How are you reacting to the current environment?

[PretzelGirl]

This is for US Ladies, full time only (it will be obvious why in the question). No politics!

We see our environment changing. Without getting political, I sense most feel it is getting more adverse. So the question is, how out were you as far as being a transgender individual before, lets say, last fall, and how out are you now or are you moving to a different level? In other words are you advocating more? Have you stopped telling people you are trans? Are you relocating to start over where only someone investigating your past would know? I sense some might be pulling back and others may be rearing up for the fight, so I am interested in everyone's thoughts on how out they are.

So for me, I made a decision right about two years ago. The choices, live a life as a woman without talking about being trans, or advocate and volunteer. I choose to advocate and help run an organization (later two). I am still doing that and would be lying if I hadn't sat down late last year and thought over my involvement and exposure. But I still easily landed on "I am in". I still am feeling the recovery from surgery, so my involvement hasn't totally ramped up to pre-surgery levels, but I am almost there and am debating being more vocal and hands-on. One of my thoughts has always been that visibility educates people and then we become normalized in their mind. If we pull back, then that "normalization" starts to go away and we will lose significant ground. So if anything, my change from last year will be looking at having a more vocal impact.

[Rianna Humble]

Please respect the Original Poster's specific posting request.

Any post that strays into politics will be deleted.

[Melissa Rose]

Compared to last fall, there is little to no difference in my amount of outness or visibility nor do I feel a need to change that amount due to recent changes in the US social/political climate. To better define "amount", I am semi-stealth. By choice or necessity, only those who need to know (e.g., my last two jobs required a background check) and a few close friends know while others do not (as far as I know or been told). That has not changed and very unlikely to change and is substantially driven by personal choice more than other reasons.

What has changed in the past few months is the depth, breadth and intensity of my overall advocacy, and I am way more pissed off about the erosion and/or absence of full civil and personal liberties and rights for all. In other words, recent events have added more fuel to an already burning fire so now it is bigger and burning hotter. I have a fair amount of passing privilege (along with some other privileges) which has allowed me to more easily integrate into the mainstream world, but recent events made me better realize I am still targeted even though I feel like I am not threatened on a daily basis as a transperson and intersectionality applies not only to others but to me also. Living in a very diverse, larger city in California had partially blinded me to some of the personal, social and legal privileges I hold and recent events have forced me to take off my blinders and look beyond my protective bubble. These various reasons have driven me to be noisier, not just specifically about LGBTQ rights, but about anyone being denied their full legal or moral rights. I am not raising or lowering my visibility as a transwoman, not because of fear, but because I feel I can speak up and act up and still be as effective and because I am multi-dimensional (i.e., way more than just a transwoman).

[Zooey]

TL;DR - I am getting quieter about trans issues, but louder as a feminist and a woman.

I was never particularly loud about being a trans woman, but I am honestly getting quieter about it, to the point of considering moving towards stealth (or something very close to it) over time. It's not just about the current political climate, but that's definitely an accelerant. I'm just not really integrated with that community, and I don't feel much like I fit well into it, outside of a small group of trans women I consider friends. There are parts of the community that, as a woman, I'm not really able to support. Basically, I don't feel see the trans community, at least by its current definition, as my community.

That doesn't mean I'm silent though. My day-to-day community is cis women, and I am getting much, much louder as a feminist woman. My brand of feminism is (obviously) inclusive of medically/legally transitioning women, but it is not trans-focused or trans-centric, and is not really about the broader umbrella community of gender non-conforming men.

[Mirya]

Before last fall, I was considering living as an openly transgender woman. But not anymore. A month after the election, I received an anonymous letter on my doorstep. I won't get into the details on what it said, but it was an anti-transgender hate message. I've lived in the same home for years, so despite having full passing privilege, there are some in my neighborhood who know.

I never did figure out who wrote that hate letter, but it seriously made me want to live a more stealth lifestyle. Obviously I can't go full stealth unless I move somewhere else, but the vast majority of people don't suspect a thing unless I tell them. And now, given the current environment, I'm going to keep it that way.

I appreciate those who advocate on our behalf, but I feel that educating people can only go so far. Most of the people who are prejudiced against us aren't open to learning in the first place. The lessons learned in J.D. Vance's book 'Hillbilly Elegy' is evidence of that.

