In light of today's NYT article on the impending legal threat to transgender protections, I want to ask you to think about something.

What is your vision for our community?

There are a multitude of identities and expressions within our community. And I have been growing more uncomfortable that we too often have other people speaking for us. Even when they are "on our side," we have developed a sort of reliance on the medical, legal, and celebrity communities (trans and non-trans) to put out their ideas and theories that decide how we are seen and treated in society.

Can we unify? Can we become one and speak for ourselves? Could we perhaps come up with a singular vision, common goals, an organization that represents all of us in an accurate and fair way?

I know we have wonderful agencies and groups like the HRC, National Center for Transgender Equality, etc. But I feel that we have more responsibility to make ourselves heard as a body, not as scattered opinions and thoughts and desires and emotions.

I hope this comes off in the way I intend it. I love every single person in my community, even the many I've never met. But is there a way to become more connected? And with that connection, affect change for our own rights and existence, as well as humanity at large?

I am not a hundred percent sure of a way we can all be connected more but I completely agree with you we at this time with everything going on need to unify and then one loud clear voice let them know how we feel what were thinking and that we're not going to change just because they don't like us fact of the matter is we're happy and if I have to if this really goes through with Trump doing what he's doing I'm moving to Canada at least they got some common sense up there.

I do Wonder however what if we circulated a petition or made an online petition of some sort and if everybody here signed it I'm sure that it would help our cause

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Hello DS1987

Obviously I am from UK but I think the Vision should hopefully be the same worldwide perhaps with minor amendments for cultural or political reasons. I would think US and UK should closely align on the Vision.

IMO the Vision should be to gain full acceptance of you we are, freedom to live as we wish to, equal rights, support when needed and overall a greater appreciation that diversity is good for society.

The ways to achieve that are, by those of us that have the time and ability, to campaign and for education at each school level of the Transgender subject.

The obstacles we have to overcome and correct in time and, please forgive me if you think it is different in US to UK, include but are not limited to the following:

1. Transgender is matter of Gender Identity and not of sexual orientation which a completely different subject. (We may be attracted to same gender or opposite gender or both or neither).

2. Transgender is a misalignment of body to the mind and we wish to realign the body (whether by clothes and/or HRT and/or surgeries).

3. Transgender is not a choice of lifestyle or a choice in itself.

4. We need to promote the scientific evidence of Transgender being a characteristic we are born with.

5. We need to promote the psychiatric evidence that we may know we are Transgender as a child or as a youth or at any stage of adulthood - essentially any age 2-92. Also we may realize "with hindsight".

6. It appears to me that Traditional Christian groups are at least tolerant of us which could improve admittedly, but we must confront with delicate persuasion and tact the Evangelical wing of Christianity that sees us a grave sinners. We need to inform them that God knows we are Transgender and that God supports medical intervention in general and that God loves everyone equally whether cis or trans.

Hope this helps and Yes I know the campaign/education/Vision takes time.

Hugs

Pamela

My vision for our community is to be boring. The gay and lesbian community used to be thought of being this weird thing...now it's considered pretty boring among most people. When we're boring, we've won.

In the meantime, however, we're probably going to need to be activists and educators.

Quote from: ds1987 on October 21, 2018, 03:21:10 PM
In light of today's NYT article on the impending legal threat to transgender protections, I want to ask you to think about something.

What is your vision for our community?

There are a multitude of identities and expressions within our community. And I have been growing more uncomfortable that we too often have other people speaking for us. Even when they are "on our side," we have developed a sort of reliance on the medical, legal, and celebrity communities (trans and non-trans) to put out their ideas and theories that decide how we are seen and treated in society.

Can we unify? Can we become one and speak for ourselves? Could we perhaps come up with a singular vision, common goals, an organization that represents all of us in an accurate and fair way?

I know we have wonderful agencies and groups like the HRC, National Center for Transgender Equality, etc. But I feel that we have more responsibility to make ourselves heard as a body, not as scattered opinions and thoughts and desires and emotions.

I hope this comes off in the way I intend it. I love every single person in my community, even the many I've never met. But is there a way to become more connected? And with that connection, affect change for our own rights and existence, as well as humanity at large?

Churches, mosques, and temples are bombed. Genocide occurs around the world. Handicapped and vulnerable people are routinely attacked. Sexual slavery is rampant. The odds of our community taking a common stance for good is as slim as all of these other problems disappearing. I know it sounds pessimistic, but change happens at a snails pace. We can instill tolerance and respect in the next generation, but we can only hope that it takes.

Like you, I love everyone in our community. But there is much left to be learned.

Hugs, Devlyn

I rest my case. This is how our community treats each other.

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,241765.msg2187073.html#msg2187073