When I think of the term activism, I think of human rights. When I think of unity, I think about working together as a whole. Both of these terms have been weighing heavy on my heart. The state of the world is in jeopardy. Lives are getting lost, climate change has been moving at a fast rate, the concept of autonomy is becoming non-existent, accurate information is getting pulled from schools, we have an unequal system period, and lastly the level of projection is astronomical. All these issues impact everyone. We cannot allow our family and friends to be treated less than human.
We live in a society filled with hate, fear, gatekeepers, misinformation, and just flat out ignorance. I also see others trying to feed their ego. Activism is about going out in the community, hearing stories (online or offline), knowing your opponent in a sense, and making an authentic effort to contribute to change. Of course it is important to know your facts. Based on my observations when some people try to use their voice, they get silenced. A PSA fighting for liberation is collaborative it is not about trying to take the credit for yourself.
Why is this a hard concept to grasp? Activism in my opinion is not about the money. Yes we need money to survive, but there is no price tag on a human life. These days we have plenty of things to distract us. Meaning we are found discussing topics that are divisive instead of talking about the most important issues. Some have asked why I put time in exposing hate groups like GAG, “GAG is a joke.”
Honestly, when GAG came out I thought they were a joke and I was not going to give them the time of day. But this hate group has grown and they are playing a role in trans erasure. Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P Johnson dealt with this type of gatekeeping back in their time. People were and are willing to throw people under the bus for visibility. Human rights is not a competition and we need to stop behaving like it is. We all deserve to have housing, healthcare, be able to go to work without experiencing discrimination, have access to food, and etc.
You do not need a certification to be an advocate in my opinion, if you experienced the hardships in life you can advocate. The past years we have been living in a world where entitlement is the headliner. The thing I will say is that we all need to sit back, listen, and acknowledge that it is ok to not know everything. When someone parades around like they know everything not only is it narcissistic, but it impacts the community as a whole.
TRAN will never claim that we are the leaders of the trans community. As far as we are concerned you are ALL leaders. We are ALL fighting this together. To the people who engage in gatekeeping and those trying to fulfill your egos please humble yourselves. Listen to the community you are advocating for. It saddens me personally that a lot of this behavior is occurring in activists spaces.
Even though some may feel that they are not strong, you are strong. Our struggles make us stronger. That may sound messed up but they do. We can overcome this hate. Lets please work together and help our communities. Much Love to you all please stay safe.