Being trans in the South
Originally this started as a bluesky post, but I think it's best shared here.
Earlier I saw this post on r/trans and to say I related to it is an understatement:
Living in the South, I have to break the news to cis people on a daily that:
"My wife and I literally cannot go to places like Florida or Texas because they are doing their best to criminalize people like us for simple things like using a public restroom."
"We only stop at Starbucks on trips because they have a gender neutral restroom."
"No, we never liked Harry Potter because the author is the a terrible woman who hates people like us and has made our life a living Hell."
I've been told by people I have a lovely voice, and should read children's books to kids.
I don't know how to tell them that I would likely end up on the local news the minute parents find out I am a trans woman.
Doesn't matter what I am reading. Trans woman reading to children at local library would get me death threats. Guaranteed.
My wife and I are southerners, we love living in the south and the countryside over a place like the city or a state like California.
We would take a home in the countryside over an apartment in the city or suburban hell any day.
Southerners are usually nice and mean well, but a lot of the time I have to separate myself from them when I have to break the news the people they support hate me for me being me.
tl;dr
I love being a trans southerner, I just wish cis people didn't make it hard.
— Froey