The Trevor Project: Sharing Spaces. A conversation with Trans/nonbinary youth

For those struggling to or wanting to understand better.

The Trevor Project is such an excellent and necessary resource for LGBTQ+ youth.

So far, more than 600 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced, but due to advocacy efforts, over 100 have been stopped. I think having these open discussions fosters understanding that helps combat the fearmongering that galvanizes the hate-based criminalization of the LGBTQ+ community.

Why not? I loved dressing up as a kid. Most kids do. I really don't see the harm in it. I think the key here is "they support me in letting me do what I want to do"

Here's the thing with both examples. A lot of people in power have made this an issue of hatred and fear. If you watch the original vid that i posted, there's no agenda with this kids. they're not trying to subvert your kids are push any kind of "perversion". they just want to be left alone to be who they are. and who are we to tell them they can't?

Imagine if someone came along and told... ok, making up a fictional person here. we'll call him Tom. he loves heavy metal, he loves to camp, his favorite color is blue and he likes board games. let's say someone told Tom that he's not allowed to be called Tom anymore. that he has to listen to folk music. that he's not allowed to go camping or play board games. Pretty unfair, right?

that is what people are telling these kids. that they can't be who they are, they have to be what someone else thinks they should be. not only telling them, but enacting laws forcing them to be someone else. how about we just leave them alone to be who they are?

btw, i bet that if anyone saw those kids that Daniel was talking to hanging out somewhere they would have NO idea they were trans. not like they have tattoos identifying them. yet.

Quote by Urban_Fox

Um, why do they have to incorporate an inverted pentagram as a symbol for their organization?

Many people understand totally understand what trans is about.

But, they also feel it to be unnatural to the human species. That's were the perceived problem on your end lies.

I watched the video twice just to listen. idk just doesn't seem genuine.

Huh? It's a star. it's meant to represent hope in the form of a compass pointing upward and forward to represent LGBTQ young people's strength and resilience as they navigate difficult emotions and circumstances. i guess, if you were really reaching, a star could be considered an inverted pentagram. there's 50 of them on the US flag, btw, so not sure you really want to go there? or maybe that's not so far off the mark.

and no, i don't think that most people truly do understand what trans is all about. as for it being unnatural to the human species, please explain why with the understanding that those same people probably also feel that being gay is also unnatural to the human species.

also, not sure what's not genuine about youth speaking about their experiences and feelings. maybe explain to me as well?

btw, anyone not familiar with the Trevor Project, it's the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. They do good work - that's speaking from personal experience (I used to work at a LGTBQ youth center in Seattle).

Quote by sprite

i guess, if you were really reaching, a star could be considered an inverted pentagram. there's 50 of them on the US flag, btw, so not sure you really want to go there? or maybe that's not so far off the mark.

But Sprite, those are pentagrams, not inverted pentagrams 🙄

Quote by Urban_Fox
**OK, it's a crisis center. Makes sense now. Thought it was a welcome to the Rainbow, lets get you started right away hub.

Yes, some people feel that talking to children by basically strangers about anything sexually ,and life altering is unnatural. Or just plain wrong. Especially when they 're unaware that their kid(s) being exposed to it.

Kids in video the are pretty young to be having a heavy duty discussion of this nature.

When i was a kid we had the peer pressure/ suicide talk in school. That's about it.

Have more to add but it'll have to wait

those kids are also pretty young to have to deal with the hate and bigotry being thrown at them as well - maybe when that stops, the need for discussions like this will also stop. btw, there's nothing even remotely sexual in the conversation.

gender is not sex. it's gender. also, these kids aren't sitting around deciding to alter their lives. it's already happened. they've already started to or finished transitioning. they are simply talking about their experiences. and how do you know that their parents aren't aware of what's going on? seems to me like they are very aware of what's going on and supportive about it from the comments made.

and great, you had a talk. i'm sure that after that talk no one in your school ever had thoughts about suicide again. Hallelujah. thank god that there is more than a 'talk' about this kind of stuff these days. the goal is to save lives. having a 15 minute in class talk won't do that.

What is it about this particular issue which offends and triggers the control freaks of the American society?

Quote by WellMadeMale

What is it about this particular issue which offends and triggers the control freaks of the American society?

Fear. we fear what we don't understand and we fear change and we fear anything that we don't perceive as 'normal'.

Quote by sprite

Fear. we fear what we don't understand and we fear change and we fear anything that we don't perceive as 'normal'.

