I’m older, and transitioned nearly a decade ago now. For me, the closest thing I have to role models are those trans folk that came before me, but held on to their pride in who they are. It’s so easy to get lost in anger and frustration, to feel ashamed for being who we are. When you lived through the AIDs crisis and the rampant queerphobia, transphobia and gatekeeping we were forced through, it takes a special effort to find and hold on to our positivity and share it with those that follow, and I’m forever thankful to every trans person before me that managed to do just that. They’re the folks that helped me overcome my own internal shame and pain.
For sure. Queer (and specifically trans) history has been erased and minimized for too long. It’s more than comforting to know that there were people who came before us, and we won’t be the last to come, either.
I recently came to a realization that I’ve been lied to via omission for the entirety of my life. The only thing I learned about the AIDS crisis in school was that it was a disease that primarily affected gay men but now everything’s fine because of PREP. Nobody ever told me about how it took gay activists fighting tooth and nail just to get the president to mention the word publicly, let alone do anything about it. I was never taught about stonewall. There’s still so much I don’t know.
Also, mad respect to you for being an elder trans person. It takes a very, very strong person to make it this far and face those things being hurled at you from externally and internally and still find the courage to live as yourself.
I’m older, and transitioned nearly a decade ago now. For me, the closest thing I have to role models are those trans folk that came before me, but held on to their pride in who they are. It’s so easy to get lost in anger and frustration, to feel ashamed for being who we are. When you lived through the AIDs crisis and the rampant queerphobia, transphobia and gatekeeping we were forced through, it takes a special effort to find and hold on to our positivity and share it with those that follow, and I’m forever thankful to every trans person before me that managed to do just that. They’re the folks that helped me overcome my own internal shame and pain.
For sure. Queer (and specifically trans) history has been erased and minimized for too long. It’s more than comforting to know that there were people who came before us, and we won’t be the last to come, either.
I recently came to a realization that I’ve been lied to via omission for the entirety of my life. The only thing I learned about the AIDS crisis in school was that it was a disease that primarily affected gay men but now everything’s fine because of PREP. Nobody ever told me about how it took gay activists fighting tooth and nail just to get the president to mention the word publicly, let alone do anything about it. I was never taught about stonewall. There’s still so much I don’t know.
Also, mad respect to you for being an elder trans person. It takes a very, very strong person to make it this far and face those things being hurled at you from externally and internally and still find the courage to live as yourself.