Why are there people who hate us?

[CosmicJoke]

Hi everyone. I've posted some threads like this in the past. I think the outage wiped them out so I thought I would make a new one.
This is just my opinion but I think the world would be a much less interesting place if there was no transgender people. This is why I don't understand where the hate from people comes from at all.
What I would like to know is where you think it comes from? Any additional thoughts would be appreciated!

[Jessica_Rose]

People are afraid of us because they don't understand us, we don't fit into their view of the world. Instead of trying to learn about us, they turn their ignorance into anger and hate. They don't / can't understand us, so they decide it's best to stay away from us, or get rid of us.

'Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.' - Yoda

While hate tries to tear us apart, love is the force that binds us together.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[imallie]

A few things you need to remember:

The "hate" comes from a vocal minority, most of whom are using the issue solely to raise their own profile and/or put money in their pockets through fear-based grifts.

Secondly, the hate itself is focused on the "otherness" of trans people. "They're not like us, so we hate what's different." Is their mantra.  It's an easy knee-jerk reaction off of which to play.

But lastly, and most importantly - they do not hate YOU or US. They hate the IDEA of you or us. It's much easier to be scared of or express negative emotions towards a group or person with whom you have no personal connection.

Many of these so-called haters (those not profiting from the grift, anyway) would likely feel differently if they met or knew a trans person, or better yet had one in their life or family.

That's my take anyway.

Love,
Allie

[LoriDee]

I agree that it is based on ignorance. They are too focused on themselves to try to understand anything outside their bubble. I may be off, but election years always bring out the worst while politicians posture for money and votes. It will be interesting to see if the anti-trans fervor continues after the elections.

In my lifetime, I have seen this same hatred against blacks, Latin Americans, Vietnamese, and those who are gay (male and female, but mostly male). Through all of this, there have been those who are against women's rights as well. We are the new target. Every day I pray that "This too shall pass."

[Faith]

One other scenario that I'd like to put forth  ..

The fear that they are, or might be, one of us drives them towards hate. The fact that we are willing to embrace ourselves and they're afraid to do so.

In the homosexual side, recall the news reports of how many strongly hateful homophobic people have been exposed soliciting that which they opposed so strongly.

Fear of self leads to hate of self leads to hating those that embody what they fear.

Who we are resonates with a part of themselves that they are denying

A few thoughts I have on the subject

[Katie Ellen]

Many of these so-called haters (those not profiting from the grift, anyway) would likely feel differently if they met or knew a trans person, or better yet had one in their life or family.

I have a brother, who fortunately lives more than 1,000 miles away from me, who is the reddest of red MAGA. I was the oldest and he was second. He's always been jealous of me. I was smarter, more athletic and more successful in life. I don't talk to him anymore, even though he doesn't know I'm trans. There are other reasons for that. He never will know, because I'm pretty sure he could physically hurt me if given the chance. This is hard enough without him in my life!

[Miharu Barbie]

I have no answers for such a huge question, though I've puzzled over this for decades. I think the question is much deeper than we imagine. I've read accounts of European invaders of the Americas who murdered gender non-conforming natives in the 1500s simply because they were gender non-conforming. I recently read that the Spanish invader Vasco de Balboa in 1513 murdered dozens and dozens of natives in Panama because they were born male but lived as women. Over time, the native cultures learned to hide and protect their gender non-conforming members from the wrath of murderous European invaders.

The hate we trans people face has roots that go back hundreds (maybe thousands) of years. If we want answers, we may have to dig deep into questions of patriarchy and religion and the particularly insidious form of insanity that makes one group of humans believe that they are superior to another random group of humans.

I think the larger question is, why do people hate at all? What is the evolutionary advantage to mastering the emotion of hate?

I wish I knew.

🫣
Miharu

[Iztaccihuatl]

I think it has to do with lots of people needing to feel superior than others. In order to feel good about themselves, they need to be able to look down on folks that are not like themselves. And many politicians, especially populist ones on either side are more than happy to fuel that sentiment and poor gasoline in the fire for selfish reasons. And with looking down on some groups there arises a perceived need to limit what that group is allowed to do.

Historically it has changed what that group is that is being looked down upon. Women, left-handed folks, Jews, Blacks, Asians, Latinos, homosexuals and now us, at some point in time they all shared the same treatment. Once the focus shifts away from us (and it will at some point), there will be another group that is in the center of being looked down upon and having their rights revoked.

[jamieh]

they hate their own lives and rather than face their issues head on (like we do) they lash out like toddlers. 

[imallie]

I have a brother, who fortunately lives more than 1,000 miles away from me, who is the reddest of red MAGA. I was the oldest and he was second. He's always been jealous of me. I was smarter, more athletic and more successful in life. I don't talk to him anymore, even though he doesn't know I'm trans. There are other reasons for that. He never will know, because I'm pretty sure he could physically hurt me if given the chance. This is hard enough without him in my life!

Katie Ellen - I'm so sorry to hear that.

I have a similar issue with my brother, to be honest. I have three older sisters who I am planning on telling in the coming weeks, but a younger brother who has basically shut himself off from the family in the last decade and his politics align with your brother's.

I too have no plans on telling him directly.

The thing is, how our brothers feel and/or act towards us? While it might be heightened by knowing of our transitions... it's not like it would be the CAUSE of it, right? That, sadly is a pre-existing condition.

They might have more sympathy for a stranger or someone else in their lives whom they encounter ... but not us, as there is just too much emotion and history there.

As I said, very sorry you've had to deal with all that.  😘

Love,
Allie