Weil es von mehreren Seiten die Nachfrage gab, ob die Beiträge zum TDoV (Trans Day of Visibility) veröffentlicht werden könnten, haben wir entscheiden, unseren Blog dafür zu nutzen.

In der nächsten Zeit folgen alle Beiträge der Autor*innen, die Lust hatten sie schriftlich zu veröffentlichen.

Es folgt der Beitrag vom DykeMarch Münster zu Transfeindlichkeit in den USA und in Großbritannien, auf Englisch:

As you probably all know, today is trans day of visibility.

So today we celebrate trans, inter, nonbinary and agender people. 

But we also call attention to issues that, we specifically, are confronted with.

In the following I will refer many times to all of us by using trans as an umbrella term, this is because we all face many of the same issues, especially the ones I will be talking about now. 

I would then like to direct your attention to a rising problem that has become more and more prominent in recent years, although it is by no means new.

I am talking about targeted anti trans movements as well as new proposals being signed into law that significantly impact trans people not only in Europe but in the rest of the so called “west” as well.

While many like to think that we are only making steps toward a more equal society when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, this belief is false.

In 2021, in the US alone, there were more than 117 anti trans bills introduced into state legislature.

58 of them were bathroom or locker-room bans, as well as youth sports restrictive laws.

29 of them were restrictions or straight up BANS on trans medical care.

Among these, an Arkansas bill prohibiting trans youth from seeking any type of gender-affirming treatment whatsoever.

Comparing these numbers to 2015, where 19 anti trans bills were signed into law, none of which were specifically targeting access to medical care, the modern trends become clear.

These trends are however not isolated to the US.

In the united kingdom lobby groups have started to import anti trans tropes from the US.

Under the guise of “just asking questions” and “reasonable concerns”, They are engaged in a process of cognitively radicalizing the electorate.

Yet the authorities have stayed silent in this, pretending to view these debates as integral to the process of free speech.

In actuality many conservative voices are all to happy for a new scape goat.

They hope that trans people can fill the spot left vacant by the gay community.

Now that the modern day conservative can no longer demonize every queer person regardless of what label they use, the target has shifted to trans people instead, who are being dragged to the front-line of this conflict.

While in the US conservative Christians are still the major source of anti trans politics, in the UK these policies are not reserved for the political right, many voices belonging to the labor party have partaken in the anti trans hate, helmed by TERF’s, trans exclusionary radical feminists.

Groups like the “LGB alliance” and “Fair play for women”, will be quick to declare themselves fighting a threat to cis women’s rights.

Since the reformation of the Gender recognition act, or GRA, in 2018, UK TERFs have been adamant in their believe that, especially trans women, are endangering cis women in some ominous way.

While often flat out denying the existence of AFAB trans people. AFAB meaning assigned female at birth.

Utilizing a truly staggering amount of misinformation, spread via social media as well as official channels like the BBC, they have relativized hate against our community and made transphobia more palatable to the average voter.

Fuelled by big backers, such as the mediocre fantasy author Joanne K. Rowling, these lobby groups have immense financial resources at their disposal.

Effectively utilizing these resources they have not only painted trans people in a bad light but also managed to split the LGBTQ+ community of the UK across hard lines.

And here we all come into play.

We can never fall into the trap of thinking that this cannot happen here as well.

Trans people are being moved away from the rest of the community specifically to make us an easier target for demonization and following that, discrimination.

As this divide has already shown its face in Germany as well, I implore all of you, to stick together as one.

One community made of more than a whole rainbow’s worth of different people.

We all come in different shapes, sizes, colors and from different countries.

But we have to stand together and not give an inch on these problems.

Because on every millimeter we give, with every single concession and legislation, those that seek to divide us will build a platform to take the next and the next and the next step.

But I say we will never stop pushing back, we will always stand together with our trans siblings, here or abroad.

We are one community and we belong together

Thank you.

Lina Pelzer für den DykeMarch Münster