Despite the increasingly hateful discourse online, the numerous examples of MPs being aggressively grilled on their definitions of gender, the eye-rolling we’ve just seen at trans people’s struggles, and the headlines splashed across papers vilifying trans people’s existence, trans people are loved.
Transphobia today is not something to be ignored or downplayed – it is serious, growing and leads to real-world violence against trans people, as well as significantly impacting their wellbeing. However, we also sometimes need to turn the volume down on these hateful voices in order to make sure the unfortunately quieter majority can be heard, loud and clear.
Scrolling through Twitter or reading the papers, you could be fooled into thinking that there aren’t many trans allies out there. The trope that lesbians are somehow inherently anti-trans is a classic example of this – I’ve even heard young lesbians absorb this damaging concept and be afraid to proudly call themselves lesbians as a direct result. But the research, and my life experience, tells us otherwise: lesbians are incredibly supportive of trans people.
In fact, Just Like Us’ recent research found that of all LGBTQ+ identities, other than trans and non-binary people themselves, lesbian young adults were most likely to say they know a trans person (92%), and most likely to say they are “supportive” or “very supportive” of trans people (96%).
The research also shows that the majority of young adults are supportive of trans people, and that most of those who aren’t, don’t even know a trans person. We found that knowing someone who is trans in real life leads to you being twice as likely to call yourself ‘supportive’ – unsurprising, given trans people are human beings!
Trans people are loved. That’s what the research shows us. That’s what I see in the people I meet, whatever their background, age, gender or sexual orientation, in everyday life. And that’s what young people desperately need to know.
But young trans people today often struggle to make out that message amidst all the noise. Imagine being a young person, figuring out who you are without the privilege of a school or family that is LGBTQ+ inclusive. You’d probably turn to online spaces in search of information or others like you – only to find fearmongering and a hateful torrent of transphobic abuse. You might feel terrified, hurt, left with feelings that could impact your wellbeing for years to come. You might leave social media feeling empty, and like there isn’t support out there. That’s a lot to contend with as a young person.
It can be hard to find love, positivity and empathetic support when transphobic voices are so loud and hateful online. Our brains are hardwired to pay more attention to danger and so it’s harder to turn down that dial and instead listen for the supportive voices. But we are here, and we are many.
#TransPeopleAreLoved is a campaign started by co-founders Jude Guaitamacchi, Liz Ridgway, Eva Echo, Saba Ali and Char bailey. They’re a group of people, some trans, some not, working incredibly hard to help make sure the trans community feels seen, and that the support of allies isn’t drowned out by hate.
If this is to become a reality, the quiet majority must no longer stay quiet. Trans young people are struggling now, and need to hear that you accept them. They don’t have time to wait for you to find your voice when 9 in 10 have had suicidal thoughts and the majority have faced verbal abuse in the past year. If things are to change, we need LGBTQ+ inclusive education in schools, we need parents to talk about their acceptance and the majority of people who are supportive need to make this clear.
Trans people are loved and we need to tell them. Let’s make love the loudest voice.
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