So, today, I posted an article on misinformation on Facebook with the note, "Not gonna lie, I pretty much distrust anything posted by groups run by cishet Gen X white people. The absolute vast majority of hate and misinformation is coming from, or reposted by, these sources." I got a response that I didn't expect and it was, basically, "not all cishet white Gen Xers do this..."
Yes, I get that. We all get that. The point isn't that all do this, the point is that much of the hate we're facing is sourced from that demographic. It is that demographic, along with cishet white baby boomers, that is most engaged in the all out hate attack on the trans community seen across many parts of the United States and the United Kingdom, and attack that is starting to happen here. This is an inescapable truth. Sure, there are other demographics also involved, but not to the same extent and, most certainly, not with the same hands on the reigns of power and media.
The reason I am deeply disappointed in the message I got today is that it's not helpful and, in fact, is harmful. Marginalized communities are often subjected to attempts to take away their voice by preventing them from naming their oppressor. Just as "not all men" is harmful to women's rights, "not all cishet white people" is harmful to 2SLGBTQ+ rights. It derails the conversation and centers the feelings of cishet white people over the harm to trans people and that's just not on.
Trans lives over cis feelings. It's that simple. I will call out the oppressor, you're not taking my voice away like that.
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