You know something that I never forget? Whether or not someone is gay, lesbian, or trans. If a friend, or a friend-of-a-friend takes the time out of their day to personally let me know that they'd like to be addressed a certain way, I always make sure to honor that indirect request. But, being of the non-transitioning variety, I and people like myself, don't always get the same treatment.
- "What are you again?"
- "Are you even in the LGBT community?"
- "I dont think you'd understand, because you're not transitioning."
- "What's the point of using male pronouns if you're never going to transition?"
- "What's the point of calling yourself trans if you like guys? (Yes. This was a REAL question.)"
These are all things I hear daily, and while I usually react in a very calm, laid back fashion, I can't help but wonder why these people, some of which are transitioning themselves, would ever think to openly, and blatantly disrespect someone else's gender identity.
I know they don't forget, because when you're in the trans community, you don't forget. When someone tell you "hey, My name is Aaron, and I go by 'He'", you don't forget. That person becomes your brother, and there's a bond that's forged. Or, at least that's always been how I felt about other trans guys.
People don't always understand me, and usually I'm fine with that, but when it's one of "our own", It burns a little, and annoys me to no end. Not enough to anger me, but just enough to make me only want to hang around other trans guys (The majority of the people that made comments were (trans & cis) women. The others were cis gay men).
Has anyone else felt this, as a pre-op, or non-op trans guy?
