March 31st is International Transgender Day of Visibility, a day dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of the discrimination that they face. I have a Facebook friend who is transitioning and I have been following her posts as she describes the physical changes as well as practical matters such as legally changing her name. In short, I am inspired by her path to becoming her authentic self.
I am part of the boomer generation and she is a millennial, so the process of transitioning is more commonplace than when I was her age. The societal barriers are coming down as the understanding of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation is increasing. I am a cisgender, heterosexual male and strive to be an LGBTQ+ ally and I am learning a lot of new terminology. Here is a quick guide for those who seek to understand the spectrum of gender and sexuality.
Gender identity starts in the brain and most of us experience a good fit with the gender assigned to us at birth. We accept the gender roles that society has established and are not conflicted about gender expression. But for others, these roles don’t feel quite right and they struggle with gender dysphoria. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to make the decision to transition.
I admire the courage of my Facebook friend and appreciate her first person account. There is so much discrimination, including physical danger, against trans people. Fortunately my friend lives in an area where there is greater acceptance of LGBTQ+ folx and I am inspired as she talks about the burden that has been lifted as she is able to live according to her true gender expression.
Some people object to the gender expression of trans people on religious grounds. Here is a beautiful cartoon that expresses a compassionate answer.
Equity - Environment - Economic Justice 