility as a community, a generation and a society to make sure that their voices are heard. With all the support being given to the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual part of the community, why can’t we spare some for Trans people too?

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