Transphobia written by Dr Anita Prasad

1. Transphobia
WRITTEN BY DR. ANITA PRASAD
KNOWLEDGE UPDATE SERIES
Published on 23.09.2022
Publication Nr. 004

2. WHATISTRANSPHOBIA
• Transphobia means an expression of fear or hatred directed toward those who are
transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming.
• To provide more details - Transphobia extends beyond a “phobia” to include hatred,
dismissal, and disgust.
Basically, it describes any attitude, feeling, or behavior that:
• stigmatizes trans people
• denies their identities
• treats them as unequal or less than human
• Transmisogyny contributors are - parents, peer, educators and religious teachings.
Skepticism as well can snowball down the slope towards discrimination and identity
invalidation.
• Transphobia can cause lingering mental and emotional distress in Trans community,
whether it takes the form of prying questions, jokes, or words and acts of outright
hate. Not only does it leave many people afraid to share their identities and be
themselves, but it can also have a huge impact on other areas of life.
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3. TRANSPHOBIAVSCISSXISM
• Cissexism operates as a subtle web of ideas that many people hold based on the assumption that all
people are cisgender. Because this assumption is so deeply ingrained in our society, many people
say and do things that are cissexist without realizing it.
• Instead of expressing messages of outright hate toward transgender, nonbinary, or gender
nonconforming people, cissexist ideology fails to recognize their existence. This type of
discrimination generally involves denying any and all expressions of gender that don’t align with a
male-female binary, including:
• saying trans people are “confused”
• separating people into binary gender categories
• insisting a nonbinary teen only “wants attention”
• asking about “preferred” pronouns
• refusing to use nonbinary pronouns
• Cissexism often occurs on a structural level, in healthcare, education, and other sectors, and tends
to be more pervasive and di
ffi
cult to address. Like transphobia, it can cause deep and lasting harm.
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4. COMMONBEHAVIOROF
TRANSPHOBIA
Transphobia can include any discrimination, invalidation, or negative judgment and beliefs related to
gender identity. Clearly, that generates a pretty long list of potentially transphobic behaviors
• Asking personal questions that likely wouldn’t be asked if the person was cisgender, like “Are you
operated?”
• Assuming trans people are open to Invasive questions like for example about their private sex life,
way they operate etc.,
• Fetishizing trans people — for example, watching pornography featuring trans people in private
while denying their rights in public
• Acting as an expert on someone else’s gender identity
• Failing to recognize any cultural, religious, and spiritual perspectives on gender that don’t align with
a male-female binary
• Making comments like, “You don’t look like a real man (or woman)”
• Pop Culture
• Bathroom Discrimination
• Cis actors playing trans characters
• Restrictions in Sports
• Restrictions in Public places
• Denial of Education
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5. WHATDAMAGEISCAUSEDBY
TRANSPHOBIA ?
• Transphobia often leaves people feeling isolated, exhausted, and hopeless. “People might question
whether they can safely leave the house to run errands, for example, or feel afraid to communicate
with their friends and family.”
• Systemic transphobia can prevent people from getting needed medical treatment, which can
complicate existing health concerns and have life threatening consequences.
• According to a recent report from the Center for American Progress, in fact, nearly half of all trans
people in the United States have experienced verbal abuse, physical abuse, or refusal of treatment
from a healthcare provider. Among trans People of Color, this number jumps to 68 percent.
• Other potential e
ff
ects of transphobia and identity-based discrimination include:
• increased anxiety
• chronic stress
• post-traumatic stress
• depression
• thoughts of suicide
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6. STATISTICS
• According to National Library of Medicine and study conducted, following are the statistics -
• Family hurt and Embarrassment - 53.78%
• Job/Career Issues - 53.78%
• Movement away from friends - 28.68%
• Humiliations, jokes, abuse - 66.48%
• Physical Violence - 71.52%
Study had Latin Americans, Americans, African Origin and Asians. As seen Physical abuse take highest
amount of concern to Transgenders
On September 11, 2022 Germany lost a Transgender Male Mr Malte C, who was killed by Transphobic
mob
One of the respondent says in press report - "If I go to the police in Munich, Stuttgart or Frankfurt and
say that I was attacked because I am gay, it could be that it is recorded simply as a physical assault,
"So the background is not registered and incorporated with it. And so, this attack disappears from the
statistics. It is di
ff
erent in Berlin. The police there have a lot of training in this matter."
BBC reports - Ms Aneera Kabir in India during February 2022, had to attend 14 job interviews, still no
success comes. Interviewer throw up transphobic reactions
Tripura, India based Transgender was stripped in January 2022 by police o
ffi
cials to prove gender
identity
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7. • Client saying to me with insecurity - you be whoever you want to be, I wont stop
business for you, but please do not teach me anything on Transgender or their life.
Let me be normal person.
• I was traveling in Hungary in July 2022, told a “straight man” I am from Munich, he said
immediately as it was PRIDE month, you know what is happening in Germany ? So
many lunatic people coming out, LGBTQIA+Drama…..people have gone mad.
• Cosmetic surgeons / Doctors in Germany loot, do not provide attention for treatment,
misbehave also make jokes, not serious in treatments
• Indian Doctor asked me to share TOPLESS photograph in order to treat me. Later
being scared of becoming an article in media, he immediately refused to admit me,
blocked me on his whatsap phone number, saying he cannot treat a transgender. This
is despite Supreme Court guidelines issued in India, specially to medical centers,
Hospitals. The hospital was worried they will loose customers if they accept
transgender as their customer’s mentality is conventional. This was told to me by
Doctor.
• I always get a strange look wherever I travel in Europe. Deliberately people engage in
discussions to know more. I am also discriminated by Racism.
• Family not adjusting to live anymore except my
fi
nancials for their life, Physical Abuses
are very common within family in order to stop me from being a woman, Family
separation soon anticipated.
• Many client contracts got terminated in Germany and Europe demonstrating
Transphobia
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ISSUESIFACE

8. REMAINRESPECTFUL
• Educate yourself
fi
rst on Transgender and Transgender Issues
• Respect when someone declares they are Transgender
• Please ask for personal pronouns if you do not know.
• Remember - Being transgender is just one part of a person’s life.
• Don’t ever use slurs against transgender people
• Don’t ask personal questions about a transgender person’s genitals, surgery, or sex life.
• Avoid giving trans people compliments that are actually insults. Some examples include: “You look
just like a real girl!” or “I never would have guessed you were transgender!”
• Don’t believe stereotypes about trans people or make assumptions about them.
• Be a vocal supporter of the transgender community, regardless of your own gender identity.
• Let the transgender people in your life know that you’re a friend and ally.
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9. References
• National Library of Medicine publication dated October 2016
• European Agency Report for Fundamental Rights August 2011
• Oxford publication - Oxford Blue September 2020
• Healthline Publication September 22, 2021 by Crystal Raypoll
• Auswertigesamt Germany / Human Rights Commission publication 17 May, 2022
• DW News - How Safe is Germany as Transphobic Attacks continue - 11 September, 2022
• BBC report publication dated 2 February, 2022 Aneera Kabir
• Hindustan Times publication dated 11 January, 2022
• Self Experiences and knowledge
Written by Dr. Anita
Prasad Page 8

10. CONNECT
Written by Dr. Anita Prasad Page 9
https://www.instagram.com/anita_germany/
www.anita-prasad.com
Website