Transgender Mental Health: Stepping Off the Hate Train

There’s something I want to say before moving forward in this article. What I’m about to discuss is a privilege not all of us in the trans community have. I understand that and just want to say this for those who can make this change in their lives.

Looking at the news cycle, going on social media, and watching transgender content creators might seem like a good idea for those in the queer community. It’s important to know how the public’s opinion is on us and how our movement is doing. With that being said, it can also drive us to depression and higher suicide rates.

Right now, the USA has become a living nightmare for many trans people. This is mostly due to us really stepping into the spotlight and becoming the new target for the American Right. Our healthcare is being taken away and when we’re targeted for crimes, Fox News rejoices, saying we had it coming. That would be enough to break anyone.

As a result of all of this, many in the community have become cynical. That cynicism has lead to more division, closed minds, and more inevitable hardships. Hogwarts Legacy is a good example of this, since the vocal protest of the game lead to more people being AGAINST the movement, saying we went to far, and I have to agree. We targeted people who otherwise supported us and made those people feel guilty for something simply unimportant in the grand scheme of things. As far as I’m concerned, it was a resounding failure, and really just made our fight harder. That was the result of cynicism and growing frustrations with the state of our lives.

Imagine, for just a moment, if you stepped away from all of the negativity in the news, self-flagellating social media communities, and content creators that focus on the toxicity, elevating it further. Don’t you think you’d feel better about everything? You wouldn’t be bombarded by hateful comments and news stories. You’d be able to live a lot more calmly, focusing on things that give you joy.

That’s what I did recently. I was tired of being constantly anxious, feeling like my world was falling apart. Since I made the decision to stop, I’ve lived a happier life. I still try to keep up with the important news, but I’m not closing myself off in a bubble of self-hate. I was in the shoes of many in our community, but stepping out of the hellhole of the internet, I’ve gained new perspectives and feel far more at peace with everything.

Like I said in the beginning, I know there are still plenty of people out there who live with hateful families and can’t easily escape the perpetual hate machine. My empathy is with those people and I hope you can escape from that situation if you’re stuck. However, if you’re like me and can escape, please consider doing so for your mental health.

Our movement isn’t going to die just because we step away from the internet. Our fight isn’t going to be won on the internet to begin with. It’s going to be won locally, where we can make a tangible difference. Arguing with hateful people on Twitter is only going to make you cynical and depressed.

Our country isn’t being kind to us right now, and that’s something we absolutely have to band together to change, but pick your battles wisely, and don’t let all of the bigots on megaphones reach you. They’re not worth your time.