Trans Visibility + Knowledge = Knockout Blow for Misinformation and Bigots
Where is the best source of knowledge and to learn about trans people? Look no further, ask a trans person!
Back when I was contemplating a journalism major in college, I wrote for my high school newspaper to get a taste of whether I would like it. (Mind you, I was in high school between the years of 1996–2000). In journalism, one key principle that you learn very early on is to always cite your sources.
So whenever there was inevitable chatter about a possible pop-up school pep rally…the ones that got us out of class for about two hours, it spread like wildfire via handwritten notes and via the bus ride to and from school or at lunch. Remember, this was back in the Stone Age where your rich friends might have had a cell phone but they were only allowed to use it after 9pm because you got 5000 minutes on nights and weekends and text messages were free after 9pm. (I am really dating myself with that reference!)
So whenever I heard whispers about this, I often had an inside source, our school librarian. It did not hurt that she was also the teacher for the journalism class who sat in on faculty meetings about the pep rallies. So she was my inside source when I wrote an article hyping up the pep rally and about confirmation of what day the pep rally would actually be. It was a win-win for both of us as I cited my anonymous source, and it being my teacher, it was never called into question, because I was always right.
So when you go looking for information about trans people, where do you go?
Some just use Google and its AI search engine, probably the fastest and easiest way to find out information. If you are an iPhone person, you would probably ask Siri. All those searches will probably lead to Reddit and a thread often called “AMA” which is a Reddit acronym for “Ask Me Anything.”
For me personally, this AMA approach is one that I have adopted right from the start of my transitioning journey. I was inspired to have this approach by a friend who had breast cancer. Very early on from her social media posts she made it clear that she was going to be 100% honest about what she was going through, the ups and downs… unfortunately there were far more downs than ups.
Ultimately and unbeknownst to her, the cancer spread to her other breast, and she had to have a double mastectomy and had complications that almost took her life. But sure enough, she kept her promise to be open and honest about the entire ordeal. She was posting from hospital beds with the cap and gown on and then literally would go into surgery and post immediately right after when she was able to. I found this to be extremely refreshing with her being open and honest about something so personal that a lot of other people would feel that it’s “none of your business”.
She and every trans person are more than welcome to say “it’s none of your business.” You have every right to say/feel that way and keep things private. Your life is not some reality television show for anyone’s entertainment.
For me though and as you can see from all the articles I have written to date, I have been open and honest about my entire journey. From the lows of dealing with family and complications from my own surgery (facial feminization surgery or FFS), to the highs of getting breast augmentation surgery and going to my first Pride Festival as my true self.
Whenever I meet a stranger at an event or a BBQ/dinner, I immediately let them know they can AMA. I know a lot of trans people get the inevitable question “Sooo… did you get the bottom surgery yet?” As if what is between my legs defines who I am, babe?
But no, I will not and will never be offended by that question no matter how many times I am asked it.
Why? Because what better source than the person who is living through that experience to answer that and, more importantly, any other questions they may have? If I rebuke that person like “Ughh, how dare you ask me that question!?!”…Do you think they would feel comfortable asking me any other questions? I think not.
I have often echoed throughout my articles that not only is Existence is Resistance (I wrote an article devoted to this here), but that I want to be a beacon of knowledge against all the misinformation / gossip / memes / and basically just plain old bigotry.
I hinted at it here and in my writings but the onus falls on trans people to educate the average person. I hate to say it, but would you rather have the average person get their information from Fox News, some right-wing fanatical religious website, or from you?
This is the point where I reiterate that it is completely fine to go stealth.
Not everyone is able to be open and honest given their family situation, their work situation, or what area they live in. That’s perfectly okay, because I and so many others will be the trans visibility for you and be the beacon of knowledge that someone needs to pass it on to the next person.
I want to be the cause of a massive trans-visibility-knowledge butterfly effect.
If just one of my right leaning friends knows me and has asked all their questions ad nauseum to me about being trans. They might be at their large family dinner some time and if they hear misinformation my hope is that they speak up and say “Hey my friend is trans and that is not even remotely true!”
Who knows the ripple effect that I could have but I know there is not chance of knowledge being passed on if I am not open and honest about my journey for my friend to speak up in the first place.
There is a meme that I shared a while back on social media and it’s quite profound…here it is:
Kinda makes you wonder why we don’t make the small changes now thinking it won’t affect the future, when in reality if everyone makes small little changes now they will amount to one big change. It also kinda makes you wonder why if a trans person is available and open and honest, why not go to the source? You could be the catalyst for a butterfly effect of your own.
So to recap, and to do a little proof, if Existence = Trans Visibility, then Trans Visibility = Resistance. Now let’s add to that equation Trans Visibility / Resistance + Knowledge = the Knockout Blow for Misinformation and Bigots. Got it?
All the Best!
Amber
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