There is so much hardship, pain, grief and oppression we as trans people face. Sometimes it seems that no matter where we turn, the only image we see representing us (in movies, books, articles, etc.) is the hardship and the death. What can be lost is a message that’s also important: we endure this suffering for a reason.
We stand up to bullies for a reason.
We speak up and tell the truth – even when it’s terrifying – for a reason.
We risk transition and gender nonconformity in a society that punishes trans people for a reason.
That reason is sometimes lost, misrepresented, stereotyped and/or purposely erased and so, over on our FaceBook page, we asked the question, “What are the top 3 things you like about being trans?” This sparked many interesting responses.
Here’s a few:
Being able to see the truth of things so many cannot see
Being free to express myself as me and in doing so help liberate others
Having the opportunity to fight one of the noblest and most righteous battles in the fight for equality for all.
The first thing that comes to mind is the friends I’m making inside the community. Like most people, I feel the impetus to want to fit in with others, but I also feel unique and want to express my uniqueness. The truth is one can’t be both just like everyone else and unique. I am learning to embrace the uniqueness that being trans gives me. And, like several others on here have said, I do enjoy that I understand things about human behavior that others lacking this perspective don’t and maybe can’t.
1. transformative friendships with people who have similar life experiences.
2. the opportunity to analyze how privilege affects everyday life (people treat me in very different ways depending on how I’m perceived)
3. when my voice cracks, I’m happy about it instead of embarrassed
1. Being myself
2. Not feeling suicidal
3. Finding out who my real friends are
1. It is unlikely I would have ever deconstructed concepts of gender and sex without my identity as it is (even though thinking critically about these topics is something everyone should do at some point).
2. understanding who I am feels better than when I did not know what was going on or how to describe it.
3. Being trans + gay was the impetus for going into LGBT studies and sex education fields in school, completely altering the course of my education and career path for the better.
Another thing is that I think I view other’s pain more deeply. I know how much of mine has been buried for so long, it makes me appreciate that everyone is going through more than we can see.
3) Being part of an exciting and vital group of people who are exploring new conceptions of gender and sexuality; as well as coming to fresh understandings of how we fit into the older models.
2) Living an authentic life. As an artist, Truth is important to me. It is the center of everything I do.
1) My new body! I LOVE my body!!!
Although I identify as, “Intersex”, I suppose that in a way I could be called, “trans” as well, so… top 3:
Having a better understanding about what other, “minorities” go through in my society; having the trust of many people who are usually not trusting, because I usually have more to lose than they do if I “outed” them or shared their, “secrets” and they wanted to get revenge; having had an unbelievable/unique/atypical life.
Here are a few sites that predominantly focus on the reason we do what we do:
Conway’s Successful MTF and Successful FTM pages
Do you know of other sites that should be noted? If so, be sure to add them in the comment section.
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