What are your feelings as you read this or other transgender sites?

Does the subject upset you? Or do you feel comfortable with this? Perhaps it scares you. Perhaps we confuse you. Perhaps you feel we are naughty (don't tell me that, i'll take it as a compliment *chuckle*) or even that we are evil! Perhaps you think we ought to just shut up and get on with our lives as we are (and eventualy commit suicide because we just can't stand it any more), what's the big deal, after all.

Perhaps you worry about your children, that we may be a bad influence, that if they hear to much about transgender they might try it themselves, or even that we may attempt to seduce them to our evil ways.

I plead for your tolerance.

We do not have easy lives. We hurt inside, even when it's totally invisible. Many of us develop psychopathologies, because we can't handle the stress. The suicide-rate among us is frighteningly high. We are ostracized by society on a daily basis, we are discriminated against, be it by individuals or the law. We get thrown out of our home by parents or significant others. We get beaten up by those we thought were loved ones. We get agressed on the street. We get fired just for being what we are. Our friends don't want to have anything to do with us anymore. The list goes on and on. And this is in "enlightened" western society.

We do not hurt you. We do not wish our condition on anybody else. We are not infectuous. We don't want to force our ideas on you. We are not dangerous to you. At worst we make you a bit insecure about yourself.

I beg you to lay down your fear and your hatred. To remain calm when you see one of us on the street. To treat us with the respect you would accord anybody when we come into your shop or office. We are human beings, just like you.

Thank you for reading this, you have my love.

Ruby