My peak trans happened very quickly.
Years back, when I was new to feminism and wanted to discuss it with others, I joined a feminist livejournal community. It was not exactly feminist – very pro-prostitution etc – but it was something.
Trans suddenly became a very important issue in the community. That is, supporting the plight of trans people and being a good ally.
I thought, those poor souls, they were just born in the wrong body, a cruel joke by nature. And I didn’t reflect any further, because I didn’t know anything more – however, as we got more and more topics about trans issues, I started to wonder why such an incredible small group of people was so important to feminism.
We were told to go educate ourselves, so I did. I started to read the blogs of trans people, and visit their sites.
First, a site by a MTF who posted photos of himself in a bathing suit, and talked about how horny he had become lately. He explained it as being comfortable in his new body, but I found it shady – and all I could see was a man with implants. I felt terrible and transphobic, but I also felt like had seen through something. I saw a delusional man with a fetish.
Next, the blog of the adult MTF who had tons of icons -all of underage anime girls in bondage. This love of man-made porn imaginary of females seemed to be common; another of the bloggers kept posting old pin-up drawings.
Finally, the website with comics showing us the hardships of young trans people. The FTM’s were portrayed as active, aggressive and horny, the MTF’s as passive, dainty flowers. I thought: How incredibly sexist! What’s feminist about this? Really intense gender stereotypes, male and female brains, etc.
We were supposed to read those sites to educate ourselves, and I certainly became educated.