I think it's just projection... For example, this guy below went viral in a video where he was smashing Busch Light beers in a Walmart because Bud light sent a custom can to a transgender influencer. And in their minds transgender people are after your kids.

https://www.wibw.com/2023/04/18/topeka-man-brought-down-walmart-after-allegeldy-exposing-himself-teen/

Quote by Magical_felix

I think it's just projection... For example, this guy below went viral in a video where he was smashing Busch Light beers in a Walmart because Bud light sent a custom can to a transgender influencer. And in their minds transgender people are after your kids.

https://www.wibw.com/2023/04/18/topeka-man-brought-down-walmart-after-allegeldy-exposing-himself-teen/

so... fear that they are after your kids (which is ridiculous. and seriously, what is he telling his kids if one of them happens to be gay or trans? that he'd best not open up about it to his parents?)

Quote by sprite

so... fear that they are after your kids (which is ridiculous. and seriously, what is he telling his kids if one of them happens to be gay or trans? that he'd best not open up about it to his parents?)

Pretty sure this guy's lineage ends with him...

Quote by Magical_felix

Pretty sure this guy's lineage ends with him...

pray to the powers that be that you are right.

Quote by Urban_Fox

Yea, that esoteric shit. lol

You brought it up.

I'm curious where the control freaks draw their lines of proper behavior?

They seem to love them some female sexualization as long as it occurs at beauty pageants for children, when it's actually girl children on display and prancing around stages in lipstick, heels, rouge, mascara, made up hair, and slinky dresses or 2 piece bikinis. To them, it's apparently gender perfect for this type of behavior.

They seem to love them some Donald Trump ran beauty pageants, where the owner of the pageant has the ability to freely roam dressing rooms where 15 to 16 year old girls are readying themselves in all manner of dress and undress.

Quote by Urban_Fox

That's part of being a kid though. Kids can be mean and cruel to each other. kids pick on and bully other kids. Been happening for decades and centuries. Either they want to make fun of you for some silly reason or, they wanted your lunch money.

What else are kids? Curious, energetic, ( well they should be) imaginative impressionable, confused and what else are kids?. Imagination runs wild with kids. Like when you said you played dress up , you could of used like a tree branch for a wand or something rIght. Broken broomstick handles became swords when i was a kid. That was fantasy and play, what kids do. Wanted to be a lot of things when i was a kid. Baseball player, Hockey player fireman, Dentist ,all sorts of shit. Never wanted to be a girl even though i picked up a few Barbie dolls back in the day.

From what i understand is that if a young boy picks up a Barbie doll, that's an indication he's really feminine and in the wrong body. That's coming from Trans Psychologists today, ok? I picked Barbie dolls so i could hide that shit on my sister. lol like she did with my shit. I had dolls too except mine were called action figures.

The little talks as you say, that we had in my school were actually conducted the same as in the video you posted.

The Message sent was stand up for yourself and don't let others do that to you. Don't curl up in a ball and be a victim.

Now go out there and punch someone in the face. Just don't do it on school grounds or you'll be suspended.

so, a few things...

1) yes, bullying has been a part of being a kid for centuries. a lot of awful behaviors of kids and adults have been around for centuries. how about instead of just accepting that we try to change that?

2) it's not just kids who are bullying trans kids. it's adults as well. so far, just in 2023, 498 bills in 49 states have been introduced that are anti-trans that seek to block trans people from receiving basic health care, education, legal recognition and the right to publicly exist. so far, 46 of them have passed, 359 are still active, and 93 have been voted down.

3) stats on violence against trans people: trans people are 4 times more likely to be a victim of violent crimes. in 2022 there were at least 34 ("at least" because many trans crimes go unreported) murders of trans people. And, as of righty now, at least 9 trans people have been victims of fatal violence in 2023. Also, 1 in 2 trans people are sexually assaulted at some point in their life. All of these fall under the category of hate crimes, btw.

4) trans has nothing to do with 'wanting to be a girl'. Trans has everything to do with knowing that you were born in the wrong body, that you ARE a girl, despite being in a male body (or are a boy despite being in a female body). i was a tomboy growing up. i still am to a degree. at times i kind of wanted to be a boy but there was never a time when i had the realization that i'd been born in the wrong body. two totally different things.

5) your understanding is flawed. you picking up a barbie doll doesn't mean your are feminine nor does being feminine make you trans. plenty of non-trans guys are femme - some of them turn to cross-dressing or a variety of ways to express their femininity. some of them don't. either/or, they're not trans. they don't suffer from gender dysphoria (gender dysphoria is a term that describes a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. this sense of unease or dissatisfaction may be so intense it can lead to depression and anxiety and have a harmful impact on daily life).

