Part 1: Youtube videos
March 31 is International Transgender Day of Visibility. 2020 and 2021 have been the best and worst of times for the Transgender, Non-Binary and Gender Fluid communities. Society’s awareness and understanding of who TNBGF people are is growing. New TV shows and filmes like POSE and Tangerine are breaking the stereotypes about TNBGF people, showing us as human beings trying to live normal lives. People are starting to get it, that the bigots are the monsters, not us.
At the same time, rightwing and religious hate speech and violence is also rising. At least eleven Transgender people have been murdered in the US in the first three months alone, a rate that will make 2021 the worst year of mass murder in that country. Keep in mind the Trans and Non-Binary people account for only 1/300th of the population, so 45-50 deaths is akin to about 14,000 murders in the general population. If it were any other group, this would be called genocide and a crisis.
The endless attempts to criminalize and demonize TNBGF people (“bathroom bills”, lies about sports, their attempts to murder Trans children by denying health care) are also on the rise, and will only by stopped by people fighting back. Be an outspoken ally, not a silent collaborator.
Enough of the sad news.
Over on youtube, there are a plethora of videos on Transgender people. Our history, how things have changed for the better, how things still need to improve. Enjoy the show, there are many more links below the fold (but only a few more embedded videos).
There has been a lot of Transgender representation in video games as well, though it’s a mixed bag – a lot of bad examples, and some good. But it does appear to be changing.
Despite the Japanese government’s glacially slow change in policy on Transgender rights and legal documentation, the Anime and Manga art and business has long been progressive, with many positive examples and representations (along with a few bad ones).
BBC: Things Not To Say To A Trans Person
In 2015, John Oliver presented an item on Transgender people’s rights. He got it right, but watching some of those clips and people’s ignorance in them is downright painful.
Lifehacker’s “Coming Out as Nonbinary, Genderqueer, or Gender Non-Conforming” is short but insightful.
Sage Skyler’s talk “A Non-Binary Transition” is thought provoking. Laurenzo Adesso’s “3 Tips to Figure Out if You’re Nonbinary” has good information.
5 Non-Binary People Explain What “Non-Binary” Means To Them
BBC: Things Not To Say To A Non-Binary Person
New York’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is openly discriminating against Non-Binary and Gender Fluid people. If they refuse to be misidentified as “male” or “female”, they are denied housing and care.
“BOY” is a 2014 Danish short film about a Transgender teen, coming to grips with his own identity and conflicts with his mother who doesn’t understand. It’s well acted and written.
“They/Them” is a short film about a Non-Binary teen. It’s not Oscar winning acting, but it is well made.