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It seems a lot of LGBT - and particularly trans - people are struggling with their mental health at the moment. This isn't surprising since, as we've seen, homo- and transphobia have, in some ways, been exacerbated by the pandemic.
[THREAD by a sociologist]
[THREAD by a sociologist]
We are certainly living through an intense moment in a struggle to define the normative boundaries of our society. Such struggles are continuous and on-going in any society, but often have moments of intensification around particular issues and certain groups of people.
When some people in a society attempt to redefine its normative boundaries, this involves attempts to make deviant and out-group certain individuals or groups of people. If this is successful, those people are held to be at the margins of society, and lie outside of what is...
...considered to be "normal". I certainly think that is what we are living through now in respect of "trans issues". There are some who - in a very uncoordinated way - wish to "monster" trans people, label them as deviant, and out-group them from "normal" society.
That sort of social process has, of course, been going on in the nations of the UK for centuries. LGBT people have been, by various means, castigated and pushed to the boundaries of society - and in many countries around the world still are, in the most brutal ways.
What I've learned (professionally and personally) over the years is that this *social* process has very *personal* impacts, and recognising this is a very important foundation of resisting and challenging those who would attempt to reduce and diminish you.
Here, for what it's worth, are some specific things I have learned:
1) Discrimination and hatred work by individualising people, making them feel alone, fearful and isolated. Yet social discrimination and hatred never focus on one person, but on groups of people and therefore...
1) Discrimination and hatred work by individualising people, making them feel alone, fearful and isolated. Yet social discrimination and hatred never focus on one person, but on groups of people and therefore...
...those suffering discrimination are never alone. Rather, those suffering discrimination are always connected with others in similar situations. The vital "work" the isolated must do is to find each other. Social change is possible, from the moment those people connect.
2) Some in society will have a vision of you, and the group you belong to, and will try to make you bow down to and accept that vision. It is vital to not bow down to the vision others have of you, but to assert your own vision of yourself (and your group).
3) Law is key. Law can be, has been, and still is a mechanism of oppression. But law is a source for challenging oppression and expanding personal freedom. Understand law. Read about it. Know about your human rights. Advocate for them and, crucially, for others.
4) Know your history, and know your place in history. Understand the historical development of the social relations in which you find yourself. Looking back helps you understand how to change the future - and you can change the future, and make history, because you are living it.
5) Remember that your society is only as good as the best people in it. Strive to be the best you can be, and make the best contribution you can - this striving will make the small changes necessary to change our society into a better one. Every small good deed counts.
6) Don't fixate on the bad guys, and don't spend your life arguing with them. Rather, focus on your own truth, on your own vision, and keep presenting it to others. In the end, your truth and vision will travel and underpin the development of positive community.
Like many people, I feel so distressed to see LGBT people I know struggling. Over recent weeks I have seen many trans people say they are struggling with mental health issues, and that they are fearful. So these are my, no doubt, badly (sorry) articulated thoughts on that. 
