This is not an isolated incident. Trans people who've had their names and gender markers legally changed on all of their documentation for years are suddenly being refused passports or being told that their current passports are invalid. This keeps happening. Please listen to us.
This is blowing up way more than I ever expected and I just want to add a couple things. One, I'm sorry the thread is formatted in a weird roundabout way, I wanted to make sure the whole thread posted to my facebook so certain family members would see it.
Because really, the only people I thought would see it would be family, and that maybe, but probably not, this time they would actually take me seriously when I expressed how terrifying it is to be a trans American right now. And the other thing I want to add is...
When I say "help us," here is what I mean:
Vote.
Raise and listen to trans voices.
Vote.
Give money to #transcrowdfund efforts.
VOTE.
Make sure the trans people in your life have food, housing, employment, and transportation.
FUCKING VOTE.
Help is tangible. Do what you can.
Vote.
Raise and listen to trans voices.
Vote.
Give money to #transcrowdfund efforts.
VOTE.
Make sure the trans people in your life have food, housing, employment, and transportation.
FUCKING VOTE.
Help is tangible. Do what you can.
Raising trans voices can also mean a lot of things. Retweets and likes, sure. Also, when sharing an article about transgender issues, make sure it's actually written by a trans person, otherwise it is likely sensational nonsense that can hurt us.
Speaking up about our rights and safety to your senators and other representatives is excellent. Raising our voices might also mean going to a protest. It will not always be clean and easy, it will sometimes be tough and messy. Our lives are tough and messy.
Do you know if homeless shelters in your area have trans-inclusive policies? Find out! Also ask yourself if there are any safe places for queer people in your community, particularly trans youth. If not, can you organize something?
Get involved at home, at school, in the workplace, or on the street when you witness transphobia, especially when it targets a person who is almost certainly too scared or exhausted to defend themselves.
If I get misgendered at work I just freeze up, I almost never actually correct anyone. These people aren't usually hateful, they're just oblivious and I don't have the energy for it. I also almost never have anyone to correct them on my behalf, but I feel a lot safer when I do.
