{"id":4861,"date":"2023-06-16T13:05:03","date_gmt":"2023-06-16T06:05:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=4861"},"modified":"2023-06-16T13:05:03","modified_gmt":"2023-06-16T06:05:03","slug":"the-power-of-unspoken-camaraderie-for-trans-folks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=4861","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Unspoken Camaraderie for Trans Folks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">I<\/span>\u2019ve sometimes struggled to see the importance of trans joy in my own life. I came out three ago at the age of 22, and for awhile, I was of the opinion that joy for me looked like joy for everyone else. While that\u2019s certainly true in a lot of cases, this past year\u2014which has seen hundreds of pieces of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrc.org\/press-releases\/roundup-of-anti-lgbtq-legislation-advancing-in-states-across-the-country\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.hrc.org\/press-releases\/roundup-of-anti-lgbtq-legislation-advancing-in-states-across-the-country\">anti-trans legislation<\/a> introduced in the United States that would <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/tennessee-drag-ban\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/tennessee-drag-ban\/\">curtail my rights and ability to live my life<\/a>\u2014has made me realize that trans joy is a more specific thing than joy itself.<\/div>\n<p>Trans joy exists in the little victories of being trans, in the knowing that people like us are not inherently bad or different or lesser than anyone else. It thrives in the small affirmations passed around at coffee shops, in between the pages of novels shared between friends\u2014in quiet, passive, unmarked representation in the ubiquity of life.<\/p>\n<p>To me, it&#8217;s important to celebrate the power of the unspoken camaraderie in the trans community and the bond we share, even when we don&#8217;t exchange words. It&#8217;s a bond that exists without needing to identify oneself as trans or advocate for trans rights\u2014no matter what, we support each other by simply existing.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the most authentic moments of joy I\u2019ve experienced have been small or even unspoken exchanges with other trans folks. Tiny acknowledgements from other folks in the community can be affirming, empowering, and joy-provoking\u2014and they don&#8217;t need to be overt or loud messages to be effective.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Tiny acknowledgements from other folks in the trans community can be affirming, empowering, and joy-provoking\u2014and they don&#8217;t need to be overt or loud messages to be effective.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>For instance, my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blankslateband.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.blankslateband.com\/\">band<\/a>, Blankslate, recently opened for the trio <a href=\"https:\/\/caamptheband.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/caamptheband.com\/\">Caamp<\/a> at a sold-out music venue in Aspen, Colorado. After our set, as my bandmates and I made our way through the crowd, a young man stopped me and complimented our performance.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/trans-unspoken-camaraderie\/\" current-title=\"The Supportive Power of Unspoken Camaraderie and Quiet Representation for Trans Folks\" current-image=\"WG_Editorial_Trans-Community_feature-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2022-12-15\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/trans-unspoken-camaraderie\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/trans-unspoken-camaraderie\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/trans-unspoken-camaraderie\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>After discussing our music, he shared that he had scrolled through my Instagram and discovered that I am trans\u2014just like he is. He thanked me for the quiet representation we provided (one of my bandmates also happens to be trans); he said he never expected to see that going into the night.<\/p>\n<p>To me, that note of \u201cquiet representation\u201d speaks to the core of trans joy\u2014it\u2019s in how you live your daily life; every interaction has the capacity to be positive when you\u2019re living authentically.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cQuiet representation\u201d speaks to the core of trans joy\u2014it\u2019s in how you live your daily life; every interaction has the capacity to be positive when you\u2019re living authentically.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In my day job, I work as a newspaper reporter, primarily covering crime and courts in Jefferson County, Colorado. I do not get to interview a high number of trans people, but when someone does disclose that they are trans, I can afford them a safe space that they may not always get in a media setting. It\u2019s quiet representation and unspoken camaraderie at work. Trans people transition because we want to live our lives in accordance with who we know ourselves to be. And when we do so, we overwhelmingly see positive changes in almost every aspect of life.<\/p>\n<p>Since coming out as trans, I\u2019ve become closer to my family and friends, more productive at work and more creative as a musician\u2014and I credit all of that to choosing to live my truth. To say that doing so infringes upon others is bigotry, plain and simple.<\/p>\n<p>In the face of legislative attacks on trans rights, community is more important than ever. Having a best friend who also happens to be trans <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/first-trans-friend\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/first-trans-friend\/\">has been vital for my mental health<\/a>. With each other to lean on, if we see something upsetting on the news or have a challenging day at work, we\u2019re able to rally around each other and provide support and empathy. I\u2019m also lucky to have a support system with a lot of people who can sympathize with the trans experience. And for folks who don&#8217;t have a trans best friend or a strong support network, the network of unspoken camaraderie and quiet representation can feel like a warm hug in daily life.<\/p>\n<p>Trans people excel at being there for one another. We understand each other\u2019s lived experiences in complex, nuanced ways, and we can provide support\u2014 and levity\u2014in moments of tribulation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe strongly that community is not just healing, but life-saving,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/therapists\/emma-mahn-greenwood-village-co\/884847\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/therapists\/emma-mahn-greenwood-village-co\/884847\">Emma Mahn, LCSW<\/a>, a licensed clinical social worker who works with trans patients \u201cIt creates a sense of belonging and safety that is so necessary for everyone, but especially for marginalized people like the trans community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>All in all, being trans is a joyous, beautiful, life-sustaining thing. Even in the face of attacks on our rights and livelihood, we are stronger together than any hatred or bigotry could ever be. The quiet representation I feel and network of unspoken camaraderie I experience in the trans community reinforces that reality to me every month of the year, with pride.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve sometimes struggled to see the importance of trans joy in my own life. I came out three ago at the age of 22, and for awhile, I was of the opinion that joy for me looked like joy for everyone else. While that\u2019s certainly true in a lot of cases, this past year\u2014which has &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4861"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4861\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}