What made me want to write this was this article in which a Pakistani Trans-activist was shot 6 times by a gang in a hate crime. She was transported to the hospital and would have survived if the hospital hadn’t refused to treat her urgent condition on the grounds that they ‘couldn’t decide if she belonged in the male or female ward’. But this isn’t just an issue reserved for the middle east, in countries which are hammered for their gross violation of human and women’s rights, this is happening in America as well. North Carolina passed HB2 which forces trans people into the bathroom of their ‘birth sex’. Take a look at this image and tell me that you don’t see the blatant absurdity of such a law:

North Carolina is not the only State to pass such laws which have received robust criticisms for violating basic civil rights, these laws are frequently passed on city levels. Transgender people only make up less than 1% of the population. Unlike other minority groups, many people do not understand the very basic nature of the issue. Most people don’t even understand what the word ‘transgender’ even means. Because of their ignorance on the issue and their fundamental refusal to even acknowledge the fact that such people exist they go on preaching that these laws somehow protect women from being sexually assaulted. Which is great, apart from the fact that it’s not even an issue. Transgender people are no more likely to sexually assault someone than the general population. Since HB2 received international attention, many people (mainly conservatives) have become enraged by the very fact that people are bringing up the fact that yes, this is a civil and human rights issue. There have been reports on transgender people being assaulted for simply using the bathroom. This is a gross violation of human rights. These people are as worthy of being protected under the law as anyone else.

People don’t realize the realities of being an oppressed minority in society today. To bring this back to the original article I have to say the was this was handled is utterly and completely disgusting. If these obvious gross violations of civil rights don’t make you furious than what will? Why can’t people just say, “I may not agree with who or what you are, but I respect you as a fellow human being, and you deserve the same rights and respect as any other human being regardless.” The way transgender people are treated in the world today is disgusting. How would you like to be called an ‘it’ simply for being who you are? How would you like to be forced into the bathroom of the opposite sex by law where you could get raped or assaulted? This is a civil and human rights issue period, people who are against it are the very people who- at best do not understand or want to understand that these people exist, and at worst are disgusted and enraged by the very fact that these people exist. It’s like saying, “Integration is great and all but what if a black person assaults a white person in the class room? I just don’t understand it. I don’t think these people should exist”.

The key to combating hate and ignorance is educating people that yes, these people do exist and that their needs to live and function in our society should be addressed. The suicide rate for transgender people is astronomical, thanks largely to the way these people are treated in our society. Demonizing minorities is the most disgusting thing you can do. Don’t take sides on issues which you know nothing about.