Transgender Issues you MUST know
There’s a reason why transgender issues are always in light in the media. As long as injustice still finds its way to persist towards trans communities, transgender individuals will always appear on the headlines. This has got to stop because they just want to live with normalcy.
If you want to understand transgender people better, you first must know the common trans issues that they go through. This guide was created to educate and not to stereotype people. In some societies, transgender people are lucky to live the way they want to but the majority of trans people face today’s world of exclusivity, discrimination, and oppression.
Personal Issues
If you truly want to get to know more about transgender issues, you first must start with their personal ones. Having this type of knowledge will give you vital information and credentials into guaranteeing that the information you have is authentic and not just from a he-says she-says point of view.
Before transgender people struggle with society, they struggle with themselves first. It’s quite easy to judge a person from the get-go but you’ll never truly understand someone unless you walk a mile in their shoes.
Gender Dysphoria
Gender Dysphoria is the root reason why transgender people exist.
This mental disorder is experienced by people who were born with an opposite mindset of gender identity to their assigned gender at birth.
This varies in levels and some people have gender dysphoria to a degree that dressing up and living the lifestyle of their gender identity isn’t enough that they find the need to undergo a gender reassignment surgery (GRS).
Imagine having to carry the stress that this entails most especially if you live in a place whereby hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not easily accessible. Imagine having to live in a body that you’re not happy and confident with.
Transphobia
Should they be living the way they want to in terms of their own gender identity; the challenge doesn’t end there yet. A lot of people who have successfully come out to the most intimate people in their lives and who’ve managed to gain acceptance and love will STILL experience transphobia in society.
Transphobia is an evil thing:
- It’s the reason why a lot of transgender women resort to s*x work because of the discrimination from the workforce
- It’s the reason why a lot of trans people are uneducated because a lot of schools don’t accept transgender students
- Transphobia’s also the reason why transgender individuals aren’t allowed to enter certain establishments.
- It’s the reason why trans people experience a lot of difficulties when traveling internationally
Moreover, transphobia can lead to violence and worse, DEATH. Just recently, arrests have been made for the attack on three transgender women in Hollywood. Headlines like this will never end for as long as transgender issues still exist.
Hormones and Surgery
One of the major transgender issues that trans individuals face is hormone replacement therapy.
This problem usually involves financial problems or availability.
In a lot of countries, hormone replacement therapy is not sponsored by the government.
It’s the surest and only way to alleviate increased gender dysphoria levels. However, it’s not accessible to the majority of transgender people.
- Firstly, it’s expensive and the medication should be maintained long term or for as long as the transgender individual chooses to match his/her physical attributes with his/her gender identity.
- Secondly, in some countries, it’s just impossible to get a hold of transgender health care. There are some countries that don’t allow transgender people to receive this type of treatment and in some, they don’t allow transgender people to exist at all.
- Lastly, in terms of surgery, undergoing major transition surgeries like mastectomy, breast augmentation, vaginoplasty, and phalloplasty cost quite a fortune. And these are, for some transgender individuals, vital to undergo in order to live a full life.
Love and Relationships
In today’s climate of transgender dating, there’s still a huge number of people who only get into a relationship with transgender people, especially trans people of color, just to fulfill their fantasies.
Oftentimes, transgender women are fetishized and kept as naughty little secrets by opportunistic men who prey on them.
Not all men are the same and some really partake in genuine relationships with transgender women. However, the problem doesn’t end there.
A lot of transphobic people still have a lot to say and do to cisgender individuals who choose to be in a relationship with a trans person. Sometimes, the men who date transgender women get more flak than transgender people for their choice of loving who they choose to.
Love and Relationships can prove to be a conundrum for trans-oriented relationships and this is truly one of the issues that shouldn’t be overlooked. People should be allowed to love who they want to love and not be subject to others’ perspectives of what love should be.
Coming Out
And for the final personal transgender issue that they face, it’s more to do with something that they have to figure out themselves.
Coming out as a transgender individual is not easy most especially if it can prove to cut family ties or fatal.
In some cultures, being transgender is totally unacceptable and a lot of transgender individuals choose to just suppress their emotions and live a lie.
Transgender Issues with the Government
As mentioned before, in some countries, being transgender is if not provided with fair rights, can prove to be fatal.
Name Changing
Surprisingly, in the countries Thailand and the Philippines where transgender individuals are more omnipresent and accepted, identity documents are still restricted. It’s still not allowed to change one’s name for the reasons of being transgender.
Birth name can be triggering for somebody who has elevated levels of gender dysphoria and this still proves to be a conundrum to a lot of trans individuals.
Gender on Papers
Added to the name-changing bit, most countries still don’t allow transgender individuals to change their s*x marker on their papers; exposing trans identities to a lot of difficulties when traveling, opening bank accounts, and more.
Social Trans Issues
Finally, the reason why transgender people still can’t live a full life; the society. Please know that these situations are more of a norm which is quite disturbing. Even if a country’s progressive when it comes to transgender issues, these two still happen a LOT.
Workforce Discrimination
Discrimination against transgender women in the workforce is still apparent outside the United States.
A lot of transgender people get rejected in job interviews just for the simple fact that they choose to live with the gender that they’re meant to.
In the Philippines, a lot of local companies still impose a strict dress code wherein if one’s papers still attribute him/her as the opposite gender that he/she identifies with, the individual won’t be able to get the position.
Toilet
One of the hottest trans issues in the last five years has been the talks of whether transgender women should be allowed to use the women’s bathroom.
A lot of countries still force transgender people outside of the loo because of fears of “s*xual harassment” when in reality, the chances of s*xual harassment in a public restroom to come into fruition is bigger when a transgender woman uses the male bathroom.
Feel free to visit the National Center for Transgender Equality site for more information.
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