Oftentimes when talking about attacks on Two Spirit, transgender, and gender nonconforming+ (2STGNC+) folks, people will lead with facts about disproportionately high suicidality or violence our community members face when trying to live as their authentic selves in societies where compulsory heteronormative, cisgenderism is still the norm.
But research suggests that if you’re unfamiliar with 2STGNC+ folks, or haven’t made up your mind about whether or not we deserve the safety to thrive as ourselves, that you’ll be turned off by those statistics.
The most effective messaging is proximity — the chance to meet, to know someone who is 2STGNC+.
And while I wish we lived in a society where we could honor one another’s humanity without having to have a personal experience with someone who is being attacked or marginalized or excluded or harmed, I know that we’re not there yet.
It’s why our 2STGNC+ community faces disproportionate harm in Oklahoma. The state is one of the few remaining states where members of the public and experts cannot give on-the-record testimony during the legislative process.
So, let me be your entry point to knowing a 2STGNC+ person if you don’t already.
My name is Nicole McAfee. I use they and she pronouns, and I am trans-nonbinary. […]
Click here to read the full piece. This story was originally published by Oklahoma Voice on October 12, 2023.
