Stop dehumanising trans people

Photo by Julio Lopez: https://www.pexels.com/photo/traditional-mexican-day-of-the-dead-portrait-34424686/

Over the last three years I have written extensively about trans rights, trans lives, and how the world has shifted towards trans exclusionary policies. It is not news that since 2015 globally trans people have faced a growing storm of legislative and judicial rolling back of rights gained over the previous 20 years. Nor is it news that much of this has been championed by right wing media and social media content designed to framed trans women as sexual predators and trans men as victims of the patriarchy. In short this has dehumanised trans people, stripped them of basic dignity, and reshaped trans people as an existential threat to normative society.

Stating that trans rights are under attack feels redundant to the point of banality at this point. There are only so many times you can stand up and state trans women are women and gender critical talking points are right wing propaganda. Now my position has hardened. I have never advocated for a negotiated settlement between trans people and cisgender society that frames trans people as separate but equal members of society as that way apartheid lies.

I do not agree with Brianna Wu’s moderate middle of the road stance that cozying up to the far right will stop the rot. Trans assimilation and gate keeping was instituted at a time when trans people were seen as a problem requiring normative solutions, and as such…