So Here's the Deal

[Content note: Transphobia, terrorism]

In the past year, I've seen an escalating series of bullying aimed at my trans* sisters. A group of women (led by one woman in particular) has been harassing them on social media. In various cases, my friends and sisters have been outed to employers, social groups, and doctors.

On Monday and Tuesday, a new (but prominent) website published an interview with the lead bully, the woman who's been terrorizing trans* women, followed by a profile of two trans women, one of whom doesn't particularly like other trans* women or otherwise think that we qualify as women. (I guess the trans* woman who doesn't think we're women was there for "balance.") The general tone of the articles was that the terrorist and the trans woman are both "polarizing" figures playing roles in an evolving controversy.

Like hell.

This week's profiles are new developments, but the bullying is something trans* women have been dealing with for a while. I haven't felt the need to say much publicly, because there simply isn't much to say—there's a group of women terrorizing trans* women, attempting to destroy these women's lives, as well as that of anyone else who dares to object. I have words of comfort and support for my sisters, but there's not a lot for me to gain by stating the obvious. I'm opposed to the persecution of trans* women. You already knew that, right?

In response to the latest incident, I'm faced with two choices.

First, I can speak out in as much detail as possible to document what's happened. This will:

Re-victimize women who have already been outed, forcing them to re-live the trauma of seeing personal information about them (correct or not) strewn about the web

Give the bullies that are looking for a bigger platform precisely that

Drive traffic to the website that hopes to profit from using trans* women's oppression as clickbait.


My second option is to say nothing. This will:

Render the acts of violence against my fellow trans* women invisible, which will make it harder for me to convince folks that I'm not making shit up the next time (and all the times after that) that bigots target my sisters and me

Allow the bullies the relative anonymity necessary to keep perpetuating their campaign of terror

Allow the "feminist" website in question to avoid what should be a major, credibility destroying scandal.


This is why folks keep quiet. It's not a new dynamic, and bullies and venture-capital backed start-ups know damn well how it works.

Here's what I suggest:

1) Don't read publications that give voice to bullies, or patronize companies that advertise therein. Make sure that all involved know why you're making that choice.

2) Continue to speak out against trans* phobia and other bigotry. I'm not just talking about the most violent bullying, I'm talking about all the micro-aggressions that make it possible for a publication to think that it's okay to portray trans* women and people who seek to bully trans* women out of existence as if they're two equally valid sides of an interesting debate.