The Trans Experience

Does that apply to “boomer?”

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Yes, because I’m Gen X :grin:

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I struggled with it up until my late 30’s, i still kind of do but it doesn’t give me nearly as much anguish as it used to

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Self identifiers aren’t necessarily the same as labels. And both are malleable and evolve. I look at one as self directed and one as externally applied.

Having identifiers helps one in knowing who they are on some important personal levels. They can help one to find a life path, find and develop community and needed services.

At least that’s my experience as a trans person. Never would have found other trans people if I didn’t find that description. Necessary services would never have been developed. Legal protections based upon those identities wouldn’t exist.

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Identification is like a quiet room for autists in a school.

Whether it’s a safe place or a prison depends on which side of the door is the lock.

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I can’t find the original text, although I think it was a post to Tumblr, but I like the idea of referring to self identifiers as magnets instead of labels. A label is sticky and may be difficult to remove if you decide it’s not right for you, but a magnet can be moved, changed out, or only applied when appropriate. A lot of people are afraid to label themselves because we hear so many bigots crying about “oh, now you’re something different?” As if learning and changing isn’t a part of life. (Well, perhaps it’s not an acknowledged part of some people’s lives.)

That magnet may stay with you for the rest of your life, or you may find that it’s no longer completely accurate, but either way: you’re the one that put it there, so you can remove it if you want.

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Or it may be situational, but it is never comprehensive. I am a straight cis guy. I am a husband, father, grandfather, pediatrician, gardener, woodworker. Among others. Which applies depends on who is asking and why. None describe me, entirely. And several of those have changed over the years. Wierdly enough, i don’t get called out for inconsistency or flip-flopping. Wonder why? :thinking:

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Absolutely! I’m pretty much an open book, but if I try to list everything that may apply to me, we’re going to be here a while and honestly most people don’t care that much. :laughing: It’s also a degree of what’s applicable in a given situation. Even taking something mundane like my profession: depending on the person, I can get more and more specific. I work in a public library, I work in the IT department of a public library, I’m the web administrator and IT technician of a mid-sized public library in Illinois, and so on.

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These portraits are lovely. Though I’m scared for each one of those kids

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Happy Crying GIFs | Tenor

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they are so lovely… :face_holding_back_tears: I’m so happy for them…

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:roll_eyes:

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I just sent them a Christmas present. That’s the kind of work needed- more so going forward.

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The trans experience is finding an interesting new creator, then finding allegations they’re transphobic. And when you’re at work and wonder why and try to search it on your university-issued computer, you discover your search is blocked and you can’t change the safe search setting. :roll_eyes:

I was able to find it with different terms, but this doesn’t really feel good.

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Don’t know who she is, which is fine as there are a lot of makers out there so its not unusual i haven’t heard of a particular one. Did a search and this gives some context:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskLGBT/comments/17jz48b/whats_the_problem_with_jill_bearup/

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Yeah, I found that by replacing ‘trans’ with ‘controversy’. The archive.org article in there is pretty damning. At this point I’m pretty used to finding out people who create things I like hate me, but it’s still disappointing.

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