Peddlers of Trans Hatred Have Blood on Their Hands
Hundreds of trans people are murdered each year and yet many people continue to peddle hate about them. People who choose to spend their time creating a culture of intolerance and anger about trans people have blood on their hands.
I’ve been observing the rise of anti-trans bigotry for more than a decade. Back then the main culprits were the far-right. The website Breitbart, which white supremacist Steve Bannon used to manage, was frankly obsessed with trans people.
The main anti-trans trope back then, which the far-right flogged like a dead horse, was to do with women in public toilets. This has continued to be one of the main lines peddled. The gist of the narrative boils down to the claim that trans women aren’t real but merely men looking for opportunities to rape women.
Ironically — and hypocritically — the far-right propagandists peddling that line were and still are anti-feminists. Their concern with women has been suspiciously specific and aimed at smearing and dehumanising trans people, not promoting the wellbeing of women.
The anti-trans bigotry train has not deviated from its single track but has picked up a broader range of passengers over the years. From former comedians and failed actors who exploit fear and ignorance to try to stay in the public eye, to the odd…
