Yesterday, I wrote about violence against transfolk. It's not just the violence that scares me. What about the social stigma? Her own brother (the little brother, as I've mentioned previously her big brother has been great about this) is an ass about her transition. "I'll never call him E." Yeah, because that will make her magically turn into a boy. A friend of hers quit their (the friend's preferred pronoun) job due to things like being called "It."
She went to get a pair of glasses at LensCrafters. She used her new name, but was looking fairly masculine at the time. The optician kept stumbling over pronouns and had trouble with her order, when a supervisor asked if there was a problem, the clerk exclaimed, "I don't know how to deal with this thing!" E. was certain he meant her, not the computer. The supervisor wasn't mortified. I decided to mention the store because other transfolk and those who love them will probably want to avoid the chain. I wish I knew how to stop the bullies that appear everywhere.
She came out at work and people have, by and large, been supportive or indifferent. However, her employer refuses to send out any kind of memo about the name change and consequently, E. finds herself having to come out again and again. It isn't huge, but think about how stressful that would be.
It's a normal maternal reaction to want to protect your baby from everything unpleasant. We can't ~ but we desperately want to.
Hormone therapy is tough on the body. Continually taking estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer and blood clots. Taking a break from the hormones isn't an option because E. doesn't produce estrogen, no transwoman does.
Surgery is always risky ~ infections, complications from anesthesia and what if it's just botched? No, I'm not paranoid, not at all. The area of healthcare in which I work involves tremendously sick people, many of my patients have been people suffering the effects of healthcare.
Health care is problematic. Doctors sometimes do more harm than good. Sometimes the care isn't even available. Tyra Hunter died because she was transexual and denied emergency care. How is that even possible? What happened to the Hippocratic Oath?
The police are another issue. Those who've sworn to protect and serve often choose whom they'll protect and serve. Cops tend to be biased against the LBGT community, a problem Amnesty International refers to as Brutality in Blue. They routinely pick up transwomen for prostitution, just for the heck of it. They belittle transgendered crime victims.
In effort to provide information for you, Reader, I find myself learning things I'd rather not. There is so much ugly aimed our transgender loved ones . . .
The best weapon against ignorance is knowledge, arm yourselves. The best weapon against bigotry is openness ~ so open your heart, explain to "Archie Bunker" why his attitude is harmful and pray. Pray for the person(s) you love and pray that the haters hearts will be opened before they do any more harm.
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