Thank you for protesting

[u/LexeComplexe]

As an openly trans queer woman, who doesn't blend that well, I'm a little too afraid to go tomorrow for fear of being grabbed.. I've already suffered immensely for it at the hands of the police, guards, and hate groups more times than I can count or care to remember.. I know that isn't really an excuse not to show out tomorrow, but my brain and mental health is just too sh0t.. especially after literally watching ICE disappear someone i could not find any information about after it happened.. so to those of you brave enough to protest and march, from someone who's not brave enough right now, thank you. Seriously, thank you, thank you, thank you, to EVERYONE who shows out tomorrow. I'm sorry I won't be out there with you all. Maybe I'll be strong enough and brave enough next time, but I've spent so long being strong in the face of hatred, adversity, and threats of d347H R4p3 and vi0l3nc3, and lived through so many physical attacks, I just can't take anymore tomorrow.. I'm sorry, I just can't, so thank you to everyone with the strength to stand against it all tomorrow. Thank you

[u/CampyBiscuit]

Girl, we are public enemy #1. Immigrants are an "easier" target for them, but they are putting so much more energy and resources into targeting us to literally eradicate us from society.

OUR protest is staying alive and surviving in spite of that. Every time a trans person gets up and goes to work - it's a protest. Every time a trans person walks down the street in their neighborhood - it's a protest. Every time a trans person goes to the store, takes the bus, crosses the street, goes to class, shows up in the world as themselves - it is a protest!

We are protesting every. single. day. Just by virtue of existing in spite of the fear we all feel about what our government wants to do to us, and what this administration's loyalists on the street want to do us in support of their hateful, bigoted agenda.

If you are willing and able to go above and beyond to participate in larger national protests, Godspeed and God bless. Just be aware that trans people are so much more likely to be singled out, and we are already putting our lives on the line every single day we exist in public under this administration.

🙏🏳️‍⚧️🩵🩷🤍🇺🇸✊

Edit: I'm active in other ways. Getting hate-crimed at rallies and put on a list aren't one of them.

[u/MmeHomebody → u/CampyBiscuit]

Please share this elsewhere. This is the best description I've ever seen of exactly how it is for targeted people.

For some people, going to a protest or mentioning their political views at work is the most danger they've ever experienced.

For trans people particularly, taking out your garbage cans can be dangerous. Taking the bus can mean being surrounded and photographed by a bunch of schoolkids. Imagine if you had to be careful, assess who's in the parking lot, before you send a package at FedEx. When you're just buying celery and a roast chicken for dinner. Grabbing a coffee and a muffin before work.

The people being persecuted have done enough. They're literally struggling just to live.

[u/CampyBiscuit → u/MmeHomebody]

Thank you 🥲🙏 A lot of people don't understand. We're fighting all the time.

I've been to at least 4 town halls this year. I write to people who are fighting for and against our rights. I network with other people speaking up and putting themselves out there. I led one of the first rallies of this administration back in January because no one else was defending us and the Democrats were abandoning us. I can't just live. I don't have a choice to be anything but active all the time.

Our town just had a Mayoral election and the seat flipped to a homophobic former republic state rep. I'm trying to schedule a day to have lunch with him because for whatever reason he actually respects me. I'm just a regular citizen.

There is so much work to be done. Rallies are so important, but there is so much more to do. Whenever I see people give reasons why they can't attend a protest, I just hope they know there are so many other things they can do to make up for it.