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RaveA heartening playground interaction
I don't even know how many times I've made offhand TERFy comments in casual conversations with new people. Occasionally, someone will seem uncomfortable. I'll refrain from making personal remarks about the type of person I believe stereotypically responds that way, except to say it sure does always seem like the same type and not the type I'd feel like I'm missing out on. Far more often, it is well received. One such encounter happened yesterday. We've been cooped up most of this awful winter, and we had our first warm day. My small one was playing with some other children at the playground and called a long hair boy a girl. I corrected her, and assured her, the child was male. This kid's dad then complained to me that his wife wouldn't let him cut the boy's hair short, and so he looks like a girl. I disagreed. I told him his child didn't look like a girl at all to me, that many men have long hair and lots of people love long hair on men. I said equating long hair to girls was very "trans thinking." His wife, and another mother near us, both reacted positively, nodding agreement, laughing, and the wife saying "Yes! See?" I know it's just one small encounter, but it's the first I've been out aTERFin' since last year, and I found it encouraging. Thought I'd share.
That’s great that you were brave and put yourself out there like that! It can be really nerve-wracking for sure, but ultimately way more people agree with the ‘terf’ position than disagree with it, so speaking up gives others courage to do so too.