6) glad to hear your school was so progressive. not all are. or was it - advocating violence (go punch someone in the face) is probably not something an educator should be promoting.

7) there are times when curling up into a ball is the only response available to you. when a gang of kids has you cornered and is kicking the living shit out of you, for example, because your trans. not sure how you suddenly decide not to be a victim at that point? magic wishes maybe?

Quote by Urban_Fox

Seems like you're addressing here. On that note? How is the Rainbow community going to react when NAMBLA makes the push to be part of the group? It'll be LGBTQ+P and anyone who opposes that union is going to be labeled a Pedophobe. Gonna take awhile for that to happen mind you. But there are already Psychologists like in Europe that are suggesting sexually attraction to minors is perfectly normal and these um people are born that way.

Being a is illegal. Being trans is not. apples to oranges. as for sexual attraction to minors being normal, there is a difference between being sexual attracted to someone and acting on that sexual attraction. i'm perfectly fine with guys being sexually attracted to me. not so much in them acting on it and sexually assaulting me. huge difference.

Quote by Urban_Fox

Seems like you're addressing here.

If you're not a control freak, I'm not addressing you.

If you're okay with the former President of the United States being a known hebophile, as well as a sexual assault specialist of adult females...

Well, that's one of the lines in the sand, I'm referring to.

Quote by sprite

so... fear that they are after your kids (which is ridiculous. and seriously, what is he telling his kids if one of them happens to be gay or trans? that he'd best not open up about it to his parents?)

WARNING: Tin-foil hat Dani up ahead!

My theory with this whole "protect our kids" thing is that it's an attempt to control future voters. Gen Z has by far been the most unanticipated anomaly for both ends of the political spectrum. They're not just dumb kids that can be dismissed as has been previously assumed, but they're more aware than anyone ever anticipated. These politicians use the same tricks as they've always used, but they're using them on a generation that has been fundamentally fucked by the voting of previous generations, and they know it. Gen Z came out of nowhere and shifted the tides pretty drastically, and they're a product of advocating for more autonomy and operating from spaces of accountability and emotional intelligence.

The belief of going back to the old ways of suppression (less autonomy, freedom of expression, so on and so forth) will put things neatly back into their place. History dictates that these tactics will have the opposite effect.

The fearmongering about children also galvanizes the older generations against a non-existent threat, which will have them voting/responding out of fear. "My child won't talk to me because their teacher is overstepping bounds and filling their heads with silly ideas and grooming them" is a lot easier to say and punish than to say/accept "My child feels safe with someone who isn't me because I'm not fostering that safety." They retaliate by voting in favor of those who want to suppress.

Quote by Urban_Fox

Few replies for you

1) But even adults do that to other adults via rumors/gossip and can be quite cruel/damaging. Human Nature maybe?

2) I'm not up on adults fucking with kids. Pick on someone your own size.

3) If Trans people just wanna be left alone and live a happy peacefully normal life? why are the chasing Riley Gaines

Down a hallway at a public speaking event?

4) why are kids so convinced they're in the wrong body when they haven't really been in it that long to fully experience what the original model is all about? How bout 21 is age required to make that decision? When you got some tenure under ur belt of life.

5) Psychologist in a video stated that was one of the criteria for determining the true gender of a child. Also, the colors they are drawn to, Pink,blue etc... Again from a video by a psychologist.

6) When faced with no other choice was the message.

7) Take out as many as you can or try to do as much damage as you can before they take you down. Remember! bullies and thugs always target they weak/vulnerable ones. Surprise them, make em regret it.

Like i said kids used to get bullied for their lunch money. Technically robbery but, boys will be boys ya know.

This is such a useless post in the context of the conversation at hand.

The arguments put forth are "Here are the problems, here are some things that will make these problems better."

Your repeated arguments (and I'm using this term loosely here) are "The problems have always been the problems, no sense in trying to change them. Fight fire with fire and keep hyperfocusing on the symptoms instead of petitioning/expecting our existing systems to be better."

Quote by Urban_Fox

Few replies for you

1) But even adults do that to other adults via rumors/gossip and can be quite cruel/damaging. Human Nature maybe?

2) I'm not up on adults fucking with kids. Pick on someone your own size.

3) If Trans people just wanna be left alone and live a happy peacefully normal life? why are the chasing Riley Gaines

Down a hallway at a public speaking event?

4) why are kids so convinced they're in the wrong body when they haven't really been in it that long to fully experience what the original model is all about? How bout 21 is age required to make that decision? When you got some tenure under ur belt of life.

