Transgender Visibility

Being transgender is never easy. There is a terrible disconnect from one’s body, mind, and spirit that is overwhelming and terrifying. We often deal with other mental illnesses on top of being transgender because of how we are made to feel about ourselves thanks to society’s judgments and expectations of our gender and sexuality. As a transman it is really great to see transgender people and issues coming more into the light of the general society. People like Chaz Bono, Laverne Cox, and Caitlyn Jenner are pushing the envelope and forcing the world to look at us as people and not as a social entertainment experiment. These celebrities have a lot of courage and bravery to have transitioned so publicly and to continue to be loud and proud of who they are: Transgender Individuals. I applaud their bravery and look to them as personal heroes of mine. With that said, however, their experiences are vastly different than the majority of transgender individuals throughout the world, especially within the United States.

I applaud Laverne Cox for her statements regarding access to resources. Cox and Jenner are blessed to have financial resources available to get their surgeries and hormones and to transition fully immediately; this is not the case for the majority of transgender individuals. I personally have been on testosterone for five years and have had to go without hormones three separate times due to finances and still have been unable to save any money to get my chest reconstruction which I so desperately long for. Being unable to afford hormones and surgeries causes a lot of distress and is an issue of safety. Transwomen are being murdered all over the United States; I personally have been raped four times because they wanted to know what it was like to have sex with a man who had a vagina; kids are getting bullied in the hallways of their schools; transgender people are getting beaten, abused, raped, and murdered simply because of who we are. The terror is far from over. According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, “41% of transgender adults report having ever attempted suicide, compared to 5% of adults in the general population and 10 to 20% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults” (speakingofsuicide.com 6/09/2015). An international study published in the Journal of Homosexuality in 2010 reported suicide rates among transgender adults as being 800 out of every 100,000 people. These rates are extremely high and unfortunately celebrities coming out and bringing visibility to our community doesn’t make these statistics disappear. Yes, these individuals can give us hope and courage to come out and to live our own truth, but it does not make the world a safe place all of a sudden especially for those who do not live up to society’s ridiculous gender standards and ideals of beauty and mannerisms.

Let us also not forget that while Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner are very important to our fight, there are thousands of transgender individuals who are advocating and being examples in their own communities. Let’s not diminish the individuals who are risking their lives every day to fight for transgender issues in their communities and on a national level. Celebrities generally have some sort of security or escort whereas your everyday transgender individual walking down the street tends to be a bit defenseless. We are always facing the threat of violence even when among people we consider friends. In all but one instant of violence and abuse I have suffered I have known my assailant. Having the transgender community as a whole be more visible to society does not solve the issues of violence and suicide that plagues our Trans brothers and sisters and publicly outing or questioning someone puts them at an even higher risk. While there are some individuals, like myself, who are out and open and willing to answer even the most insensitive questions, not everyone is, and it is rude and disrespectful to ask someone if they are transgender. If you happen to meet someone and think that they may be transgender, treat them with respect and let them introduce themselves. If they don’t reveal that they are transgender then that means it’s none of your business and just because someone doesn’t fit the societal ideals of gender and beauty do not assume they are transgender. I don’t expect everyone to know perfect transgender etiquette because even I have had to learn how to navigate the transgender community, and I AM TRANS! It’s about respect. The most polite thing to do is listen and use the name and pronouns they give you. If they don’t, use gender neutral terms or ask their name. You don’t go up to a cisgender person and ask about what’s between their legs as a way to introduce yourself so don’t do it to a transgender person.

Now, you may be asking “who the hell is this dude to be saying all of this?” Well, let me tell you: My name is Danny Ashton Earll. I am a female to male transman and have been transitioning for five years; I am a Drag King and perform with the Midnight Sons Drag Kings; I am a psychology major with the goal to be a therapist for other transgender individuals; I am a GLBTQA Activist; I am pansexual; I am a soon to be divorcee; I am a three time title holder with the Imperial Court of All Alaska including the current Mister Gay Alaska 2015-2016 which is a transman specific title; I am a 14 time suicide attempt survivor; I am a recovering self-harm addict; I am a victim of domestic violence, four rapes, and several hate crimes; I have been bullied over my gender identity and sexuality since I was a kid; I have been fired from jobs and kicked out of my home for being transgender; I have been denied medical care and insurance coverage because of being transgender; I am a writer, performer, actor, friend, community leader, public speaker and educator; I am a lover of books, music, nature, good wine, and fine whiskey; I am a transman and an Alaskan, and our fight is not over. Frankly, it’s just the beginning.