Trans Day of Visibility - From the Chief Tentacle Freya Yamamoto
I don’t often personally post for Alternative Tentacles but today is Trans Day of Visibility. For those who don’t know me, I’m Chief Tentacle of AT and am an out and proud queer, trans woman. I have the privilege to be myself and to have the support of this amazing label and it’s important to me, for the young, closeted trans girl I once was and for all the other trans people out there, especially in the music industry, to be visibly trans and to show the rest of this community that trans people have a place at the table. I am not alone in this, and there are many people working to make this industry more welcoming and it is certainly possible for you to thrive in the music industry as a trans person.
It shouldn’t be controversial let alone political to say that trans rights are human rights, but the current fascist administration in the US is trying its best to erase and delegitimize trans people. They are trying their best to take away our rights and freedoms and any sense of safety but no politician gets to dictate who we are as people. Being visibly out and trans isn’t always easy, but nothing challenges the far right demonization of trans people as perverse boogiemen more than getting to know trans people as just another kind of people like anyone else. Once you recognize our humanity, this “culture war” becomes impossible to disguise as anything other than the hate and bigotry that it is.
Don’t forget, fighting for trans rights isn’t just about trans people. Every person deserves to live as their authentic self, to have access to the care they need, and to see their lived reality reflected in their legal documentation. For those of you who aren’t already well familiar with the fight we’re fighting - I hope my message can make it clear to you that all trans people want is the opportunity to live our lives and pursue our happiness with the same freedoms as everyone else deserves.
And to those of our audience that are trans, nonbinary, or gender non conforming know that we at Alternative Tentacles stand with you.
Happy Trans Day of Visibility!
Freya Yamamoto