News: It’s Transgender Awareness Week, Here is Why It Matters
(Photo Credits: SVG file Dlloyd based on Monica Helms design [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
It’s Transgender Awareness Week 2018, guys! But what is it and why do we observe it?
Transgender Awareness Week is a week-long annual celebration typically observed during the second week of November (November 12-19 this 2018) leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) which is held every 20th of November each year. The purpose of Transgender Awareness Week is to celebrate diversity, to help raise the visibility of transgender and gender non-conforming people, to help raise awareness about the issues associated with their transition or identity, and hopefully to help address the issues that the community faces.
But what does transgender mean? GLAAD says it is “an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth.” In order to help us understand better what it means to be a transgender, GLAAD released a reference guide which you can read here and here. They also sat down with several transgender people and their families to “look beyond the surface of what it means to be trans,” watch two of their videos below.
Further, why do trans people need more visibility and why does Transgender Awareness Week matters? It is because visibility spreads awareness and awareness brings understanding and only then will the entire world be able to come together and help address the issues and challenges that the community faces. Among such challenges, to name a few, are:
- Hate violence – transgender people are being murdered (sometimes their loved ones or friends as well) for simply being trans.
- Rape – a study revealed that 50% of trans experienced rape and assault by their romantic partner.
- high levels of discrimination and poverty
- Limited access to healthcare
- Mental health, suicide rate for example and suicidal tendencies among transgender people are considerably higher as compared to the general population – suicide attempt rate: 41% of the transgender people in the US attempted suicide at least once in their life.
- Lack of non-discrimination bills that are transgender inclusive [housing, employment, and public accommodations (bathroom access rights for transgender people for example)].
According to the study conducted by the Williams Institute in 2016, an estimated 0.6% of the U.S. population or approximately 1.4 million adults identify themselves as transgender.
I cant stand Tranny’s they hate gay men cuz. gay men wont fuck[ fem.women]. Most gay men are looking for man on man action.and Trannys recent us for that.
Franz ok, but not because you don’t like them that they are not welcomed on A4A for example, or cannot exist. I am not into women for example, yet I have women friends, best friends that are women even. I dont hate them… I dont understand your attitude in your comment. It’s like straight people who say, I hate fags. Its not an opinion we are asking here. We are just celebrating trans awareness week, nobody asked if you wanted to sleep with a trans or if you love men or trans or women.
Thanks Dave, me personally I will only date a fem or transgender, but you won’t catch me hating on other gays. That dumb since society don’t care LGBTQ people at all. UNITE and be destroyed by society as a whole… infighting sure sucks.
Exactly, I don’t understand people who hate on others just because they are not into them. Very immature in my opinion.
I consider myself gay and am totally attracted to male to female trans. If you don’t want them send them all to me. lol
Get in line…LOL
It doesn’t matter. They are in my face all the time, see them posing every day. They aren’t gay and don’t belong in our community despite what non-elected “leaders” say.
No, you cannot force them down our throats. It’s as if black people insisted on being called white. Imagine that. Get real. They can’t accept themselves as who they are, that’s their problem, keep it to yourself.
You need help Luigi.
I ssoo agree, you’re hating on a group that ‘is’ more vulnerable than perhaps, yourself, pretty sick, man. I think you’re becoming like those who find you more vulnerable, thus, hating you, too; such as the world turns, don’t expect to be tolerated/excepted where you cannot do the same, period.
Much love and respect to the transgender community. If being a gay man is difficult, it must be twice as difficult being a transgender person. I still hope for a world where people will be judged on the content of their character and not their skin color, sexual orientation, or gender identification. It’s a big world, there’s room for everyone.
Transgender encompasses a broad range of individuals. Their differences can be tough to fathom.
When people in general think of “trans”, they picture men, in ill-fitting flowing women’s clothing, wearing “high” hair and heels just as high, with overdone makeup and manicures. Often, these individuals are overly flamboyant, militant, and demanding. Difficult to be with. Often dismissed as “bothersome”, unfortunately.
There are those, as well, who take a more conservative approach in their presentation. A simpler style of dress and quieter presentation. Upon meeting them for the first time, people can be unaware that they are trans.
There are those, too, who shift between both ends, depending on where they are (clubs vs. work).
Beyond looks, there are varieties of preferences for sexual partners. Some prefer men (masculine or feminine) while others women. Some prefer transgenders.
Transgender, it’s not an easy or clear concept.
Saying you’re gay but attracted to m to f transgender people is transphobic. They consider themselves women and want the rest of us to as well. If you’re a man and attracted to m to f transgender, then you’re straight (or bi, if you like non-trans men too). Educate yourself, your word choices are hurtful to trans people.