5 Easy Ways You Can Advocate for Trans Rights Right Now

[Omaha Steve]

X post in LGBT



http://www.care2.com/causes/5-easy-ways-you-can-advocate-for-trans-rights-right-now.html

Following the awful suicide of teenager Leelah Alcorn, seemingly because her family would not accept her trans identity, we’re all asking ourselves how we can make life better for trans teens. Fellow Care2 writers have already had some great thoughts on this, but I wanted to contribute some specific actions we can take today that are easy and could lead to meaningful change.

1. Stop Making Assumptions About Gender

Science tells us that gender and biological sex are not the same thing. Gender is an emergent characteristic that depends on a lot of different factors, including our brain chemistry and physiology. In order to ensure that we stop putting trans children in the incredibly perilous situation of having to discover that they aren’t what their parents were expecting, it seems much more prudent to simply stop setting gender expectations and thereby remove that pressure. Of course, because sex is used for certain official forms, we will have to use gender markers for some official practices, but this needn’t dominate a child’s life.

2. Let Trans Children Self-Identify

Media scrutiny has fallen on Alcorn’s parents for their treatment of the trans teen. Something that I’ve noticed is how they repeatedly refer to their “son” and how “he” was a beautiful child. Alcorn’s parents have consistently misgendered Alcorn, refusing to use female pronouns and honor how she identified due to their view of their own religion.

Allowing trans children to determine their own gender and express it how they wish is paramount to ensure that we respect their right to self-identify and ensure that they know we are there for them and support them.

3. Understand What Gender Dysphoria Actually Is

FULL story at link.

[petronius]

1. Informative and useful, thanks!