Post #2181592
2026-03-31 14:08 UTC
Replies (1)
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@internet_ryan@lgbtqia.space 2026-03-31 14:59
On a slightly more serious note… This day isn't going to be terribly different for me, honestly. The area I'm in, and the people I interact with, allow me to be visible every day, and I try to be. A bracelet, a ring, some shoelaces… Every so often I'll get this nagging feeling that I'm "virtue signalling" by wearing Pride flag apparel, but the fact of the matter is that I very much register as cis-masc for most folks otherwise. I've absolutely watched people make a slit-second judgement after noticing something I'm wearing — maybe they feel a bit safer sitting close to me on the light rail, or find a seat quickly so they don't have to sit next to the queerdo. I've only had a few people explicitly acknowledge what I wear in a way that tells me they understand the context. (Heh, I'll always remember the guy who commented on my pansexual Pride ring thinking it was Rasta colors; in fairness, the lighting was kinda terrible. 😆) Like the label itself, or medical interventions, or any number of other things, you don't need to be visible to be trans. With that said, I'm reading a lot of posts today from people who needed that visibility to see a piece of themselves reflected back, and I'm certainly no exception. If you have the privilege to be visible, you just might save a life. I try to remind myself of that when the "virtue signaling" narrative pops up. So I guess, above all, be yourself. And if you can, show the people around you that they can be themselves, too. #TDOV