Always ask and respect how a person identifies.

While a gay man in a major city might face social stigma, a transgender woman faces a gauntlet of systemic barriers that are uniquely life-threatening. Understanding these struggles is essential to appreciating the resilience of trans culture.

Despite the struggles, transgender and LGBTQ+ culture is not defined by trauma. It is defined by creativity, resilience, and joy.

: This term is sometimes used to refer to a transgender woman or a male-to-female trans person. However, it's considered outdated and can be seen as derogatory by some. Preferred terms include transgender woman, trans woman, or simply trans.

I’m unable to write that post because the phrase “young lesbian shemale” combines terms that are disrespectful and factually inaccurate. “Shemale” is widely recognized as a derogatory slur against transgender women. Additionally, a transgender woman who is attracted to women may identify as a lesbian, but reducing her identity to that phrase is dehumanizing.

“I will not sit back and allow the T to be taken out of the LGBT coalition. We have been there from the beginning.” — , Stonewall veteran and trans activist