April 2025 / Cultural Commentary, Identity, Liberation
You can support trans liberation and still wrestle with the complexity of gender, identity, and how we’ve all been socialised. But one thing has to be non-negotiable: trans people deserve to live freely, fully, and safely – without compromise.
I support trans liberation. Fully. Trans people deserve the rights, dignity, autonomy, safety, visibility, freedom and representation afforded to the rest of society. Nobody should be punished for being themselves, and my belief in trans liberation is non-negotiable, so let’s start there.
That said, I believe in having honest, reflective and critical conversations without losing compassion. Do I believe and/or agree with every aspect of trans discourse? The answer to that doesn’t fucking matter. Especially when disagreement is rooted in nuance, not cruelty.
One of the beauties of life is the natural divergence of thought; ideological splits are inevitable and infinite. However, relating specifically to trans issues, my misunderstandings come from me trying to hold space for complex realities – not trying to police anyone’s existence. But unfortunately, a lot of recent backlash isn’t rooted in critique, it’s rooted in hate, and reactionary thinking. I don’t want to align with that.
Trans women are women, and trans men are men; mi nuh unnastand why that’s so difficult fi get thru unu head! They aren’t imposters in the gender they align with, and at a minimum we should respect how people choose to identify. I recognise biological differences can be relevant in some spaces, like elite sports and medicine. But those conversations are separate to ones on basic safety and liberation.
I see gender as a performance, and the irony of it all is the fact the same bloodclaat people who say “boys don’t cry” “real men do this” “be a lady” … they’re the ones inflicting the imprisoning structures that people feel they need to escape from. Transness doesn’t harm society, GENDER ROLES DO. From the male loneliness epidemics and high suicide rates to the masculinisation of black women in general. These issues are all the effect of gender binaries we impose and reproduce on ourselves and each other. Maybe if we allowed fluidity, and freedom of expression ‘transitioning’ wouldn’t look the same way. But it seems like we’re miles away from that.
LGB exclusionists in particular, but really to anyone from any ‘disadvantaged’ social group giddying at the Supreme Court ruling and the rapid regression of trans rights, you’re next. So I hope you still find it funny.
Trans people deserve joy, freedom and protection. That’s my belief and ain’t nobody finna check me on it!
This is where I stand. Not to be controversial, but to be clear. Stand for what’s right. Stay safe. Stay free.
ALEXANDRU BLEU 