and worst case scenario, they murder you for being who you are. Yeah, seriously. 14 trans people have been murdered this year; the total number from two years ago has already been matched.
So finding a fuck buddy, and going on blind dates, and going into certain bathrooms can cost a trans person their life. Disclosing someone’s trans and/or non-binary status to the wrong person could cost someone their life. These are issues that also plague the gay community, as evidenced by the shooting in Orlando this month, so you would think that there would be a sense of solidarity between the two groups. But when the majority of gay people treat trans people like the majority of cis people treat trans people, it’s disenfranchising at best.
Nowadays, when more celebrities are coming out as trans and gender identity is a hot-button issue, you might be able to spot a trans flag at Pride... when Pride came about as a result of the Stonewall riots, which were led by trans women of color.
It’s not about who has it better, or worse. Systemic oppression is so much more complicated than that. But as (white and financially privileged) gayness, queerness, and even transness is gathering social acceptance, so many others are getting left behind: poor LGBT folks, people of color, non-binary and gender non-conforming folks…. Those who are being seen and acknowledged need to shine the light on the ones being shoved into the shadows. It’s the only way things are gonna start getting better… for everyone.