This can be someone in your personal life, a celebrity, fictional character, etc.
I am not trans. When I was growing up there was a woman in my community that was trans. She was so accepting and she was a very warm and loving person. She was nice to me and she treated me like I mattered to the earth. I think of her so many times through the years. I am in my 60s now and she left a bright mark in my life. She gave me a sense of belonging on a big scale.
That’s beautiful. We need more people like her in the world.
Oh we really do. She made me feel so important that I still feel her in my heart today. She was not a family friend just a beautiful soul out and about in this world.
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 a cis man, but I’ve been listening to Margaret Killjoy for a few years. Mostly because of her anarchist discussions, which are really great (plug for Live like the World is Dying, great podcast).
But she’s also very open about her status and has what seems like pretty sound advice for other trans people out there, particularly when it comes to defense and safety.
Pretty much any trans person I’ve met here on Blåhaj Lemmy.
You’ve all been so understanding, compassionate, helpful and supportive with my stories over on mtf, you are all the good things I strive to be
🥰
