Thread by @MarabelCeline, I have a rather limited platform here but in light of recent [...]

I have a rather limited platform here but in light of recent events and as a cis person, I have been thinking about what it means to publicly speak up against transphobia on here as an aspiring academic, especially in the UK. A thread.
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It's undeniable that there are people, some of them in powerful positions, who will instantly dismiss you as intellectually unserious or even unfit for academia if you don't agree to their terms of a "debate" that is fundamentally at odds with trans people's dignity.
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Sometimes, people in my position are even given the advice to stay silent on the matter. This is well-meaning advice - it is not too far off to presume that there is at least some possibility of implications for one's career.
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This is the reason I'm making this thread. Not taking a position is a privilege many don't have. I'm here to remind you that staying silent does real harm. Staying silent is a false middle ground because it concedes that trans lives should be up for debate.
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Treating trans lives as a purely metaphysical issue is a speech act with moral implications. It creates a climate in which trans people are denied the most basic respect and dignity, denied autonomy over their bodies and lives.
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Trans people are my family. Metaphorically, but for me personally, also very literally. I can see the hurt and despair caused by unjust policies, by institutional and personal ignorance and hostility every single day. It is heartbreaking.
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I can also see every day how little it takes to create this environment. Most cis people don't spend much time thinking about trans issues. A single inflammatory article, hostile TV segment or even Twitter thread could determine their next interaction with a trans person.
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This interaction could be an encounter in a pub bathroom where they yell a slur. It could be a doctor/patient encounter, where they deny care. It could be in an administrative role, where they refuse to address someone correctly or create extra barriers out of insecurity.
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In academia, it could be denying a deadline extension for a necessary surgery, letting implicit bias impact hiring choices, dismissing scholarship on trans issues or gender identity as biased or less serious, or creating bureaucratic hurdles in admissions processes.
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Every time we speak up, we might prevent one of these interactions.
It shouldn't be necessary to remind others of the humanity of trans people, to demand respect, dignity and just policies. Sadly, it is. But we can do something by making our voices heard.
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I'm sure there are cis people aiming for a career in academia unsure if it's worth it.
To you, I say: Ask yourself what the chances are that you'll face any repercussions for speaking up. Then ask (/read something by) a trans person in your field on what they experience.
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Be honest with yourself, set your privilege as a cis person into perspective.
Ask yourself, what you want academia to be like, as you plan on dedicating so many hours of your life to it. Do you want mutually respectful academic exchanges? Do you want debates on equal terms?
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If so, use your voice to speak up against transphobia.
We have a choice. You do, I do.
We have a responsibility. Collectively, we can make it clear that hate is not consensus, that it has no place among us.
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Lastly, always remember that speaking up requires listening. Listen to your trans colleagues, friends and strangers, online and offline. Believe them. Stand with them and help make their voices heard.
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