#ProtectGNCPeople

[angelicactorres]

Transgender = Death Sentence

*Please don't just "like" this post...Kindly share it and/or comment below on your thoughts, feelings, opinions, etc. I'd love to hear from you and would greatly appreciate your willingness to advocate for trans and gender non-conforming people.* There's an astronomical price that we trans people (especially trans women of color) pay to live openly and authentically...the costs are our lives. We are being brutally assaulted, harassed, raped and murdered. We cannot carry this burden alone. We need our cisgender heterosexual, gay, lesbian and bisexual allies/friends to openly support us and fight with us, not just behind closed doors. Calling yourself an ally while being complicit in the overwhelming pain we endure does not in fact make you an ally. It merely makes you another privileged cisgender individual unwilling to defend us whilst being submerged and drowning in the vile hatred and transphobia violently thrown at us. If one of your boys casually throws the word "tranny" around when he comes into contact with a visibly trans person, I implore you to correct him and respectfully ask him to not use that derogatory word. If your homegirl yells "That's a man!" as a visibly trans female is harmlessly walking down the street, I kindly ask you to hold your friend accountable for her transphobia and take a moment to educate her. In fact, take every opportunity you possibly can to educate those that are uneducated and ignorant towards transgender and gender non-conforming people. I say this to my gay, lesbian and bisexual friends as well because you know damn well transphobia runs rampant within the community. I've been called a "hard back man", "faggot" and "dude" by people within our own community. There are so very little safe spaces for trans and gender non-conforming people in the entire world. Imagine, just for a moment, being terrified of walking outside your door because you run the risk of being killed simply for existing in the world...every single day of your life. When I was in nightlife and living "stealth", I witnessed a great deal of transphobia. Promoters calling trans women "trannies", trans women being denied entry into a club only because of being trans. The latter happened to me personally, many years ago. A promoter (whom I will not say his name, however most of my friends in nightlife do know who this person is) Googled me and came across an article I was interviewed for on behalf of The Ali Forney Center. The interview centered around the wonderful homeless youth services I utilized at 21 years old when I was homeless for a 2nd time. It chronicled the abuse I endured at home, in school and in the streets. One would hope that after reading the article that the promoter would have a heart and show some compassion and empathy. Instead, he went from being a friend that would welcome me with open arms and embracing me the moment he saw me to physically pushing me away when I'd go in for a hug to say hello. He then proceeded to out me to my immediate friends in nightlife, the doorman of my then favorite club (Upstairs) and had me banned from Upstairs. I was mortified, devastated and felt utterly betrayed beyond belief. I've said this before and I will continue to say it, trans and gender non-conforming people are in desperate need of your help, friendship and allyship. For those of you that know me, know my heart and accept me for all that I am...I humbly thank you. Some of you (to the best of your knowledge) may have been under the impression that you'd never met a trans person before. Some of you casually threw around harmful words like "tranny" and "transvestite" referring to visibly trans people right in front of me, unbeknownst to you that a trans female was sitting among you. I forgive you all for this...I honestly do. But it would mean the world to me if you spoke up more on our behalf. To stop transphobia when you witness it. To step in if you see a trans person being physically attacked...please don't just stand there with your phones in your hands recording the assault when at any moment that trans person could die right in front of your eyes. Please, for the love of everything we hold sacred and true, help us...embrace us...get to know us.

#TransIsBeautiful #Transgender #GirlsLikeUs #TransLivesMatter #TransWomen #TransMen #ProtectTransPeople #ProtectGNCPeople #ProtectTransYouth #GNC #GNB #LGBT #LGBTCommunity #MeToo #BelieveSurvivors #HeavyBurden #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #Depression #Anxiety #PTSD #Suicide #Peace #Love #Darkness #Light #Sadness #Joy #IWantToBeLoved #LoveIsLove