You must have probably known that the LGBTQi+ community is a large one, comprising homosexuals and other variations of individuals. Most of which have taken time to understand their gender, outside the one assigned at birth. It is worth noting that before the concept of the LGBTQ community can begin to make sense to you, you must have taken your time to understand the concept of sexual orientation and gender identity. Once you fully understand this concept, it becomes easier to understand what the LGBTQi+ community has been fighting for and against.
One of the fragments of the LGBTQi+ community is the transgender people. They are male transgender people and female transgenders. However, for the sake of this content, we’d be focusing on trans women. Don’t be surprised that you might have met one, maybe on trans live cam or cam sites, where she might have probably performed a striptease for you. They are practically everywhere. However, it might take a step closer before you know they are trans.
Who is a trans woman?
In a nutshell, a trans woman is one who was assigned a male at birth. So, basically, after sexual orientation and other factors, she now has a female gender identity. Depending on what she feels like, she can complete transition, which would have to mean sex reassignment to resolve gender dysphoria. Depending on what she feels or her sexual relationship, she can be homosexual, queer, heterosexual, asexual, or bisexual. Irrespective of the one she chooses, she is to be respected and treated the same way others are treated, not as a confused human.
Ignorance and hypocrisy affect how we view sexual orientation and gender identities even in this 21st century. Most times, you’d be surprised at what other individuals would say about you immediately they find out you are a transgender. Most of them would even call you names right at your face, on your legal definition of yourself.
Why should transgenders be respected in society?
If you feel alone need to be respected because you are heterosexual, you are totally wrong. Here are some of the reasons why trans women and transgenders should be respected.
They are human too:
Immediately, someone identifies as a gender opposite to the one assigned at birth; the person becomes less human to most individuals. This shouldn’t even be debated. She hasn’t done anything to make you feel less of yourself; why should you make her feel less of herself? She’s as human as you probably are, even more human. There’s no correlation between identifying as a woman and being irresponsible or becoming less human. So, you should accord all transgenders the same respect you give others because they are as human as humans can be. Because she’s identifying as something, you don’t believe in doesn’t give you the advantage of being cocky to her or being inhuman. This shows the level of understanding and maturity some individuals have of the LGBTQi+ community.
She’s taking a bold step some aren’t willing to take:
From another point of view, you need to respect transgenders because not everybody wants to face the truth about their sexuality. Some individuals know they aren’t the same with the gender assigned to at birth, but have refused to air their opinion. Some suffer in silence, wishing they are living the lives other transgenders live. While this is going on, you need to respect those who have found their new sexuality and aren’t timid to identify as it. It takes courage to identify different from the gender assigned at birth! You should think more about it and take a stance!
Everyone is entitled to their opinion:
Society is slowly becoming a place where people have an opinion of what you should do, how you should do it and why you should do it and want their opinions about you to stand! It doesn’t work that way and should be like that. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. For one as delicate as sexual relationships and gender identity, no one should shame another because of a decision they take for their personal life. Respecting transgenders shouldn’t be up for debate, but the label transgender has become a stigma alongside other labels in the LGBTQi+ community. This is one of the reasons why society is becoming hateful. You don’t know who truly has your back, as some persons are ready to beat you up for identifying as a transgender. A decision that you made for yourself and not for society.
