1/ I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how debates in the media about trans people - specifically trans women - are broadly always done in the abstract and why this is so damaging. Eg., ‘Should trans women be allowed in women’s spaces?’

2/ Most people have never met or personally know a trans person.

So when the ~media~ speaks about say, trans women, it conjures up a problematic, bogeyman image of essentially, a man in a dress. Playing on these dehumanising stereotypes let’s people’s fear run wild

3/ So when this happens - or when we/the media are confronted with someone who opposes trans women in women’s space - we need a humanising approach. Ie., ‘So are you saying Laverne Cox should use a men’s toilet?’

(Laverne is probably the most famous trans woman except Caitlyn)

4/ Grounding the hypothetical in reality - with a trans person *most* people will know - makes it a lot harder for those opposing voices to come off as ‘reasonable’ imo and reminds people that trans people are not objects for debate but real human beings we may know & love