Transgender 1-1 Topic
The current LGBTQ+ topic is unsuitable for transgender people, both binary and non-binary. I'm sick of listeners abusing and giving terrible support to transgender people like myself, and I am also sick of members abusing transgender listeners. In order for transgender people to get decent 1-1 support there needs to be a specific transgender topic. I have discussed this with other transgender people and we all agree this urgently needs to be addressed. Remember that LGB people can be transphobic.
It may also be an idea for a transgender chatroom which somebody has suggested to me.
I absolutely agree. There are so many Transgender people, like myself, who feel left out and excluded because of all focus being n the LGB part of the community. It's not right. If there was a chat room for Transgender people themselves, I'm sure they would feel more open to conversation and sharing experiences.
Hi @LUKE2002
Welcome to the listener community! I'd love to chat with you sometime if you're interested in discussing some of your concerns about the 7 Cups LGBTQ+ community. :)
(I have a feed post on my profile which links to this that you can share!)
I agree! I wish that an LGBTQ+ community would be more inclusive to trans people or others who may not identify as trans but aren't LGB, but that's no always the case. We need a room that will be compassionate and sensitive to the experiences of other people besides cis LGB people! Also i have seen hoiw even some members of the trans community can hate on eachother and i think there should be an official policy against that and people should be banned from the room if they engage in such behavior.
I mean people who don't identify as trans but arent cis LGB people. I feel like i neeed more education on the difference between trans and gender nonconforming if there is one and whether there are other groups who can identify with the trans experience but may or may not identify as trans. I"m not trans so if anyone wants to educate me or anything i said doesnt sit well with you let me know. Thanks!!!
Hi @BearyButterflyC
Thank you for this suggestion, I'm really sorry you feel like transgender people aren't getting an appropriate level of support on 7 Cups!
Perhaps you can submit your suggestion about adding a Transgender topic to the 1-on-1 list via the Member Suggestion Box.
I quite love the suggestion boxes here on 7 Cups, because I feel the information we're asked to provide, in particular our hypothesis of how we feel our suggestions will affect an issue, really encourage a lot of thought around an issue rather than an instinctive "I don't like this. Change it!" request.
For example after reading your suggestion here, my first concern was what of all the other identities within the LGBTQ+ spectrum? People who are bisexual? Agender? Pansexual? All of these at times feel unsupported. Will they say, "Ok the transgender people got theirs. Now where is my topic?"
Education and awareness play a huge part in addressing the concerns you've raised (and this is true everywhere in society, not just on 7 Cups).
The listener team has been working on this very diligently, and there are new guides and resources now available to listeners to help us support transgender members. I'm not saying we're 100% there, but I certainly believe a lot is being done to educate listeners - and members - about transgender people.
For your part, and for any other member who feels unsupported by a listener, please, please do leave an appropriate review. This is perhaps one of the best ways to help listeners learn and grow, as well as to make the admin team aware of concerns about listener quality.
To your point that LGB people can be transphobic, absolutely. Transgender people can be transphobic too. LGB people, transgender people, anyone can be transphobic, homophobic, a slew of other phobics. I don't feel that creating another bubble, separate from the existing LGBTQ+ community does much to solve that.
If you'd like to talk some more about this, or if you need someone to listen to you in general, please do leave me a message sometime. :)
@soothingpurrr
LGBTQ+ as it is focusses only on sexuality issues, not gender issues, so clearly we need a 1-1 topic for gender issues. Simple as that. I haven't used 1-1 for a very long time because it is offers me nothing in the way of support right now. Nothing. It's hardly a whole different bubble, it's a word on a drop down box so the right members and right listeners can be matched up properly.
@BearyButterflyC
LGBTQ+ encompasses issues related to both sexual orientation and gender identity. Again, I am sorry you have personally felt unsupported by listeners you have spoken to. I do personally know there are many listeners who are ready, willing and able to support our transgender members and guests.
The "bubble" I referred to was not the 1-on-1 topic item, it was the entire idea of separating everything trans*/gender-related from the LGBTQ+ umbrella.
@soothingpurrr
You clearly don't understand what I mean [edited by Anomalia for unsupportive content]
@soothingpurrr
Good point on the bubble thing though, I'm sure you think they should just have one topic called "mental health" instead of all those seperate things :')
@soothingpurrr
I agree with Beary, too many listeners are poorly trained and don't know how to respond appropriately to gender issues. I've had multiple listeners who are so called experienced with lgbt issues confuse gender and sexuality. Every time gender issues are discussed in the lgbt support room they are ignored or we are told to seek listeners while sexuality issues are ok to talk about in group chat. Its a double standard in the lgbt room. Something needs to be done, Beary has the right ideas in mind.
@soothingpurrr yes trans people can be transphopic yes we need a sperate topic for listner because I got a really transphobic doctor giving me advice about how I need to expect that there is only male and female and that female horomones would (Cure me). I clicked LQBT but all I got was harmful medical and advice after I told them not too and shame. I went o FTM who was also not the best to genderqueer person but still a hell of lot better than someone who doesn't think nonbinary people exist and he was pretty bad. Yes transphobic can occur among people who are trans but at least they know that we exist genderqueer/nonbinary/ trans people are real and I don't have to give trans 101 when I am trying to be help. I am also a listner on another account and I help people all the time and I would never treat someone the way I have been treated. It's not fair.
Feeling a bit ignored here. Didn't mean to post on this thread, but would appreciate not being ignored. Thanks.
@BlueWabbit - I took care of deleting the post that you said you didn't want in this thread. If you have any questions about navigating the forums to find what you're looking for, just let me know and I'd be happy to help!
As a start, this is the forum for Gender / Trans* Support, in case you're interested. :)