Thread by @emlfc, It was very helpful of Elliot Page to remind the world that [...]

It was very helpful of Elliot Page to remind the world that trans people are under attack & to say unequivocally that they love being trans & queer in the same breath. I don’t know how often most cis people see those 2 statements side by side. & I think it’s important.

Often when cis people wanna initiate a conversation about my gender, they assume it’s an internal struggle. They assume I’d prefer not to ~feel~ my gender as something other than they perceive it as. Perhaps they even wanna save me from that feeling by logicking me out of it.

Well-meaning cis (often straight, but not always) folks love to ask “why put a label on yourself?”

& it’s the same reason those same people inevitably use words to describe themselves — heritage or hometown or faith or family.

Because I belong. & I want to claim & be claimed.

It’s important for cis people to understand what’s scary & alienating for trans people. How colonization has spent hundreds of years trying to erase the evidence that we have a place in this world. The extra threats BIPOC trans people often face just going about their lives.

Movements towards justice for marginalized people are often built on the sharing of tragedies & horror stories, demonstrations of the injustice of the status quo. We’ll probably always need to keep those in circulation, lest we forget.

But in a world where so many want to talk us out of being trans altogether (& resort to taking life-saving medicine from children when talking doesn’t deter us), I want cis people to hear more about #TransJoy.

So here’s some of my #TransJoy. I’d love to hear yours.

In my 30s, I finally enjoy pictures of myself, including pictures from my misgendered youth. I can finally see myself in my own image.

& that is well worth whatever fuss others put up about how they perceive me.

If I could transmit to you the space that opened up inside me when I stopped feeling disappointed in what I felt as failure to be beautiful as a woman or handsome as a man, & looked at myself as myself, & thought “damn”?

That’s #TransJoy, baybeeee.

When a friend tells me they’ve found new happiness in a set of pronouns that actually fits?

#TransJoy shared is trans joy increased.

& cis people can get in on this one too, if you were starting to feel left out. All you gotta do is hi 5 & call them what they wanna be called.

When a minister friend at church, when I was in an in between zone of gender-outness, said “I try to pay attention to how people refer to themselves & reflect that back. I’ve noticed you don’t use gender to describe yourself. How would you like me to refer to you?”

#TransJoy

When my friend Josh tapped me on the shoulder after reading this part of a poem from my zine and said, "I see him, buddy. I see him, you know?"

#TransJoy

(cw: f-slur in the poem)

When somebody who's known about my pronouns for ages & who I assumed just never intended to try suddenly snaps into place & starts using them every time they refer to me. #TransJoy

When you're broke & against all odds you find a pair of shoes at the thrift store that fits you *&* fits you. #TransJoy

WHEN YOU FIGURE OUT A SWIMWEAR SITUATION THAT DOESN'T MAKE YOU WANT AN INVISIBILITY CLOAK TOWEL #TransJoy

The 1st time somebody referred to me as trans & I was like, "oh hey yea that is me." #TransJoy

(it was @TefferBear

)

When a cis friend reaches out to me privately because a young person they know is trans & they're concerned or confused & then later I see/hear about that kid thriving & their family (born, chosen, or both) supporting them. #TransJoy

Assuming I was going to have to have an awkward confessional convo about my gender feels with my childhood best friend at some point & instead, after years not seeing each other in person, she just showed up & got it instantly, like she kinda knew all along. #TransJoy

COMFY PERIOD BOXER BRIEFS #TransJoy

Talking to my ex like, "so I use they/them pronouns now" & they're like "yeah cool me too." #TransJoy

Another ex, who is cis & has mostly identified as a straight man, making space for my unclear gender during our relationship, & later, when I gained clarity about not being a woman, freely acknowledging that this means he's not exclusively attracted to women. #TransJoy

Gosh, there's just so many things. I know this thread might seem self-indulgent, cuz it is. I'm okay with that. For years, 1 big thing that held me back from fully claiming transness was that I knew it would bring me JOY & I didn't know if that was allowed.

#TransJoy is allowed! You do not need a permit! It's cool news for everybody! It's fun! It's healing! It's glorious! It's blessed! It's necessary!

Thank you for telling the whole wide world you love being trans, @TheElliotPage. It's a delightful & important thing to say.

Latest Threads Unrolled: