My Lesbianism Will Always Include Trans People

I take immense joy in my lesbianism. Some could accuse me of revelling in it.

I didn’t set out to hit so many of the classic dyke stereotypes but here I am, age 26: an unshaven, man-hating lesbian with a gender studies degree and a tattoo of my dead cat. I may as well lean into it.

My lesbianism is not confined to my sexuality- famously, the personal is political. It informs the way I move and feel in my body, how I serve my community, the reasoning behind my politics. Being a dyke is a core part of my identity, and it has been for almost half of my life now.

 And it is because of my lesbianism that I will always- always– align myself with transgender liberation.

Transgender Day of Visibility and Lesbian Day of Visibility land within a month of each other, and as the number of attacks on transgender human rights increase, it is the responsibility of lesbians to stand with trans people, especially trans lesbians.

Ideology rooted in feminist history

This perspective does not make me unique, nor is it the result of the cultural Marxism universities are accused of promoting.

Lesbians, radical lesbian feminists, have a long history of solidarity with trans people. To deny this is completely ahistorical, and a betrayal of the fundamental principles our lesbian forebearers fought for.

Why shouldn’t we stand with transgender people? Lesbian culture is rich with gender fuckery. Even those of us who are cisgender can sympathise with complex relationships with masculinity and femininity.

 Transgender liberation opens up previously neglected imaginings of lesbianism, pathways that have fallen prey to the ravages of capitalism, colonialism, and white supremacy.

We owe it to ourselves and our communities to not only restructure our understandings, but to enable each person to forge their own pathway in their gender identity.