//thread/

This was the very first experience I had in an LGBTQ social circle when I first openly came out as a lesbian at 18. I had just gone through a difficult breakup and was depressed and lonely for lesbian community, so I thought I would go to my university’s Pride Club.(1)

Pretty much all the members were female, with the exception of one gay man and one trans woman (who was 31). Not one single girl in the group identified as bi or lesbian, but rather several combinations of ‘queer’, ‘pansexual’, ‘genderfluid demisexual’, and ‘non binary’.(2)
We began by introducing ourselves and stating our preferred pronouns. I already felt super out of place but I went along with it anyway. When introducing myself as a lesbian, the head of the club kindly asked me to refer to myself as ‘queer’ or ‘gay’ so as to be inclusive of (3)
everyone’s identities. I apologized and agreed to the terms but it stirred up something inside me, pretty much the exact same feeling I had when I came out to my family and they refused to acknowledge or accept that I was a lesbian.(4)
The topics of discussion ranged from dating, gender expression, and the difficulties Victoria faced as a ‘trans lesbian’ and how so few people in her life would validate her identity. Victoria was showered with praise and support, and not one single person had any (5)
qualms with hercalling herself a lesbian, despite being male. None of the discussions we had were same-sex focused, everything was about gender identity politics. Conversations were choppy and awkward because everyone kept inadvertently misgendering each other and had to (6)
keep pausing to correct themselves and apologize. I was denied to openly call myself the very thing that I am and the entire reason I joined the club in the first place, so what was the point? For a lot of young lesbians, these spaces are all they have and the only place (7)
they know to go. They are sold the idea of a ‘loving community’ that will protect them and represent their needs and experiences, when it couldn’t be further from the truth. Many of them get stuck in these toxic communities and pulled into TRA ideology because it’s easier (8)
to be complicit and inclusive than to stand up and be left behind. Female socialization accelerates this. Queer Theory has rebranded homophobia and misogyny as progressive and underneath all the flashy rainbows and colourful language, it is silently destroying lesbian lives(9)
This was almost 6 years ago and I will never forget the experience. I will never forget the way I felt when the head of that club told me it was wrong to be who I was. I will forever be disturbed at the enthusiasm of those young women as they coddled a 31 year old (10)
military male in a pink dress and pine green lipstick. And I won’t forgive the institutions that push this regressive rhetoric and leave us lesbians behind as collateral damage (11)
I am thankful I walked out of these circles when I did, and I can only hope that young lesbians will come to the same conclusions too. Radical feminism isn't always perfect, but I am much safer and far more understood here than I am in any kind of pride community. (12)
Someday I hope we will reclaim our culture and spaces. For now, all we can do is keep speaking out, and hope the world listens (13).
#getthelout #lgballiance #sexnotgender

More from Society

@Suman68082748 @thetwinkwolff @x_karran_x @Sunil9130 Lets stop the criticism guys. The lad is good. Losses happen. Losses to unranked players happen too. As do wins vs top 10ers. Let's accept both. Remember Sumit and the likes of him are the best we have. See the bigger picture please.

@thetwinkwolff @x_karran_x @Sunil9130 When the Europeans or South Americans were getting quality practice and tourneys week in week out at reasonable costs, our kids were playing on dung courts or learning outdated serve and volley on grass. Appreciate the fact that the last 10 years have been a hell lot better than

@thetwinkwolff @x_karran_x @Sunil9130 the 10 before that. Real change can't come in a day or even in 10 years. So let's grit our teeth and bide our time till we have an organic self sustaining system in place.

@siyer30 @SportaSmile @Cric_Writer @RomilShukla @amanthejourno

@thetwinkwolff @x_karran_x @Sunil9130 @siyer30 @SportaSmile @Cric_Writer @RomilShukla @amanthejourno Tennis is my favourite sport in the universe. Has always been. Will always be. I was in love with Steffi and Pete a lot before I fell for Sachin. And while I would love every toddler in my family to play sports professionally, I won't encourage them to pursue my favourite sport.

@thetwinkwolff @x_karran_x @Sunil9130 @siyer30 @SportaSmile @Cric_Writer @RomilShukla @amanthejourno It will be career suicide. In other sports, I can actually plan for my ward to be the next Lin Dan or the next Tiger Woods or the next Schumacher even from a base in India. With tennis, in 2020 I can't do that realistically. Just doesn't adds up. Even for total freaks of nature.

You May Also Like

"I really want to break into Product Management"

make products.

"If only someone would tell me how I can get a startup to notice me."

Make Products.

"I guess it's impossible and I'll never break into the industry."

MAKE PRODUCTS.

Courtesy of @edbrisson's wonderful thread on breaking into comics –
https://t.co/TgNblNSCBj – here is why the same applies to Product Management, too.


There is no better way of learning the craft of product, or proving your potential to employers, than just doing it.

You do not need anybody's permission. We don't have diplomas, nor doctorates. We can barely agree on a single standard of what a Product Manager is supposed to do.

But – there is at least one blindingly obvious industry consensus – a Product Manager makes Products.

And they don't need to be kept at the exact right temperature, given endless resource, or carefully protected in order to do this.

They find their own way.