🏳️‍⚧️ In honour of trans awareness week, this thread is a timeline. Let me share my truth with you. ⬇️🧵

The first time I told someone I was a girl, I was 4 years old. I was told I was a liar. I wasn't.

I was recently asked a question:

"When my trans friends express anxiety about passing, I feel bad for them - I don't believe anyone should have to pass. Would it be rude for me to tell them they don't need to pass?"

I'm glad they asked, because the answer is complex!

🧵(1/12) For context, here's the full length question! They're coming from a sincere and kind place which is great!

However, the answer is complex because "passing" is, unfortunately, not an arbitrary beauty standard. It is directly intertwined with feelings of safety.

🧵(2/12)

having my locker vandalized and things stolen because I wore makeup

being told I couldn't have a GSA because it would "provoke hatred"

a senior trying to run me over with his car because I was too feminine

my mom's tires being slashed because I was too feminine

(cont'd)

https://twitter.com/uncleshay23/status/1115051858593185792

going to get pizza at lunch, being called a faggot and chased away from the pizza place and never going back

being forced by a teacher to debate whether or not gay people deserved rights against a class full of my peers that said no

not feeling safe anywhere

(cont'd)

When I tell you this is going to cause so many health problems and potentially ED-related deaths, I am not exaggerating.

In ninth grade I didn’t eat for two months because I wanted people to respect me and think I was hot. I was an inch from the hospital, my heartbreat was 1/5

https://twitter.com/insatiable_/status/1019960051237294080

irregular, I was losing hair, and my skin was so thin - this is an incredibly irresponsible approach to this story.

They could have gone ahead with this narrative if she came back to school hot AND fat. That is a thing. We need to stop making it seem like they’re mutually 2/5