With our cousins in America once again voting in Donald Trump and our own government struggling to make contentious decisions, it is becoming increasingly difficult for transgender people of all backgrounds to stay out of the political “noise.” From my work with transgender individuals, it is clear that the current discourse is negatively affecting the mental health of the community. If it’s not the “most powerful man in the world” spouting anti-trans rhetoric, then the media often amplifies statements by figures like J.K. Rowling. But what is this all about?
In my opinion, it’s simple: divide and conquer. The wealthy and powerful know that if they can make the general populace fearful of something—real or imagined—they can act with impunity, furthering their own agendas. How can a trans person be expected to live under these conditions? Unfortunately, in the U.S., trans people are increasingly being singled out as social pariahs, and it doesn’t seem far-fetched to imagine them seeking political asylum in the near future. For UK residents, the situation is somewhat brighter. Although the media perpetuates a lot of rhetoric, the general public doesn’t seem to have strong opinions on transgender issues. Most people are too absorbed in their own lives to be concerned with how someone presents or what their pronouns are. The biggest challenge here is a lack of understanding.
I recently had an experience that highlighted this difference. On a night out with my cisgender girlfriend, we went dancing at the Fleece and Firkin in Bristol, where the theme for the evening was 80’s music—definitely not a “Trans” event. Among the crowd, there were around 8 to 10 trans women, ranging in age from their 30s to 70s. What stood out most to me that night was how we were treated: we were simply people out for a good time. We didn’t attract special attention, there were no hateful comments, no unwanted stares, no pushing or jostling. In fact, one of the most striking things was the absence of any remarks about how brave or courageous we were. It was just… ordinary.
A big thank you to the residents of Bristol for making us feel accepted and encouraging trans people to live their lives without unnecessary interference.