Orange is the New Black actress Laverne Cox recently said, "When a trans
woman is called a man, that is an act of violence". But how so? The World Health Organization recently launched a report on what violence
consists of. Violence is defined as not
only physical, but also emotional, not only from family but also from
strangers. It has been found that ostracism can cause a similar physical effect
than a blow. Ostracism can come in many
different forms, and even a brief moment of ostracism can hurt someone deeply
for a long time . To tell someone that they are not the gender they identify as
isn't just rude, but is a act of exclusion (you are not part of this gender)
and dehumanization (you aren't a girl, you're an "it"). Because small acts of ostracism pile up as
many people are wont to have the same reaction, and because ostracism threatens
fundamental psychological needs such as belong and self-esteem, emotional
violence ends up having the same effect as physical violence.
High rates of physical violence against trans* people exist, especially against trans women such as Laverne Cox. (And especially for trans women of color, who also must face the detrimental societal effects of racism.) The most murders against any group of queer people are against trans women. As the world is still so physically dangerous, small but additive acts of social violence only add to the difficulty of living within a society where cisgender people have all the power.
Resources: WHO report, Ostracism: Consequences and Coping
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