Many Hurdles Ahead for Transgender Rights Movement

[Shana A]

Many Hurdles Ahead for Transgender Rights Movement
NEW YORK December 14, 2013 (AP)
By DAVID CRARY AP National Writer

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/hurdles-ahead-transgender-rights-movement-21220080?singlePage=true

As gays and lesbians rack up victories in their quest for marriage equality and other rights, transgender Americans are following in their path — hopefully, but less smoothly.

There have been some important legal rulings and political votes in recent months bolstering transgender rights. But those have coincided with an upsurge of hostility from some conservative activists and an acknowledgement by transgender-rights leaders that they face distinct challenges in building public support for their cause.

"My sense is that we are 20 years behind the mainstream gay and lesbian movement in terms of public understanding," said Michael Silverman, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund.

"I see a lessening of anti-gay rhetoric as the American people get to know gays and lesbians," he said. "But fewer Americans know transgender people that way at this point, and that presents an opening that opponents of transgender rights can exploit."

[suzifrommd]

"My sense is that we are 20 years behind the mainstream gay and lesbian movement in terms of public understanding," said Michael Silverman, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund.

"I see a lessening of anti-gay rhetoric as the American people get to know gays and lesbians," he said. "But fewer Americans know transgender people that way at this point, and that presents an opening that opponents of transgender rights can exploit."

This bothers me.

There's kind of what's-good-for-the-goose-is-good-for-the-gander attitude about trans rights - that the best way to achieve them is to follow the gay rights script.

I don't think it will work that way. There aren't enough of us that will ever be out for everyone to know one. Many of us are stealth or semi-stealth, and understandably simply want to live as any other member of our true gender.

I think our best hope is education. The more people know about transgender, the less likely ignorance will cloud their judgment. This also may require more scientific study about transgender, since it helps to have scientifically provable facts when making statements.

Unfortunately, we as a community have done a terrible job of educating people. We've basically outsourced that task to mass media who are happy to exploit us as an attention getting tool.

[Sammy]

I could not agree more with this. Here it is pretty much the same, except, LGB still struggle with issues You have overcome already. Yet, those are LGB which are active on the scene (because T prefer to remain stealth...) and having spoken with LGB leaders and spokesperson - it is apparent that they have no clue about needs and issues which T are facing.
And it is so because..
- sexual orientation is not gender identity - same approach wont work for both kinds;
- T remains stealth and wont communicate with LGB. It is amazing that every time the LGBT NGO would conduct a meeting for T community, about 4-5 persons would show up, 3 of them being supporters and "curious to learn more", the remaining person will identify as "queer", whereas in fact is considering herself to be non-binary because she is asexual. WTF??? Gender identity, anyone?

This week it was announced that another online T-support group will be closed because of lack of interest and participants .

[Eva Marie]

I see it as a generational thing. My kids and their friends are FAR more accepting than say someone from my parent's generation. As the elderly pass on and their kids grow up I think that transgender people will be accepted by society more and more. My own kids had very little trouble accepting that their dad is a transsexual; they understand what happened in my life and they love me for the person that I am. My oldest daughter has lots of friends that are gay and she thinks that people should be with whoever makes them happy.

And Suzi has a point too - education is key. A lot of people's perspective comes from the media and perhaps Jerry Springer. When they encounter a real live transsexual in life and then get to know us that perspective generally changes. It is a chance to educate people about us, which will spread far and wide.

Of course there are those that cannot be swayed from their bigotry and that's a shame.