5) Psychologist in a video stated that was one of the criteria for determining the true gender of a child. Also, the colors they are drawn to, Pink,blue etc... Again from a video by a psychologist.

6) When faced with no other choice was the message.

7) Take out as many as you can or try to do as much damage as you can before they take you down. Remember! bullies and thugs always target they weak/vulnerable ones. Surprise them, make em regret it.

Like i said kids used to get bullied for their lunch money. Technically robbery but, boys will be boys ya know.

what Dani said (see above).

Quote by Urban_Fox

I reiterated on basic human nature is what i did. You may have read the lines i posted but, i don't believe that ya read between them. Treat the symptoms not the cause. Been the American way for a long time now especially when pertaining to medicine. What's the natural Human response to conflict or hostile situations? Fight or flight, right? Quite frankly got tired of running a long time ago. But, to sum up your rebuttal. You just didn't like what i have to post.

Your solution is change? Like , as in shut the fuck up and just except and celebrate it? whether you like it or not.

Bout the closest i come to change in that regard is the 87 cents i have in my pocket.

Oh yikes. Almost none of this is coherent or makes a lick of sense, but I'll do my best to respond to the bits that are the least nonsensical.

Yes, it's true I didn't like what you had to post. I'm not sure what that has to do with anything so far.

And yes, the proposed solution is change. Just because it's the American way, doesn't mean it's a way that works. When the current way isn't working, the best response is to change it.

I don't care much about acceptance and celebration. I'd settle for leaving people the fuck alone and letting them do with their bodies as they see fit.

Quote by Urban_Fox

Ok, Just post an honest reply to number 3, on chasing Riley Gaines. Pleazzzzzzz. I'm saying The Rainbow isn't innocent in the violence deparment. Saying they that are their being left no choice but to react that way is not an answer.

ok. How many people were chasing Riley Gaines? Let's say a few dozen? More? let's say 100 for arguments sake. do they suddenly represent all trans people? about 1.6 million people in the states over the age of 13 identify as trans so, doing the math, 1.6 million people minus 100 just want to be left alone. there are extremists in every group. not denying that. the extremists in the so-called "Rainbow" aren't currently legislating laws. Nor are they a majority. let's say i go out and punch some straight people later on tonight just for being straight. does that mean that all lesbians are violence-prone? Or does that just make me an asshole? (hint: it's the second choice).

Quote by sprite

ok. How many people were chasing Riley Gaines? Let's say a few dozen? More? let's say 100 for arguments sake. do they suddenly represent all trans people? about 1.6 million people in the states over the age of 13 identify as trans so, doing the math, 1.6 million people minus 100 just want to be left alone. there are extremists in every group. not denying that. the extremists in the so-called "Rainbow" aren't currently legislating laws. Nor are they a majority. let's say i go out and punch some straight people later on tonight just for being straight. does that mean that all lesbians are violence-prone? Or does that just make me an asshole? (hint: it's the second choice).

Doesn’t matter, the “rainbow” is just the current boogie man the right likes to blame society’s ills on in a desperate attempt to not make people think about the actual rights and security nets they are trying to take away to free up money for their donors.

As soon as the “rainbow” starts to bore them they’ll go back to black people or immigrants or Jews.

It used to be the Irish and Italians but people don’t buy that anymore. So right now it’s the “rainbow”.

This world would be a LOT better place to live for everyone - if everyone actually experienced what it's like to be a bullied minority - who has a major problem with everyone around them who are contributing to their hard and soft actual persecution/harassment, simply because they are different looking/acting/talking/existing - within a fearful majority population.

I received a hearty dose of that intimidation for the 1st six years of my grade school attendance. My puberty experience as well as genetics - put a stop to all that happy horseshit by the time I entered high school. The lessons of being dehumanized on a weekly basis by my own peers - never has left my memory. I remember them whenever another class reunion I won't attend, comes rolling around.

A very small % of that time as a picked on, puny goofball who wore pop-bottle thick spectacles from the 2nd grade onward involved actual physical violence. Most all of intimidation occurred with verbal abuse and threats of physical violence. The fact that I didn't have a champion near me who could or would put a stop to that bullshit - was probably more a result of the other dozen or so kids, who - like me - were nearly constantly bullied as well. Everyone was looking for a safe space and none existed on the playgrounds or in the classrooms. All of us would huddle together on playgrounds, trying not to be noticed or singled out. It fucking sucks major balls to be victimized, but unless you've experienced it from the victims point of view - chances are slim that you even understand the words and thoughts I'm typing now.

*(edit) There are thousands, millions of people who belong to minority classes in America. Their struggles last their entire lives, battling against glass ceilings, roadblocks, stacked decks, closed minds, power/control freaks and instutionalized, systemic harassments, much like those being witnessed and experienced by many of us.

