I’m a trans man. We don’t have a secret agenda – we’re just asking you to let us live. I don’t know why I was born transgender, but I have no secret agenda. I want my child to live in a world where they are safe and free to be exactly who they are.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2024/03/30/trans-day-visibility-2024-america-anti-transgender-politics/73122753007/

36 comments

  1. >Fewer than [1 in 3 people](https://www.thetrevorproject.org/blog/new-poll-majority-of-u-s-adults-are-comfortable-having-lgbtq-children-fewer-than-1-in-3-know-someone-who-is-transgender/) report personally knowing someone who is transgender. Yet the American public is saturated with viral social media videos and political news stories, largely generated by a well-funded coalition of organizations long dedicated to making it as difficult as possible for LGBTQ+ people to go about their daily lives.

    >If you don’t know a transgender person, it can be hard to understand what it means to be transgender. But transgender people, like all people, are just trying to get through the day.

    >I didn’t have the language growing up to know that I am transgender, but I knew I was different. I was bullied because of it, and some of those specific rejections will forever be seared into my childhood memories. But I was lucky. My family and friends were and have always been supportive. It’s difficult to navigate the current [anti-transgender political climate](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/02/23/transgender-national-survey-myths-misinformation/72640839007/) in our country, but my strong support network helps me through it.

    >No one chooses to be transgender to win a trophy. No one “changes their gender” on a whim. Embracing who I am in a world that makes it quite difficult to be so is the most deliberative thing I’ve ever done.

    >I reject the idea that supporting some young people must come at the expense of others. We can work together to create spaces where all young people can feel safe and accepted. When we do so, everyone wins. 

    Republicans have been decrying about a “gay agenda” for eons, and every single time they are asked to define what this “gay agenda” is, they get caught with egg on their face, because there is no gay agenda.

    All LGBTQIA+ people are asking for is to be treated as equals in life, to be treated nicely and not be aspersed for being not straight.

    The fact that Republicans see being nice to trans people as part of some “gay agenda” tells you everything you need to know about Republicans. They don’t care about stopping some nonexistent “gay agenda”. They want to instill their own agenda, which is to force Christian nationalism onto everyone, killing off everyone who’s not a straight, white Christian.

  5. It’s such an obvious and openly hostile, fabricated outrage. A predatory and cynical persecution deliberately chosen by the Christian fundamentalist to scapegoat their own failings. Having dominated American culture for centuries, there is quite literally no one else to blame for whatever might be wrong with the United States than Christian culture itself and its complete and utter sellout to corporate greed and feudalism. Pro family values? But against a living wage. Pro life? But against helping feed the flood of unwanted babies into our school systems. Small government? But only when it comes to regulating the industry practices that keep our environment, health and finances safe from race-to-the-bottom greed of the corporate machine. This is so painfully, and I stress painfully, obvious to just about anyone willing to sit with this simple thought for a minute. But they would have us believe this tiny .05% of the population and its desire to simple live as god made them in peace was some major threat to our society. If that were true we would have to admit just how fragile a society the Christians built for us in the first place if could not withstand the mere existence and acceptance of those born differently.

  6. The trans kids today are the leaders of tomorrow. Think about it, they have to deal with other kid bullies but also adult bullies. Their experiences are making them tough as nails – a good quality for leaders to have.

  7. I do hope we one day live in a world where I can take the same approach to the trans community as I do to the cis gender but LGBQ community; do whatever you want because no one really cares who you sleep with, how you dress, or how you act. But unfortunately, there are so many bad actors out there that we actively need to be allies to the trans community to stop pieces of shit who are scared shitless of their dick responding to the “wrong” gender. 

  8. The people who actually need to see this do not care.

  9. Men who are afraid they might be attracted to a person who is not female, and of facing the resulting emotions, are ruining this country.

  10. I want Trump and all his hate to sink back into the cesspool that it came from. No person on this planet should have to fear for their lives or their very right to exist.

  11. In most other developed countries, its not political, its common decency. Making this a political battlefield is incredibly cruel and discriminatory.

  12. “asking”

    That’s problem – by thinking that you even *have* to ask them, you yourself have given them a power over you which they have no right to.

    You cannot ask, because you will be denied. You must demand your right, and if it is not granted, you have to take it.

  13. When I see stuff about hating trans people I always think about this quote from doom patrol…Maura Lee: “The Dannyzens and I have been out in the world for the past month. And, sadly, the world hasn’t changed that much. People still made jokes behind my back and to my face. My trans sisters still being murdered. Human beings are cruel to people that are different from them. Out there, I had to read a motherfucker. He was screaming at me calling me all kinds of freak. I let him know, he hated the fact that I was human. Just like him. That’s what disturbed him. That we somehow breathe the same air and walk the same streets. So much self hatred out there. And people turn that hatred on anyone that doesn’t look or act like them…”. Bigots want everyone to be just like them. They use religion and whatever else to justify their prejudice. (If it wasn’t religion it would be some other -ism). When I was younger I always hoped we would be able to understand each other, but it always seems to be pushed away for whatever reason.

