We’re living in the 21st century, in the year 2019 where transgender visibility is at its an all-time high.
Though there is still a long way to go, the LGBT visibility and rights are spreading all over the world.
For centuries, people have been living in fear when it comes to their sexual orientation.
The LGBT community have fought a long and hard battle to be where they are today.
However, that hasn’t yet changed how straight people take and treat gays, lesbians, transgenders, or any other gender.
As supportive as many people are, there are still so many who basically live to hate the people of the LGBT community.
And when it comes to transgenders, they just cannot wrap their head around. Especially for the fact that there are people who aren’t comfortable in identifying as the gender they were born as.
The meaning of transgender is “a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their birth sex.”
And there are so many things that you, as a straight or any other sexually oriented person cannot say to a transgender.
There are things that clearly make them uncomfortable, shamed, and hurt their sentiment and emotion.
Here are 7 things not to tell a transgender person.
“It’s just a phase.”
One of the most important things to know when it comes to anybody’s sexuality is that it’s not just a phase.
A Phase is when a boy is too scared to approach a girl he likes or a girl who is too scared to be in the same room as other guys.
A phase is when you get a lot of acne on your face or you get too rebellious over anything.
But sexuality is never a phase. And as a human being you should, by no means, ever tell a transgender boy or girl that “it’s just a phase”.
“What’s your real name?”
The reason transgender people deciding to go through a hard transformation is that they’re not comfortable with what they’re born with.
And you go up to a transgender person trying to ask what their “real” name is, is kind of disrespectful and insensitive.
Sure, they might not take it as an insult and tell you the name they were given as a child. But it still doesn’t make it appropriate for you to go up to a transgender person and ask “so…what’s your real name?”
“Such a shame, you were pretty before.”
There is a fine line between sarcasm and being a total jerk.
And if you go up to a transgender person and tell them that they were prettier before, you’re way up high in the jerk-list.
Under no circumstances, whatsoever, you, as a decent human being should ever tell a transgender person “such a shame, you were pretty before.”
“Do you think you’ll ever go back?”
You either have to be really very dumb or ignorant or maybe both to even think of a question like this.
The pain and struggle of living under the shadow is something no one should ever experience.
And nothing tops the feeling of finally living a life you’ve always desired to have.
So, asking them if they’d ever want to go back is the worst thing you could possibly ask a transgender person.
“Are you sure you’re not just gay/lesbian?”
If they were just gay or lesbian, they’d be just gay or lesbian.
So the clear answer is no, they’re not. They might be gay and trans which a lot of people are.
Therefore, it’s not appropriate to ask a transgender if they’re just gay or lesbian.
Because if they weren’t sure they’re trans, they wouldn’t go through all the transformation.
“How did your poor parents react?”
First things first, trans people and their families do not need your sympathy.
Trans people are as normal as any other living being.
It might’ve been hard to convince their parents and to come out as trans. But that doesn’t make it right for you to ask how their “poor parents” reacted to their coming out.
“You’re so brave.”
When someone says “you’re so brave” to someone, it is usually meant as a compliment.
However, it might sound a bit odd but you should never tell a transgender that they’re brave for coming out.
It is who they are and how they’ve planned to live their entire life (ever since they’ve realized i.e.).
So telling them “you’re so brave” would make you seem like you’re treating them different from yourself. This is the last thing any transgender wants.
