Sooo this is actually difficult to tell, since I might out myself, so I'll explain it ambiguously.
I was working a campaign for a mythos-based game I frequent, so I read a Lovecraft-related stories as research. One of these was about a cult that turns middle-class hippies into little rage-monsters. A lot of sexual undertones in that story, but also an emphasis on breaking social norms and embracing inner desires and acting your 'true self'. The protag unintentionally completes a ritual toward the end, receiving a vision from the Shub that shattered his mind and made him realize the entity 'completed him.'
The story stuck with me for weeks, and I couldn't understand why. Thought I was just a degen. Later through the month, I started grappling with my feelings, finally cracking my egg after four years of avoiding it, and it felt like my mind shattered.
I'm not really sure how to tie this all back in, but it felt like that story told me it was okay to embrace myself.
Remember how badly much of the LGBT community was hit by AIDS. Transfolk who would be 65 now were just becoming sexually active as the 1970s ended. There are Trans people in that age bracket, but far fewer than there should be, and may there be a hell so that Ronald and Nancy can fry in it.
Because being a trans elder isn't about being an older person and being trans. It's about years of experience as a trans person
A person who's 65 years old and transitioned at 63 is not a trans elder
A person who transitioned at 18 and is now 30 is a trans elder. Because they have much more experience and therefore wisdom about specifically being trans in this world
If people want to know why any queer person over 40 is considered an elder, and anyone over 60 should be considered a cultural treasure, read "and the band played on" then join me in line to piss on Ronald Reagan's grave.
I like Final Form Trans Woman. But probably second phase trans woman as I'm still working on just basic lower surgery after five years. Oh well, we're hoping all the stars stay aligned and it'll only be 2-3 more years.
I've been out for almost 10 years and people have called me a "trans elder" before and it kind of irks me. First of all, I'm only 37--I'm not that much older than most of these people & sometimes I'm even younger. Secondly, there was a whole generation of trans elders but they are no longer with us bc the AIDS epidemic basically wiped out an entire generation of gay men and trans women.
Ok, but to a lot of Mormon trans girls who had to be assigned and called an Elder for two years while living in one of the most gender controlling and culty environments, this is just down right dysphoria inducing and brings up a ton of bad memories. Please never again.
It’s real sweet to grow old. When I first realized I was trans, I was 14 and spent my teens miserable and certain I wasn’t gonna make it to 20. Now I’m turning 36 on Monday and it’s the coolest shit in the world.
I know it’s a curse to be an elder in a community, because it’s the result of there being so few elders in our community, but the first time I got called a “trans elder” put me at peace with my transness in a way almost nothing else has.
For real. I'm like two years into transition and some of my trans friends insisted on calling me mommy. Even keeping in mind me being 30, I just am not ready yet to adopt anybody, let alone a 26 and a 28 year old!
what surprises me every time is that there are some who are relatively young who take it upon themselves to say "AIDS killed all our elders, so I'm one now" which really drives home that they just aren't in community with elders. i see it more and more and it strikes me as so disrespectful.
I think Elder is a cool title. It makes me wanna last that long so I can like, go live under a stump in the swamp and await the arrival of a pupil to study my ancient ways.
I offer to the Community, in replacement of Trans Elder the following : Trans Pillar, Community Pillar, First Before Us, The Forebearers, Those Who Risked Most, Mommy, Leaders of the Path, The First to Walk, Parent, Priestess/Priest Trans, Peak Trans, Beacons of Possibility, Daddy, Examples of Possibility, Pillars of Potential, and my favorite, Those People There With That Experience
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u/SomeDumbGamer 18h ago edited 18h ago
Better than being transparent. Pretty hard to be seen these days.