The bully faction is busy creating new laws prohibiting whichever activity currently offends 'the voting constituents' of the Republicans.

The Republican Culture Warriors are always searching for their next targets to attack, dehumanize and legislate against.

Boys will be boys eh?

Yeah, right up until they encounter a 6', 170 pound 15 year old, hormone-transformed runt - who has learned how pleasant it feels to silence his previous years' tormentors with a glare. But not every persecuted minority can physically outgrow their bullies. I was fortunate, some of my friends continued to take a little shit all the way through their schooling experience, but they also obtained a defender.

Little assholes can and do grow up to be adult assholes. Fortunately, some of them also do grow up and mature to become the complete opposite.

As a civilized society, we seem to be struggling to climb out of the primordial soup of the American melting pot experience. Too many partially developed mental midgets out there, inventing new catchphraes and personal butthurt injuries simply because they are asked to behave like the rest of us humans who live in close proximity to one another. From personal experience, I know what THEY are most afraid of: Emotional uncertainty.

A lot of these halfwits resort to using handguns at, on or close to American schools and universities, to assuage their butthurt. But that's another can of worms. A lot of the silent victims of intimidation also resort to picking up a loaded firearm to try & make their abuse go away. This didn't just start with Columbine Colorado in April 1999.

The other can of worms:

https://www.k12academics.com/school-shootings/history-school-shootings-UNITED-STATES

Quote by Urban_Fox

Pretty sure she(Gaines) went there to speak on the spirit of competition. But, she's also been targeted for not feeling comfortable with a swingin dick prancing around in the women's locker room. Now she's a transphobe in the eyes of the alphabet . Is that better than "Rainbow"? Seriously, If it's not some obscure bakery refusing to make a gay cake, or

not wanting male parts in the Ladies room it's a big issue. LGBTQ+ has a problem with everything. Everything.

first off, "rainbow" is kind of offensive. secondly, i don't recall anyone talking about a dick swinging around in the woman's locker room? like literally, someone's walking around the place with their dick hanging out and swinging it? back to "Rainbow". news alert. not all gay people thing alike. nor do all black, hispanic, asian, etc. welcome to the 21 century. come join us. we have pizza. also. and "the alphabet"? see my above comment about "rainbow". LGBTQ+ please or i'll start referring to you as STW. (straight white grandpa). it's called respect. and no, again, we're not all cookie cutter. some of us have problems with some things, some don't. to lump everyone into one pot is kind of dumb. btw, the definition of "everything" is.... well, everything. i am sure that there is at least one thing that "the LGBTQ+ doesn't have a problem with. personally, i don't have a problem, off the top of my head, with strawberry milkshakes, honeybees, and motorcycles. see? not everything.

Quote by Urban_Fox

You may not care much about flaunting and celebration but, seems the rest do.

Hmmmmm, Appears you' re very much into "self" like "do as thou wilt" selfishness.

Are you a Satanist? FAIL SATAN!!!!! lol i had to.

And it appears you’re very much into making inaccurate and irrelevant observations.

Please stick to the topic at hand. Much effort went into reviving the Think Tank. I’d hate to see it go to shit again because of the likes of you.

Thanks in advance.

Quote by Urban_Fox

You may not care much about flaunting and celebration but, seems the rest do.

Hmmmmm, Appears you' re very much into "self" like "do as thou wilt" selfishness.

Are you a Satanist? FAIL SATAN!!!!! lol i had to.

since when did celebrating become a bad thing? hell, we celebrate birthdays, christmas, and when our team win a game. and yes, some people celebrate satan. satin, too. your attempt at humor, btw, leaves much to be desired. maybe don't quite your day job.

Edit: Disclamer: Rachel just got back from lunch with her mother in law, who is, sadly, homophobic, and is kinda drunk

Quote by Urban_Fox
NO, Based on the standards of today? You would be considered a Straightaphobe and a perpetrator of straight hate.

cool, thing is, i would never actually DO that cause i'm neither an asshole nor a straitaphobe. that said, i did punch a straight guy once. in a bar. he was kind of drunk and hitting on my wife. we asked him to take himself elsewhere and then, when i went to get to the bar for a refill he grabbed my ass and told me i was pretty enough to . so yeah, i punched him. him being straight had nothing to do with it, btw. plenty of straight guys are decent human beings. HE was not. he deserved to get punched.

Quote by Urban_Fox

It was a play on words, Miss. why ya takin it out on me?

please stay on topic. thanks.