On this Transgender Day of Remembrance I want everyone to know that this is a safe space for the LGBTQ2+ community on my site. At least I try to make it one to the best of my ability.
I will do whatever I need to do to keep it that way.
I want my kids to be able to grow up being who they are and loving who they love. I don’t define who they are, they do. I just do my best to facilitate that.
To think that my kids would be attacked for being who they are or worse yet, be driven to self-harm because they felt they couldn’t come to me with anything, anything at all, would devastate me. I worry about everything with them, but I worry about that the most. I would want others to worry about my kids too, so why would I not worry about others that could be in the same position.
People often are afraid of transgender people, but they should be more afraid of us.
“1.6 million people in the U.S. ages 13 and older identify as transgender. Transgender people are over four times more likely than cisgender people to be victims of violence, including rape and assault.
Since 2013, the Human Rights Campaign has recorded the deaths from violence of 372 victims who were transgender and gender-expansive.
The number of victims is likely higher because many deaths often aren’t reported or are misreported, or misgendering of the victims leads to delays in their identification.”
–GLADD.org
That’s just violence against transgender people. The statistics for self-harm are terrifying as well.
“81% of transgender adults in the U.S. have thought about suicide, 42% of transgender adults have attempted it, and 56% have engaged in non-suicidal self-injury over their lifetimes.”
–UCLA Williams Institute School of Law & Transpop.org
Being an ally is about empathy. And you can’t be empathetic without wanting to protect others.
IF anyone feels like my site isn’t safe, or there is anything I can do better to help you or others. Please…please, let me know and reach out. I’m AM here for you to talk about anything and I’m trying to learn and grow everyday. When others reach out to me, they help me as much or more as I help them.
Thank you and stay safe. The world is a better place with you in it.
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