Standing up for a vulnerable minority
Transgender persons have oftentimes encountered bias and discrimination because transgender identities challenge deeply held beliefs about a gender binary, especially in western societies like the United States (Blair, 2018). But the current wave of hostility and oppression is unprecedented, the result of an intense, highly orchestrated campaign.
Politicians and others in positions of power are targeting transgender persons and actively spreading lies and misinformation about them, capitalizing on the discomfort some people have around transgender identities. They also falsely depict transgender persons as actively trying to recruit persons into their ranks and undermine society by spreading so-called radical gender ideology.
The depiction of transgender persons as threatening is highly ironic, given that they are a small and highly vulnerable minority within the U.S. population. Fewer than 1 percent of Americans identify as transgender, and, like most people, transgender persons are just human beings trying to live their lives as best they can. Most transgender persons do what they can to stay under the radar to the extent that is possible, especially in the face of hatred and aggression such as they are now experiencing.
Current scare tactics also ring hollow because transgender persons have always been with us—so why are they only now being depicted as such as threat? While transgender persons have always existed, they are more visible today than in the past. This increased visibility is driven by factors like more open discussions about gender identity, increased media representation, and the internet's role in connecting and empowering transgender individuals.
That said, it is critical to recognize that transgender persons’ increased visibility has not translated inevitably into the current wave of hostility and persecution. Rather than support a vulnerable minority by helping to increase understanding, politicians and others in positions of leadership have actively stoked fear while implementing discriminatory laws and policies, with devastating results for transgender persons in our country today.
Now more than ever, we need to be vigilant in arming ourselves with fact-based information to fight back. Inaccurate and destructive lies are resulting in real harm every day for the LGBTQ+ community and transgender persons especially. Join identiversity in combatting disinformation and promoting real learning and understanding in our country.
References:
Blair, Karen L. (2018, September 24). What Precisely Do Transgender People Threaten? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inclusive-insight/201809/what-precisely-do-transgender-peopl...
Dee
Who is Dee?
Gender Identity
Our core sense of who we are as a man, a woman, a mixture of both, or neither.
Gender Expression
How we show up in the world through choices like clothing, hair style, mannerisms or tone of voice.
Attraction
How we feel toward others sexually, romantically and/or emotionally.
Biological Sex
Physical attributes such as reproductive organs and genitalia, chromosomes, genes and hormone levels.
Explore More
Dig deeper into research findings on why some cisgender people feel threatened by transgender men and women.