Thanks to political figures like senator Sarah McBride and celebrities like Elliot Fletcher, Laverne Cox, and Janet Mock, people are becoming more and more aware of the transgender movement. According to Equality Federation’s deputy director Fran Hutchins, incorrect and rude remarks to the trans community count as microaggressions, and their overwhelming frequency just goes to show how people still haven’t learned to respect LGBTQ identities.
On most occasions, we can say subtle or hurtful comments to someone belonging to the LGBTQ community without even realizing it or meaning to. That being said, here are some of the things you should never say to trans people.
‘If You’re Romantically Linked to Someone, How Does that Work in the Bedroom?’
First of all, asking questions about someone’s private and intimate life is none of our business. Secondly, this question is even more hurtful since you’re asking this solely based on the other person’s appearance and physical attributes.
The only instance when such a question would be acceptable is if one is romantically linked to a trans person and genuinely curious about pleasing the other party during intimacy.
‘Do You Take Hormones?’
When it comes to transitioning, it’s probably best to steer clear of the medical aspects of this topic if you’re ever having a conversation with a trans person. Would you like it if someone decided to poke their nose into your medical history, seemingly out of nowhere?
This question is even more disrespectful due to the fact that most trans people are very sensitive about this subject and with the judgemental nature of society as a whole, we can’t really blame them.
‘If You’re Trans, Does that Mean You’re A Drag Queen?’
Although trans people and the drag queen community were once very closely linked, the two communities have not been on the best of terms lately. Tensions rose to an all-time high in light of Rupaul’s controversial comments about the participation of trans people in “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Plus, being a drag queen is totally different from someone who is trans. In fact, drag queens are merely male performers who choose to dress in a feminine way.
‘What Does Coitus Feel Like In Your Case?’
Okay first of all, rude, and secondly, what’s the point of asking such a deeply personal question? If you’re still struggling to crack this case Sherlock, coitus for trans people probably feels exactly the same as it does for everyone else.