December 09, 2015 Blogs & Columns » The Query

Pin It
Submit to Reddit
Email
Favorite

Trans leaders stress strategic importance of education as awareness grows 

Transitioning into the spotlight

By

Locally and nationally, the LGBT movement is at a tipping point. With marriage equality across all 50 states, advocates have turned their attention to other pressing matters. The shift in focus has meant a new shift in strategies, often working on local levels to address issues like discrimination in employment and public accommodations.

But this shift has been more dramatic because of new attention being given to members of the transgender community. For the first time, the lives and experiences of transgender people are becoming the focus of local and national advocacy efforts, as those opposed to LGBT equality make anti-transgender sentiments the centerpieces of their campaigns.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has jumped on the transphobic bandwagon. In late November, McCrory unleashed what some advocates called a harmful political stunt, asking his Democratic gubernatorial opponent and current Attorney General Roy Cooper to sign onto a brief opposing a transgender high school student in Virginia. The issue at play? The student's right to use the restroom that corresponds with their gender.

To Cooper's credit, he declined. McCrory then took up the legal matter himself, signing on to the friend-of-the-court brief initiated by South Carolina and asking the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to deny safety and inclusion to transgender students.

As I follow news on LGBT advocacy efforts here and elsewhere, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: equality opponents are more often targeting our transgender siblings than any other part of our community. The lives and inclusion of transgender people are nearly becoming the single focus of anti-LGBT lobbyists' and activists' ire.

Local transgender community members say they're feeling the heat, and they want LGBT advocates to pour more resources into better education and awareness, along with shifting focus onto more trans-specific issues.

"I think the LGBT community's highest priority with regards to the trans community is education," says Paige Dula, an instrumental coalition leader in local discussions on proposed non-discrimination ordinances. "There are so many misconceptions and misunderstandings about what it means to be transgender."

Those misconceptions are adding fuel to an already dangerous transphobic fire. Dozens of transgender people this year have been murdered across the U.S. in anti-trans hate crimes. Recent data from the FBI suggests a marked increase in anti-trans violence and crimes from 2013 to 2014. Suicides, too, have taken their toll. (Charlotte hasn't been immune; four local trans kids died as the result of suicide this year.)

Dula says awareness is needed on a broad scale: "I'm not just taking about educating just the straight and cisgender people," she says. "Many LGB folks and organizations are lacking in knowledge as well."

Andraya Williams, who found herself embroiled in her own controversy over restroom use at Central Piedmont Community College, says she wants advocates to focus on workplaces, schools and youth. Making sure those in power are more knowledgeable on transgender people is key, she says.

I've talked to LGBT advocates locally and elsewhere. All of them are keenly aware of what's at stake. But many seem stumped. They don't know where to start and seem flustered on how to successfully combat virulent and politically powerful scare tactics on transgender people. Dula's and Williams' thoughts on forward movement and education are largely shared by transgender leaders across the country. Each of them say the key will be awareness and education.

Now would seem the perfect time to engage in the kinds of public campaigns that allowed America to get to know their gay, lesbian and bisexual families, friends and co-workers. After all, deep down, the desires of transgender people are no different than those of LGB or straight folks.

"Transgender people only want to live their lives without harassment," said Lara Americo, who helped organize Charlotte's largest-to-date Transgender Day of Remembrance memorial in November. "This should not be so much to ask for."

More The Query »

Tags: , , , , , ,

Speaking of...

Pin It
Submit to Reddit
Email
Favorite

Latest in The Query

Calendar

More »

Search Events

all events
concerts
restaurants
movie times

Most Popular
Most Shared
Most Commented

© 2019 Womack Digital, LLC
Powered by Foundation