[PretzelGirl]

I didn't think ahead on this outcome, but I find it interesting that Melissa and Zooey's direction is less trans visibility and more advocacy. That is an excellent alternative as we do have intersectionality to give us options or we can just lean on being an ally.

Mirya, I might be considered hardheaded (okay, I am), but when I look at educating, I look at society in three chunks (for simplicity). Allies, who may need some educating even as allies because even we need it sometimes; those who are indifferent but can become supportive once it becomes personalized and humanized; and those that there is no hope. So two of these are my intended recipients of education with the hope that this will equate to a majority, and later a large majority, which renders the haters an outlier.

[Georgette_USA]

I am in a much different place than most here.

I am retired so no work concerns. My 3 retirement funds are set for life, except for an IRA built up overtime.

Was on and off Stealthy. Had a Secret to Top Secret clearance level for my whole career 1973-2011, so they always knew. Only my first job from 1974-1992 was I known as the TS, not sure when the idea of Trans woman came into usage. After that was just another woman working the job.

Have been fully out to whole extended family since 1975. A lot of close friends over time would know, but not casual friends, had no old friends prior to 1974. Moved to my current house in 1983, and neighbors may not have ever known or never said anything.

I think that there were so few TS, most people had no reason to even question.

I think with the big publicity of Caitlyn Jenner and others that more and more people are now thinking and looking about us.
Since retiring I have become out with a large LGBT friends and community, and I freely discuss my life with any that care to know.

I don't think any of the new legislation or attitudes may affect my life. But I am concerned for my many friends going thru all this now.
Never been one to be an advocate/activist for anything. A very non-political person.

[arbon]

I'm joining the rebellion

[Emma Beth]

Last year is much like this year for me. Only things have progressed further.

I'm not going to let someone else dictate what is right or wrong for me in that way. That is for me and me alone to decide. I have an Aunt whose life partner is an activist and my Aunt is a fighter herself, in her own way.

That being said, since November I have become a volunteer with an organization. So far I really have enjoyed myself with them because it has allowed me to get out and start connecting with others in the local community and get active doing something about the situation around me.

For years I have watched people I knew complain time and time again. I got tired of the complaints and preached to them that if they didn't like the way things were politically, then they needed to get off their collective over sized posteriors and get active in their communities.

I finally decided it was high time I followed my own advice and get out there and do something I believed in. For me it's not just about LGBTQ rights, but the basic rights of all that are being affected. Granted, the LGBTQ community seems to be at high risk at the moment. But, once one line is crossed; then it's not a big stretch for the next line to get crossed.

[Nigella]

This is for US Ladies, full time only (it will be obvious why in the question). No politics!

This is a specific posting request, which we have a rule (https://www.crossdressers.com/forums/faq.php?faq=specific#faq_spec_post_poll) for. However relevant your post may be, it will be deleted and further moderation will follow, if you do not satisfy any of the above criteria.

[PretzelGirl]

Well, I might be inclined to not agree. Wisconsin just removed trans healthcare from state employees plans. We have only just begun.

So the curiosity is to gauge how many are actually pulling back and how many are rearing up for the fight.

[Suzanne F]

I am gearing up for the fight. We cannot go backwards !
Suzanne

[Phyliss Ann]

A long time ago (when I made the choice as to how I would "LIVE" MY life) I swore to myself that I would never allow outside circumstances to dictate just how I would live that life. Anything that happened "last fall" is of no matter to me. I do see better financial benefits ahead and that is always good. I am NOT an "arrow catcher" who leads the charge nor am I the "tail end rider" I have chosen to live for myself and neither "activate" for or against anybody

[Sandra]

ADMINISTRATOR POSTING

Ok seeing as people have ignored the moderators comment in this thread I strongly suggest that you read my comment.

Anyone else who ignores the OP specific posting request will not get a warning, instead they will receive a 7 day ban. Fed up of people ignoring rules and requests

https://www.crossdressers.com/forums/faq.php?faq=specific#faq_spec_post_poll

[Gerrijerry]

I believe that time will tell if there will be problems . I am not putting my head in the sand. Just want to wait and see how much is really being effected.
I am full time and if I am asked, I say I am trans. I do not just tell everyone for the sake of telling the world.
I want to live in the world not continually fight in it.