Other Looking for insight on the LGBT community

[Unchosen]

I want to start this post by letting everyone know that this is not a post with intentions to target or harass members of the LGBT community. This post is intended to spark the discussion of the disconnect between myself, others, and members of the LGBT Community.

I am a young straight white man going on 19 years old and I have a hard time understanding the LGBT Community. The reason why I wanted to post a thread like this here instead of on another website like 4chan or Reddit, is because RPN has a huge variety of people with many backgrounds and more importantly, viewpoints. This was exemplified by a similar post I saw early with a topic related to mine. A user was asking for clarification on the subject of being transgender, and I believe myself that the responses he was met with were not accurately depicting his side of the argument. I want to use this as a way for equalizing both sides of the argument, while avoiding the generalization of one or the other. This way, neither side is disrespected or ignored.

A few questions I have for people who are transgender are as follows:
What is the main reason why you became transgender?
Why is it important for others to accept and abide by your beliefs if they don't agree?
Has there been a traumatizing event in your life and do you think it affected your identity?
Would you go as far to say that you have an unconscious distaste for anyone outside the minority? (i.e Straight White Men)
Have you acknowledged the biological half of gender and why it is important? And if you have do you think it is irreverent?
And finally, what would like to see change when it comes to the LGBT Community?

Remember that these questions have the intention of revealing insight on those who have a different point of view than myself, and that I simply would like to hear what they have to say. If you are not a member of the LGBT Community, feel free to ask questions of your own. Otherwise, I would love to hear what anyone and everyone has to say.

 

[Chimney Swift]

Trans person (ftm) here! I'mgoing to try to answer these as respectfully as possible, so bear with me.

What is the main reason why you became transgender?: I didn't! Although it took me until high school to realize that my crippling self doubt and low self esteem stemmed from gender dysphoria, I didn't just wake up and say " I want to be trans". I was always trans. I just didn't immediately recognize that my gender dysphoria was something I could do something about.

Why is it important for others to accept and abide by your beliefs if they don't agree?: Because that's basic human respect. Me identifying and presenting as male affects only myself, and is not an imposition that I'm making on society. I might hate the name " Susan", but it would be disrespectful and hurtful to demand my friend named Susan call herself "Sarah" because of my personal feelings about her name. This is true even if her birthnames was Sarah and she changed it to Susan later. Because I am not her and her name doesn't affect me, I have no place to comment.

Has there been a traumatizing event in your life and do you think it affected your identity?: No. My childhood wasn't ideal exactly, but I grew up with normal positive experiences and I do not have any significant trauma.

Would you go as far to say that you have an unconscious distaste for anyone outside the minority? (i.e Straight White Men): Of course not! Just like I can't help being bisexual and transgender, other people can't help being cis, straight, white, etc. As long as they give me the same respect they'd give to members of their own groups, I do the same for them. I don't immediately assume that someone holds prejudiced beliefs about my community just because they aren't part of it.

Have you acknowledged the biological half of gender and why it is important? Sex is biological (though not necessarily binary, due to intersex overlap between characteristics). I cannot change the fact that I am biologically female, but that fact doesn't change the fact that my gender is male.
Sex is relevant and important, especially regarding healthcare, but it should hold no relevance in how I'm allowed to identify and present,

And if you have do you think it is irreverent?
I think you meant "irrelevant "? Well, only in certain contexts. It isn't completely irrelevant, but it's something that I have no obligation to identify with, present as, or disclose to other people.

And finally, what would like to see change when it comes to the LGBT Community? I would like to see LGBT people be understood, accepted and empowered in all facets of life. I want to live in an environment that allows me to be myself without harassment or violence, and I want those rights to extend to all people like me. I don't want to be erased, silenced or glossed over in discussions about my own freedom. I don't want any more kids to be afraid to come out because of threats to their safety.

 

[The Mechanist]

BackSet might have some insight

 

[BackSet]

Who, me? I don't have much insight, really. I'm a white male who's barely on the LGBT+ spectrum due to being Asexual. However, I hang out on an extremely accepting forum and if you want some insight it might be great to check out their LGBT+ visibility thread here.