,
7 tweets,
2 min read
Read on Twitter
Today, a presidential candidate misgendered me, and instead of pointing this out, I politely let it go in order to not distract from the topic. Because as soon as that polite correction comes, the person corrected will inevitably derail the convo. This happens all the time.
We are told that trans and non-binary people intentionally seek to be aggrieved and offended by manufacturing problematic aspects of our day-to-day living, pronouns probably being the most common. I truly wish cis folks understood how much we let go on a constant basis.
The live of trans and non-binary people are geared toward survival, and thus, we find ourselves constantly accommodating cis folks in myriad ways. Not calling out misgendering. Not visiting pools, gyms, beaches. Avoiding crowded public restrooms. Etc, etc, etc.
And so, when it's claimed that a trans or non-binary person is "seeking attention" because they advocate for themselves by requesting they be referred to with the correct pronouns (something cis folks take for granted), I really don't know what to say.
It must be nice living an existence in which your brain and body and soul are aligned from birth. That, whatever else happens, at least your countenance is held firm in this particular way. Because i gotta tell you: the alternative is perpetually exhausting with no end in sight.
I did not choose to be trans. I did not ask for the incongruence that occupies my existence. And good lord, did I not fight against it for so long, seeking a solution in good faith in the ways cis society prescribed. I tried my best, and it was not enough to change nature.
Every trans and non-binary person faces the constant threat of violence, discrimination, and erasure simply for things we cannot change. And I cannot for the life of me understand why some cis folks are obsessed with assigning ulterior motives to our acknowledgment of suffering.
