How do we deal with issues that are unusual, uncomfortable, or uncommon? How do we interact with transgender individuals ? When in doubt, think about the kindest and most civil way to deal with anyone — and you won’t go wrong. Check out a recent article about how kindness translates to social norms.
The Washington Post shared this simple yet profound article titled:
Civilities: When it comes to transgender etiquette, choose to be kind
“In many ways, these past 12 months are likely to go down in history books as “That Transgender Year.” Activist and actress Laverne Cox became the first trans person to grace the cover of Time magazine; “Orange Is the New Black,” in which Cox’s trans character also broke boundaries, was nominated for 12 Emmys; and Amazon’s “Transparent,” about a father who is transitioning, hit gold as well. Out in the real world, meantime, transgender people continued to be attacked and killed in shocking numbers. Murders topped 1,500 in the six years between 2008 and 2014, according to the Trans Murder Monitoring Project. And the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law reported that 41 percent of people who are transgender have attempted suicide at some point in their lives, nearly nine times the national average.”
Do we really need a lesson in manners? Yes, we do.