Okay. So. Let's get this started. Lately I've seen a lot of homophobic and transphobic stuff on Scratch AND in real life, and I want to address the transphobia right now. So imagine your best friend Haley comes to you and says she actually identifies as a male. He prefers 'he' pronouns and the name Hal. There's a variation of ways you could react. I'll show you two examples: 1. You could agree to your friend and use the right pronouns and name for him. It'll make him a lot happier, and things will be a lot easier knowing he's accepted. 2. You could disagree to Hal, telling him that he's a girl. You continue using 'she' pronouns and the name Haley. Which do you choose? Easy question, easy answer: 1 It's only fair that you try and understand what people are going through. Being trans* isn't all flower crowns and waving pride flags. 41% of the adult trans* community attempts suicide. Don't even get me started with the teens. We face bullies and transphobes every day of our life. It's okay if you don't agree with someone. But before you call them out for being trans* (or anything, really.), think of the impact you could have on them. If someone prefers he pronouns, use he pronouns. If someone prefers she pronouns, use she pronouns. If someone prefers they pronouns, use they pronouns. If someone prefers any other pronouns, use those pronouns. We respect yours. There are no excuses for purposely misgendering someone. (misgendering means using the wrong pronouns or name) You might say "It says female on your birth certificate." Well, guess what? It also says 8 lbs 7oz on my birth certificate. A lot has changed." You might say "If you have boy parts, you're a boy, and if you have girl parts, you're a girl." What if you woke up one morning and you had the opposite body parts? Wouldn't you still identify as the gender that you were the day before? You might say "If God wanted you to be (insert gender here), you'd have been born that gender." No one starts out where they want to go in life. God is supposed to challenge you in this life. It's part of His purpose. Life is SUPPOSED to take turns. Also, I'd like to say that there's a difference between gender and sex. Google defines sex as "either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and many other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions." You see that? "The basis if their reproductive functions. So, yeah, I have ovaries. Does that make me female? No. Google defines gender as "the state of being male or female (typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones)." See? Gender is based off social and cultural references. So if you say that a transgender woman is a man, you are, BY DEFINITION, wrong. Also, if you have homophobic or transphobic opinions, keep them to yourself. Everyone has the right to feel safe and comfortable on Scratch. It says in the Scratch community guidelines to respect everyone, even if they have a different gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or anything. So, yeah. You just got schooled. Any questions? Feel free to ask them in the comments. Any homophobic or transphobic comments will be reported and deleted.
