I usually just mark this occasion with a pithy Facebook post, but gosh it’s been quite a year to be trans. More than ever, making space for community and trans joy is the most important form of activism I personally am involved in. Trans people don’t owe the world anything besides being in it and having a nice time, especially with each other where we know we are safe. It can sometimes feel like the world around us is burning, like cis folks are increasingly angry about our very existence, like it’s not safe to go outside (or online), but that’s never the summation of our lives.
By and large, trans folks don’t need advice for how to look after themselves in these trying times. We’re increasingly used to it, resigned to it, capable of supporting each other with one hand and fending off trolls with the other. If anything, I think we sometimes just need permission to take time off. We’re trans every day, but maybe some days that just means having a nice time. Maybe instead of trying to convince people who don’t want to be convinced that we deserve to live and be happy and healthy, we just hang out in safe company and do fun things.
For trans folks to be able to do this, we need allies. And, to be totally honest, it’s hard work to be a trans ally. You need information, you need grit, and you need practise. You need to care enough to be patient in the face of some very extreme ignorance. You need to be firm about your own morals, both about trans folks and other minorities. Transphobia has deep ties to white supremacy, ablism, and lots of other nasty things; we are often easy targets because of ignorance, and because there are too few of us to fight back. Make no mistake though, the ‘gender critical’ crowd have some scary skeletons in their closet. No wonder we’re all scared.
For allies, I’ve included a handful of links to short and well-written articles about a handful of hot button issues. For trans folks- please, look after yourselves as well as your friends. Come to the choir and have a wholesome sing-along. Go clubbing. Read a cosy book. Cook a nice meal. Feel free to just live your life as you like, where and when you can- it’s the very least we all deserve.
Three common anti-trans myths easily debunked by science
How to support your trans and non-binary colleagues beyond Trans Day of Visibility
London Trans Choir 