Despite not seeking it out, I wake up to hate speech, I stumble upon hate speech all day, I go to bed after looking at hate speech that I’m too exhausted to process. Then I have a nightmare. Every day. Over and over.
When I tell people this, their advice is that I should exclude myself from things and spaces and pretend it’s not happening. I should “just” get a different job.
This is not good advice and only further isolates me from even the people who aren’t spewing outright hatred about us.
@ryanhoulihan felt this. Plus it feels like half the time, the spaces I go to to try and get away from hate speech are still talking about it. It feels never ending. iv that's just the internet tho
This post is not inviting anyone cis to give me advice (or honestly any response beyond voicing support). I also do not want your pity or your aphorisms.
Just hear me and help us fix this, on your own, without asking for recognition or reward. Without patting yourself on the back. Without thinking it will give you special insight.
Or, every once in a while, just post something uplifting to or that you like about Trans people. Promote our work. Arm us with money. Stop buying Harry Potter crap.
@ryanhoulihan yes exactly, people somehow still don't understand that minorities who have to endure constant exposure to hatred of us & our people suffer both mentally & physically after a lifetime of such exposure. It was part of what finally made me drop Meta, other than being drowned in ads: i couldn't continue participating on an online platform that so obviously prioritizes & protects hate speech, on top of the regular daily hate sentiment I see & hear IRL. It literally affects my health.
@ryanhoulihan@PallasRiot you saying "insight" reminds us of a similar expectation we get as a non-white person: "since you have magic indigenous culture i can only defer to your superior insight" as if we have anything more insightful than besides "stop being systemically racist to us", as if it's on us to bring the enlightenment
@ryanhoulihan First, this really reminded me of being a young queer guy in the 80s and being frustrated by straight people who made supportive noises but didn't speak up when it mattered. Even in a very progressive place then (Boston) it was rage inducing. One mark coming out in the middle of AIDS left on me was feeling like one could never fully trust the straights because they'd always have their safe place to run to. Not saying this was good or fair but after enough funerals, oh well.
@ryanhoulihan 2nd, I try to never be that sort of unreliable ally. I probably fail sometimes. But I'm by apalled by gay people who ask "what does trans have to do with us?" I mean, how do you form a queer identity and not figure that out? How do you not see those connections? Are people just sleepwalking through life? I don't know.
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