Try to gauge the level of danger you're in. Unfortunately, existing as trans in the world forces us to prepare for these contingencies both mentally and materially. Often, when a cis person “clocks” us (realizing that we're trans), it's followed with an expression of disgust or a threat. Passing's primary utility is in keeping us safe from various forms of violence, whether physical, economic, or emotional. How do I handle getting aggressively misgendered or clocked as trans in the moment, though? If that leads you away from “passing,” it's nobody's business but your own. Your only responsibility with your gender presentation is to seek beauty and happiness within yourself. “If we eliminate the pressure to pass,” writes Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore in the introduction to her anthology Nobody Passes: Rejecting the Rules of Gender, “what delicious and devastating opportunities for transformation might we create?” To oppose that pressure is to knock another brick out of the gendered walls which close us in. This can be especially poignant if you don't experience certain types of dysphoria, or do so only lightly if you're transfeminine and think your beard shadow is actually kinda cute, why spend time and money on shaving or electrolysis? But you don't have to revel in the blurriness of gender to be simply uninterested in cisnormative standards of presentation. As I'm sure my fellow theater queers will affirm, mixing up a fresh cocktail of gender performance can bring with it some of the most intense euphoria ever observed by science, and “blending in” in contrast can seem like a real drag (honestly, no pun intended). But slotting yourself into all kinds of binary gender norms can also be stifling. Love and solidarity forever.“Passing” in the context of being trans is to be read and treated as a cis member of your gender, and it's something that's very important for a lot of people's safety and mental health. Happy international day of trans visibility to all of the trans community. Our committee member J has created a TDOV ally guide which you can find below, and which links to further resources. Visibility means different things to different people, and if you’re not part of the transgender community yourself, the best thing you can do is listen to those who are. Today, trans people all over the world will continue to live their lives as normal, and they deserve to be visible as they do so. ITDOV is not just for big changes in the law or in healthcare. But today, ITDOV, is a day to recognize these milestones and those who have helped make them happen. These are all basic rights, and things that activists shouldn’t have to be fighting for. In January 2019, hate speech based on transgender identity became illegal in Sweden, a legal third gender option became available in Germany and in New York City, and NYC also enacted legal gender changes without medical or psychological requirements. Looking more globally, as of June 2018, transgender identity is no longer classified as a ‘mental disorder’ in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), which should make it easier for trans people to access healthcare. The results also became available for the consultation around the Scottish version of this act, with 60% of respondents supporting a self-declaratory system of gender recognition. In the time since March 31 st last year, the UK government opened a public consultation to reform the Gender Recognition Act, which will hopefully make it faster and easier for transgender and non-binary people to obtain legal gender recognition. We want to highlight positive events and celebrate the trans community. Trans rights are human rights.īut while the fight for trans rights continues, on this day particularly we’d like to focus on recent progress. While the situation in the UK may be better than in some other countries, the recent efforts to stop education on LGBT+ issues in schools and the proliferation of transphobic rhetoric – particularly online – show that the UK is far from innocent of transphobia and discrimination. Trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people face all kinds of challenges in different regions, from legal discrimination to physical violence. It’s a day for celebrating our trans siblings and recognizing and raising awareness of the discrimination that they face all over the world. The 31 st of March is International Transgender Day of Visibility. Blog by Jennie Joy, Rainbow Network Committee Member
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