u/leafm3al0ne

Trans women/fems are always seen as the default when it comes to trans issues, and that hurts all of us. Transfems are hyperscrutinized and made out to be villains, and that frequently puts them in dangerous situations. I'm not trying to downplay that.

On the rare occasion that transmascs are acknowledged at all, we're seen as either whiny bitches who don't know what's good for us or as monsters betraying our divine femininity. Either way, people think we need to be "corrected/fixed/set right." It's fucking gross and so exhausting.

When we try and talk about our issues, it's either "just misogyny" or "just transphobia." If we try and point out that any issue we face is specifically (or even disproportionately) related to being transmasculine, it immediately gets shut down. Some people in the trans community will do anything they can to downplay and discredit trans mens' lived experiences.

I have an extreme fear of dinosaurs. When I was 4 years old, I remember waking up to a news report about the Jurassic Park ride opening at Islands of Adventure in Orlando. It scared me half to death and gave me nightmares for a few years.

About 3 or 4 years later, I was dragged into the Bill Nye/Ellen Degeneres ride at Epcot and was hyperventilating and sobbing the entire time. When I was 12 or 13, I assumed the fear would be gone and agreed to go on the Jurassic Park ride. I had the worst anxiety attack of my life and couldn't even look up to see the animatronics for most of the ride.

Still, to this day, I can't handle animatronic dinosaurs. I can't handle the thought of dinosaurs at all. I can't swim in any body of water that's not clear to the bottom and I can't shut my eyes underwater. I have to wash my face one side at a time so I don't have to close both eyes and watch while a dinosaur tries to kill me.

I'm so glad dinosaurs are dead, but I wish they were forgotten.