Examines the dynamics of abuse and intimate partner violence in the lives of transgender people. Led by Xavier L. Guadalupe-Diaz, associate professor of sociology at Framingham State University. Part of the virtual Violence and (In)justice Lecture Series on Hostile Climates. find that in online.

 

            While I had previously been aware about the violence and abuse faced by the members of the LGBTQ community, the lecture by Professor Guadalupe-Diaz has made me realize the unique adversities that trasgender individuals suffer from, which could be attributed to the way society has stigmatized them. Apart from physical and psychological abuse that trasgender individuals may experience, there are also several threats to their safety and well-being enacted by abusive partners. For one, transgender individuals may be ridiculed by their partners fro their appearance, further causing instances of body dysmorpia and insecurity. This may eventually lead transgender individuals in becoming soley dependent on their abusive partners as they have already “accepted” them for who they are. Another kind of abuse they may face is the partner telling them that they are not a “real man” or a “real woman” and that they will always be seen as the gender assigned to them during their birth. One other form of common abuse is threatening their transgender partners that they would “out” them to certain communities, especially family and friends who are not aware of how they identify. All of these combined make it even more difficult for transgender individuals to leave abusive partners due to the possible consequences that could further result in their oppression and discrimination.

            I realized through this lecture that we must find avenues and systems that protect the LGBTQ community from this kind of abuse, especially transgender individuals as they are already suffering from the current status quo. This could include changes in policy in order to ensure workplaces are free of discrimination, providing avenues for transgender individuals to seek out the help they need, or educating the masses on how certain behaviors orways of thinking can be detrimental to the community. To fix this issue, the root of hatred must be addressed from a systemic point of view in order to eliminate barriers for transgender individuals so that they can live their lives in peace and normality,