The Hop Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia has gotten a facelift–it’s now the Hop for Visibility, Awareness, and Equality!
Whatever the name, the idea is the same: Today is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, and all week long LGBT-friendly blogs will be celebrating with stories and giveaways to spread awareness of and tolerance for all people under the rainbow umbrella.
For my post, I’ve decided to speak to the recent appalling anti-trans legislation movement in states like North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and wherever else bigotry grows like cancer.
I won’t say much, because haters gonna be dicks and I won’t change their minds (sorta like my theory on racist, bigoted people born before a certain year–they will never think differently; all we can do is teach our children better and wait for the old fuckers to die), but I will point out it is asinine to believe the sign on a bathroom door will somehow keep predators from their prey.
It won’t.
Rapists, pedophiles, and sexual deviants don’t care what stick figure is on the door. If they want to hurt you or your child, they will do so. Period. They will follow you home. Find you in a parking lot. Go to the same restroom as you because they were born the same gender you were or because they just want to. Be smart. Please don’t use fear to fuel discrimination against people who want nothing more than to pee without getting the shit kicked out of them by some insecure and ignorant ‘phobe.
Okay. To that end, I’m linking to this compilation of up-and-coming trans activists.
Check these courageous and inspiring people out. Follow them on social media. Get to know them like they are your neighbors, your brothers, your sisters, your teachers, your children. Because they are. We are. We are all human–fallible, hurting, searching for a skinny slice of happiness pie before our time is up, and painfully ignorant until we open our hearts and minds to other people’s struggles.
Be human.
Our teachers are talking here and now. Listen up. They have so much to say and we have so much to learn.
For my giveaway, I have an e-copy of my book Hard Act to Follow. The next book in my Shooting Stars series, Balancing Act, comes out June 27th and follows the story of Greg and Kyrie from Hard Act, so this is a perfect opportunity to meet the boys if you haven’t already. 🙂 Drop me a comment to be in the running!
Also, everyone who signs up for my non-spammy mailing list gets a free e-copy of my exclusive MMM dark erotic short, The Ferryman Cometh, so go get yours pronto!
***Free story!***
Kimber Vale 
May 17th, 2016 at 7:43 am
thought inducing…thanks for sharing
leetee2007(at)hotmail(dot)com
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May 17th, 2016 at 8:19 am
I liked what you said and IA gree.
debby236 at hotmail dot com
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May 17th, 2016 at 10:18 am
Exactly! I said something very similar the first time I heard about that horrible and stupid legislation. They made up a problem and then enacted a hateful “solution” that doesn’t solve anything but just spreads hate and irrational fear. It is heartening to hear about all the backlash they are getting from various people and companies.
Thanks for participating in the blog hop!
jen(dot)f(at)mac(dot)com
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May 25th, 2016 at 9:16 am
Random.org picked you for my winner, Jen! Email sent. 🙂
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May 17th, 2016 at 1:22 pm
Very good points, I hope people listen!
vitajex(at)aol(Dot)com
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May 17th, 2016 at 4:41 pm
Thanks for the post, equality must be for all.
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May 17th, 2016 at 11:36 pm
Great post. You had me chuckling with “because haters gonna be dicks “. I’m a bit sick hearing about some of the things being spewed and the treatment people are dishing out to those who are trans and aren’t. Darn haters, just let people be.
humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com
Oh, I already have Hard Act to Follow and loved it! You don’t need to include me in the giveaway.
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May 18th, 2016 at 1:35 pm
Thank you for joining the blog!
Chris (from the Blog Hop Team)
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May 18th, 2016 at 2:51 pm
Too true, we are all humans! The tempest that is being whipped up is ridiculous but scary.
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May 19th, 2016 at 4:02 pm
To date, I’ve never been any kind of harassed in a bathroom. You know where I was harassed regularly? At school…right under my teacher’s nose, and without him doing anything about it. So yeah, maybe people should worry about that happening to kids rather than random predators pretending to be trans.
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May 19th, 2016 at 4:54 pm
I agree 100%.
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May 20th, 2016 at 1:15 pm
Kimber,
so pleased to have you as part of the Hop. Thank you for being here, fighting for equality alongside me, and sharing your knowledge.
Cherie Noel, Hop Admin
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May 21st, 2016 at 5:33 am
I agree. Before now, there’s never really been a way to guarantee that the people who walk into the bathroom you or your children are using are the same gender as you or that they won’t harm your children. So why is it now such a problem? Because we’re actually addressing the issue? So it was okay to live in denial or ignorance before, but now that people are saying hey, let’s make sure that those who are transgender don’t get arrested or hurt if they are discovered by making it legal for them to use the restroom that matches their gender. Yet now we’re all freaking out over perverts in the bathrooms? If someone wants to do something like that, a sign saying it’s for a certain gender isn’t going to stop them from entering the bathroom.
tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com
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May 21st, 2016 at 2:51 pm
Thank you for taking part in the hop, and for post. Some things have to be said, and you have said it loud an clear. I agree with you!
susanaperez7140(at)gmail(dot)com
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May 22nd, 2016 at 6:39 pm
sounds interesting
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
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May 23rd, 2016 at 10:28 pm
Very interesting post. Thanks for being part of the hop.
sstrode at scrtc dot com
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May 25th, 2016 at 9:19 am
Thank you to everyone who commented! It’s heartening to know there are plenty of people out there who believe in equality. Jenf27 is the winner of my giveaway this time. Thanks for playing, all!
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