Pride month is here - why is it celebrated?

June is pride month and that means three things. 1: a celebration of who we are, 2: a reminder of what we have been having to deal with from the past to now, and 3: a fight for a better, more equal future. Lately there has been a rise in discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community, especially trans, non-binary and intersex people. At the end of last month, this horrific bathroom ban was drafted in which is apparently based on common sense as people keep going on about. What is common sense about it? I have seen countless stories where women who are AFAB (assigned female at birth) have been pulled out of women's toilets as they are mistaken for being trans women or men. They are cisgender, meaning they always identified as a girl/woman. This is just one example of how the ridiculous bathroom ban is and how it affect more people. From my own experiences, I have been misgendered and told to use different toilets on more than one occasion.

Being honest here, I am non-binary, specifically agender. This means that I do not identify as having a gender, so genderless if you want to. I have never identified as a woman and do not. Therefore, I would have no desire to use a women's toilet. If I was a women, regardless of whether I was cisgender or transgender, then yes I most likely would use a women's toilet. As someone who does have disabilities and is agender, I normally go to an accessible toilet. However, I am aware that is not always possible. For these instances I would uncomfortably use a men's toilet and not a women's toilet. Often I seen as being more masculine though sometimes have been seen as more feminine. This is no intentional decision on my part, just other people's assumptions.

Thinking about people's assumptions and how trans women are expected to use men's toilets then... This results in trans men expected to use trans women. But what about they pass as being very masculine which for trans men can be a desired goal? How do we decide based on looking at someone? The answer: you can't! It is also wrong that if a woman does not look like a woman AKA conform to a traditional AKA Patriarchal AKA misogynistic view of a woman, she might not be considered a woman. I mean the author of a certain infamous Wizard book series that was made into films had some rather revolting stuff to say. When someone asked her how she would police trans women in women's toilets she made the excuse that most people would continue to be sensible and if in doubt then someone should be photographed in the women's toilets. How does this keep women and children safe as a lot of rich or influential people go on about?

Then we have the blatant hate crimes that happen. These occurrences do happen. One incident I recall was when someone from the Reform UK political party (a councillor I think) caused a scene at a local pride event, even pushing a pregnant woman. Reform UK councils love to withhold funding only for pride events. Yet thousands on flags by cutting children's services? Not a problem for them! The media also play a vital role. A lot of them cosy up to right wing and far-right wing politicians and parties. It is the left who have our backs. Take the BBC, they now refer to trans women as biological males who identify as women as I was informed. Their reporting on LGBTQIA+ issues/news is always biased towards gender-critical and right-wing views. GB News of course is the worst, always spreading lies. [Update: They have seen spread lies about pride being a celebration of paedophilia. Meanwhile Reform UK politician Suella Braverman has said pride is for child mutilation.]

The whole reason pride started is because the LGBTQIA+ community, namely gay men, faced discrimination. It was trans people who came to their rescue. Now there is still discrimination, yet trans, non-binary and intersex are suffering the worst. Pride was to go against discrimination and say no. Until there is true equality, pride is still needed.

Until next time,

Thomas (they/them).