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Revisiting the “Trans” Issue
It shouldn’t be a problem, but it’s been made one by many people on all sides
My second ever Medium article published July 2018 was about the label “transgender.”
Considering I had zero followers at that time, the number of views was surprisingly high. Only one nasty comment and a number of really good comments.
I still agree with what I wrote six years ago. Labels are deeply problematic. Sometimes, we have to use them as shortcuts in conversations and writing. Regardless, labels dehumanize, depersonalize, and disempower individuals. Labels always, always, come with attached stereotypes, and stereotypes too often come with attached prejudices.
The right wing uses labels to dehumanize, depersonalize, and disempower people. The right wing uses labels to justify bigotry. Not that they want any justification for their fear and hatred, but they use labels as weapons and there’s no reason to keep handing them weapons. Let’s talk about a better way of thinking about gender.
