it should deeply disturb all of us (trans or otherwise) that a cis black woman was killed for the suspicion of being trans. That is the world we are living in. Trans women of color are killed every day, and now, cis women of color who are even suspected of being trans are facing the same threat. It’s terrifying to think that this just happened and I suspect it won’t be the last time. I’ve heard many a story of cis women being harassed for their “appearing trans”, and it’s so heartbreaking and infuriating. Please just look out for each other.
Transphobia and racism are inherently interlinked. If they don’t see trans women as women, then they’ll immediately assume that cis Black women are trans women because they don’t see us as women either. Plain and simple.
terfs celebrating that the international chess federation has banned trans women from competing in women’s FIDE competitions, because it’s sooooooo feminist to argue that women are so biologically inferior and nowhere near as smart as men and thus can’t play chess on the same level. girl that’s not feminism that’s literally just misogyny
-Meghan and Harry baptizing their daughter with the title “Princess” which she would have had anyway seeing as she’s a granddaughter of a king?? Royalty is an opt-out system and she’s too young to opt-out. WHY is this news.
-Gary Lineker calling the government out for using Nazi-like rhetoric. There’s calls to get him fired from his job at the BBC, because now the Daily Mail believes in cancel culture all of a sudden, what a surprise.
I came away with it with some anger because of all the hecklers who went past and shouted things. I overheard some guy shouting “Protesting doesn’t work!” obviously trying to pick a fight, some lads outside the crowd clapping sarcastically, and some absolute asshole walking past screaming “TRANS WOMEN CAN’T HAVE CHILDREN,” and continuing to scream it even as he was roughly turned away. Wtf?!
I heard a bottle was thrown at one point, I didn’t see it but holy fuck. I hope it was a plastic bottle and not a glass one?!
Many of the speeches were also drowned out by a guy down the road preaching religion with a very loud sound system. I have no idea if he was doing it on purpose, he did stop eventually, but it did rather feel like he was doing it on purpose.
As usual, it’s absolutely absurd and obscene that trans people have to put up with this. The actual memorial is beautiful but it should never have had to exist.
One of our siblings was murdered recently, and you need to know about it.
TW // transphobia and violence against trans people
Brianna Ghey was a 16-year-old trans girl from Warrington, England. On Saturday, February 11th 2023, Brianna was found dead on the side of a park with multiple stab wounds. Two 15-year-olds have been taken into custody in connection with her murder.
People in the Warrington area have alleged that Brianna was being bullied in school, and that neither the administration nor the police did anything.
Despite this, local police have said there is no evidence that the attack was hate-based and most news articles don’t mention her status as a trans woman. This is deliberate. This is genocide by the hands of transphobes and TERFs.
Britain does not have gender self-identification (your legal gender being determined by how you identify and not any arbitrary medical requirements), meaning even in her death she will be deadnamed and misgendered on her death certificate.
She deserved so much better.
Mourn the dead, and fight like hell for the living.
Scotland passed the Gender Recognition Reform Bill the other day and British Twitter, very predictably, exploded in hatred. One tweet that stood out to me is this one:
“I believe every women who voted this through should be forced to undress in a changing room with a trans women.”
An interesting word, that “forced.” (HMS_Ark_Royal has yet to respond to my question about how, exactly, they plan to force me and women like me to undress in front of strangers.) You see, forcing a woman to strip is an act of sexual assault, and I am intrigued as to why this individual thinks sexual assault is a fitting punishment/trial for anybody of any gender.
“But the government is going to MAKE people change in trans-inclusive changing rooms where they will see GENITALS! THAT’S sexual violence! THAT’S what we mean!” Except, that’s not how public changing rooms work. Or public toilets for women. I (cis woman) have been using public toilets and dressing rooms since a very young age and I have never seen a single genital in any of them. Here, I drew you a diagram.
If someone is trying to force their way into one of the private booths, they are a sex offender REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY’RE TRANS OR NOT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT GENDER BATHROOM THEY’RE USING. Oh and yes, “I just forced my way in to check whether they had a vagina or a penis!” counts as well, I’m afraid.
Gender neutral bathrooms are already the norm for a HUGE selection of the British population, and I’ve shared crowded public bathrooms with trans women many a time. Probably without even noticing in some cases. Apparently that’s bad, but wanting women to be be forced to strip is just fine, right?
Today the governor of Texas released an official statement directing Family and Protective Services to investigate families of transgender minors on allegations of child abuse (with the intention of separating trans children from their families). It includes a “duty to report”, directing those who know or suspect the existence of a trans child to report it.
This is not a law, nor is it technically actively enforceable. But it is an official statement by a governor that WILL cause real consequences. It also emerges from all of the OTHER anti-trans legislation in action.
30/50 U.S. states are currently proposing legislation against the existence of trans minors (or sometimes people up to 21 years old).
As a trans person who transitioned as a minor in one of these states, I’ve been fighting against these laws for years with little to no news coverage. I am begging for people to care about this. These laws prohibit access to gender-affirming care, accuse families of trans minors of child abuse, jail doctors, and prohibit trans people from playing in sports. Some of these laws have already passed. Some are going to.
Here is a thread of resources in regards to what is happening in Texas right now.
Here’s a thread of GoFundMes of Texas families of trans children who are trying to move out of the state.
Here is a website where you can track these anti-trans bills in the U.S., see what is happening in your state, and see what action you can take.
