Has the United States Become a Country Experiencing "Trans Hysteria?"

The U.S. is experiencing something right now that I would refer to as "trans hysteria." I'm gonna go ahead and coin that phrase right now.

When I look on social media and in right-wing news, all I hear about is how dangerous and bad transgender people and our "agenda" are. Nothing could be further from the truth, but you wouldn't know that in our current social climate. The consistent argument that my community are predators without any context is exhausting.

There are ways that YOU can be someone who doesn't participate in this "trans hysteria."

On the first level, you could just be someone who doesn't care about it that much. The whole "live and let live" thing. It does no harm to just let it be and let us be. You don't have to be friends with trans people, and you don't have to go out of your way to support us.

On a second level, you could become someone who asks questions about the community. If you are comfortable, you can ask trans people like myself a lot of questions, and we have answers for most of these questions. If not, we refer to other sources. We have become good at this, and it does require interacting with trans people. So, don't be afraid, step right up.

On the third level, you could become an ally. Maybe make friends with some trans people and hear us out. When people are acting all crazy and having this hysterical response, you could tell them that it's unfounded, and that the community isn't trying to "trans" the children. Maybe go to a couple trans events, like the Transgender Day of Remembrance or Trans Pride, and be ready to help us to answer the tough questions. Allies are the foundation of the Trans Rights Movement.

Finally, if you are so inclined, you could become an activist, but we aren't expecting the whole world to become allies or activists. Level one suffices. The level of an activist means getting involved with trans organizations and contributing to the well-being of trans people in the public environment. Maybe you check your friends and family when they are anti-trans, or you deal with your employer when they discriminate against the community.

The point is, we don't need "trans hysteria" in our country, and everyone seems to need to make a comment on the community in the media. Heck, even in Chris Rock's recent Netflix special, he had to bring up a trans joke that wasn't very good. It wasn't offensive, but it just wasn't very good. People need to learn to stay in their lanes, and if comics want to tell trans jokes, they should also focus on including trans people in standup comedy and in other places in the media.

I realize that a lot of people have fatigue regarding this community right now. You are hearing a lot about us that isn't true, and some of it comes from bad actors in the community itself. The point is, just be you. You know how you feel, and this will guide how you deal with the community.

We can overcome the communication issues surrounding the trans community, but first, we need to get a LOT of people to stand up and address the media and how they obsess with us all of the time. Start telling your cable news and maybe even local news stations and newspapers that the fake issues being brought up are not news and are not actually concerning you. Until people do that, the right-wing will continue to shove us down your throats.

We aren't the ones doing it. I don't know of any cable news programs owned, run, or dominated by trans voices. That means that it is the cisgender population that is making this such a big deal.

What do trans people want? To be able to pee in peace, to support our youth, to be considered equal members of society in the law and in public services, and to be LEFT ALONE. That last one is a big one.