  15. We have a majority of extreme religions in America. It’s embedded in our government. Until we can truly separate religion from state, this will continue.

  16. Many people get joy from hating others.

    The words are often similar but the object of the words can be anyone or anything.

    My sister used to be my brother. It was very difficult to make the change and was painful to complete it with surgery. The self righteous confuse this transition with a superficial choice. It isn’t.

  17. My only agenda is to live without needing to fear for my life and access to my medical needs. And for my fellow trans people to do the same.

    Literally that’s it.

  19. i am not trying to be an asshole but i don’t understand why gay/trans people feel they need to let everyone know that they are gay/trans…… i don’t care who you bonk or what you wear or if you have had surgery…. my personal view is be a good person, live your best life, be helpful, kind and honest… i was married for over 30 yrs and never advertised my sex life…

    i respect all people just because they are people…….

  20. I know a few people that are trans actually and this right-wing panic over it is just their newest way to hate another group. The few trans people I know are the nicest people I’ve ever met and you wouldn’t even know they were trans unless they told you. I can’t wait for the day when they can be accepted for who they are and not have to hide their identities thanks to Trump and his MAGA insanity that’s poisoning this country.

  21. Live and let live. As it should be. That’s freedom. Your right to live freely ends only there where other people’s rights are infringed. Unfortunately there are a few when it comes to the transgender topic.

  23. Its a subject the American Christian Taliban have grasped onto to instill fear, hate and anger with which they control their weak minded cult members. They’re armed. They’re dangerous. They need to become insignificant. First thing is to make them lose so bad at the ballot box that their party is crushed. From Dog catcher to President- Vote Blue.

    That is not enough because then those whom we elect have to know what we demand, and what will happen to their careers if they do not.
    So postcards to Congress. Every one of them. Not letters, not emails. Postcards are the only correspondence they receive directly.
    Enveloped letters go to a clearinghouse where they’re checked, which means delays. Sometimes months delays.

  25. You know fighting for your rights can mean more than posting online. You might have to actually do some fighting. Only way to get it done for sure. Organize and show everyone you won’t do nothing about it.

  26. Every single non MAGAT loundly amplifying their dismay for Joe Biden over this or that perceived shortcoming better have a goddamn good plan to protect trans people and other vulnerable populations if the unthinkable happens.

    Because a good portion of the republican party is ready for genocide.

  27. Republicans only know how to hate, harm, and murder Americans.

  28. “Trans” + “the divine Christian rite of procreation” have a hard time being understood together from whereabouts I’m from. Sad!!!

  29. My wife and I are both trans. We just want to be two boring ass state employees with a normal life.

    We have no agenda that differs from the men and women who work and live around us.

    We just want a family, a home, and a decent future until the planet goes full blown dumpster fire.

  30. I am (supposedly) a man and have no idea what that means nor do I care. It does not dictate the music, movie or TV shows I like.

    So I guess my main confusion is why people think gender dictates their lives so much? Goes for trans and non. Why is gender such an identity for people?

    You’ll know more about me knowing I love The Simpsons, hate country music and am obsessed with animals. Than you will by knowing I am male or female. 🤷🏻‍♂️

  31. The Church: No abortion because God’s creation.
    Also the church: If the creation is gay, it’s evil.
    Me: Weren’t we supposed to accept and love all God’s creation?!!

  32. Just don’t call sauce “gravy” and we can be wonderful neighbors!

  33. I see you, and I hate hate hate that you have to fight so hard just to exist🫂. I’ve raised my babies to see you as well, and we stand with you. Two are voting age!!! I truly hope and pray the young votes will start to steer this country back to some sanity and humanity.

  34. Eh unfortunately asking for compassion from conservatives is a waste of time. They literally only respond to force.

  35. Thing is we made it unacceptable to bash blacks, Jews, and homosexuals so the hateful right wing moved on to bashing trans people. Sorry bro, but we will fight just as hard to put stop to this shit as we did for the others.

    Course then they will just move on to another small minority in our society to hate. Hatred and bigotry is the only policy the Republicans have.

  36. Biggest crime I’ve ever committed, to their minds, is buy clothes. Clothes I feel good in. They want me dead for that. These people do not belong in polite society, let alone in positions of power. Being a bigot needs to ruin your job prospects again.

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