Trans Rights from the Perspective of a Trans Youth

If I had been born during a time much earlier than today, I would not even dream of considering myself anything other than one hundred percent woman. Until the day I would have died, I lived my life with a sense of an unnamed uncomfortable feeling of being unfit in my skin. While these discussions of the human rights of transgender citizens are far from over, it is certainly better than in the past.

Growing up, I’ve always felt isolated from other people assigned female at birth. My peers were aware of this and called me a boy. They were not far off as I identify under the nonbinary umbrella using any pronouns. However, I tend to use masculine terms for myself. The thought of being different was an insult at that age, which caused me and other young trans kids to be uncomfortable with LGBTQ+ labels until years later. The negative stigmas against being trans drilled into our minds as children create a cycle of transphobia, causing those who may want to experiment or be open with gender identity to repress or harm themselves.

Sadly, because of this transphobic mindset, youth are fed, violent hate crimes against trans people are alive and well. Every openly outed trans person is at risk of becoming a victim; however, people such as myself who are white and transmasculine, the face of the transgender community, are more protected and less targeted than transfeminine or transgender women of color, the target of 96% of anti-trans hate crimes.

Misogyny, unfortunately, still resides within the LGBTQ+ community. Transmisogyny is the reason masculine trans people are allowed to be more open with their expression of gender. In contrast, trans women must fight to be perceived as “real women.” Transmisogyny is described as “the intersection of transphobia and misogyny as experienced by trans women and transfeminine people,” by the creator of the term, Julia Serano, who experiences it first-hand.

Rejection from loved ones for something out of our control is bound to be a traumatizing experience, especially for LGBTQ+ kids or teens. 1 in 3 trans or nonbinary people has attempted suicide due to adverse reactions from friends and family, according to suicideinfo.ca. Furthermore, it is twice more likely for someone who is not a cisgender person (an individual who identifies with their assigned gender at birth) to think about or attempt suicide.

Regardless of negative statistics, the time to be openly out about your identity is now as long as it is safe to do so regarding your peers. There are rights in place to allow freedom of expression, and nonbinary identities are becoming noticed in society. Diagnosis and treatment for gender dysphoria, the medical term for a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity, are in reach. However, such things are not required to express yourself. If you or a loved one require resources, click here. 

Written by Isabella Cournyea | Graphic Designed by Isabella Cournyea

Published February 4, 2022 | ePathfinder | Perspectives