I think this is a great discussion to have. I guess for me being "silenced" isn't the word that resonates with me. For me, it is "invisible." I feel invisible a lot. I feel invisible when people assume that because I ID as male, that I take up too much space and alienate female ID'd people. I read posts where masculine /transmasculine people are lumped together and talked about, and blanket statements are made about them. Then I hear people saying, this is our discussion, and although we talk about you, you don't have a right to be a part of this discussion. Ouch.
What I want people to know about me is: I am a sweet guy who respects everyone's right to proclaim who they are and speak their truth. I believe that everyone deserves to be respected and listened to and taken seriously. I believe that I do my very best every day to be respectful and kind and a good listener, and to give everyone the space and voice that they feel they need and deserve. I am not someone who ignores someone else's point of view and assumes that I know it all and have nothing to learn. I am very aware that there is a lot that I need to learn, and I try very hard to listen to people and understand where they are coming from.
When someone doesn't see this about me, when someone assumes I won't understand, when someone lumps me in with other people who are disrespectful just because my gender identity might be similar, I feel invisible. I feel just as invisible as when someone calls me "ma'am" or "miss." It feels just as icky, and maybe more since it comes from within the community I love and feel at home in.
What makes YOU (the collective you) feel invisible? I want to know what everyone else feels, and what they would like people like me to know about them.
Thanks for starting this thread Superfemme.
