Why are threads attacking trans people allowed, please?

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The way I read this, there have been a fair number of threads & comments over the last few months that flat out violate the rules when they state trans people,

a.) are mentally ill, unstable & delusional
b.) are rapists / pedophiles / otherwise dangerous
c.) are specifically an inherent threat to women and children
d.) should not be granted the same access to public accommodations as everyone else
e.) are weird / evil / wrong / bad *by choice*
f.) are not "real" and therefore should not be afforded the same respect as other people.

Also, unless the person saying these things uses "gay" as a derogatory slur or invokes a direct attack on an individual user by name, there is rarely moderator intervention. Somehow the slur, "tranny" is apparently deemed not offensive. Attacking trans people as a group by starting inflammatory threads likewise appears to be acceptable.

The real shame of it is that there is a high overlap between the two communities, based on the last decade or so of research. Trans people - especially trans men - are far more likely to be on the spectrum. And there is no doubt in either field of study that both are atypical variations in neurological development. Yet, even on WP trans people are being treated the same way autistic people were treated when I was a child. Imperfect. Less-than. Morally corrupt. Choosing to be lazy. Shameful. A possible threat to the "good" neurotypical people of the world. Because we are different and *cannot* conform to their expectations.

I came here because my daughter and I are both AS/ASD, and I was hoping we could find a supportive community. But so far, my spouse and I have not mentioned WP to her because of the level of cruel, intolerant, transphobic comments and attacks. Is there anything that can be done, please, or should people who are transgender simply accept that WP is not a safe place for us?

Honestly, I don't think that WP is a place to get real support for any of the "hot button" issues such as religion, politics, certain sexual topics, etc. To talk about topics such as these on this site, I have found out you have to be able to stand up for yourself because it's pretty much a free-for-all. I think WP is a place to come for support for AS (especially in the Haven) which is what the site was designed for, but for any other topics one would probably have to go to a website that "specializes" in that particular controversial subject for support. Everyone is going to have their own opinions and you can't be fair by stifling one person's opinions over another and all threads are open to everyone. I try to find like - minded individuals and PM them for support (especially on the political issues).

For some members, it seems to take a while to shift their opinions on trans-gender people from "horrible, evil, sinful" to "not as bad as I thought" to "not bad at all".

I think that if a member has shown some progress in the right direction, then they should be given some benefit of the doubt as to any residual hostility they may have.

Otherwise, cry "Havoc!" and lose the banhammer.

For the record, I still would not knowingly date a trans-gender person (if I was single, of course) but I'll be damned if I'll knowingly stand by and watch one get attacked - no one deserves violence just for being "part of the LGBT crowd" - nor would I let anyone succumb to their injuries from such an attack if I can do anything to keep them alive long enough for them to get medical help.

I have stood up for people who may or may not have been trans-gender when others were questioning their apparent gender. This seems to be happening more often, and I don't know why.

I would also like to know why deriding transgender people as a group is allowed here, especially as there is so much overlap between them and people on the spectrum. I have seen many examples of trans people on the forum lately having to justify their existence to ignorant people who refuse to inform themselves about the phenomenon but still feel comfortable judging trans people as crazy, perverts who want to assault people in restrooms/changerooms, mentally deficient, morally wrong for being trans, etc. Would any of this be ok if it were directed at people with autism who weren't trans? No one should have to explain to other people why it's ok for them to exist--we are all human beings here, it would be nice if we could treat each other that way. What is the point of having rules against discrimination on this site if they are only applied to some groups, and it's ok to discriminate against others? This site is not making an effort to be welcoming and inclusive to trans people at all, and I find it really embarrassing and shameful. We can do better, and should.

You probably have done this but you if you have not you should report offensive posts. When you report you are given choices as to why the posts violate the rules, but you are also given an option to go into further detail.

I would like to know why deriding intelligent people is allowed here, especially as there is overlap between intelligence and people on the spectrum.

The same can be said for creative people and depressed people, as well.

"Derailing describes a pattern of behavior expressed by members of the privileged class, allies, or other marginalized groups which result in silencing the opinion of a marginalized person or distracting from what a marginalized person wishes to discuss. There are various subtypes:
Tone Argument
Demanding Education
Privilege-splaining
Special Snowflake
What about the <insert privileged group here>?!
Oppression Olympics
Moving Goalposts
Magical Intentions"

Emphasis mine. Would you mind terribly staying on topic for this thread? It's very important to me.

I am on topic - the metatopic. I just wonder why threads attacking any group - including trains people - are allowed. All forms of attack threads should be disallowed, and not just threads attacking any one particular group.

Thank you for expressing your thoughts and feelings on this so clearly.

It is not acceptable to attack transgender people on any part of WrongPlanet.

Even within the special, more "free speech" oriented rules of the Politics, Philosophy and Religion board, the following is clearly stated:
http://wrongplanet.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=204613#p4793268

The rules around discussion of sexism logically apply here as well. The moderators don't read every post, so unless someone reports a post, it may never be seen by mods. This inevitably means that some hateful language will be in a post for a time after it was posted until someone removes it.

Conversely, if a moderator does take action, it's almost always because someone has reported a post or PM, not because of some personal agenda of the mod.

Again, thank you for writing this, it will help the moderators to have a discussion about how the rules are enforced, specifically in discussions of transgender people and issues, and hopefully improve WrongPlanet.

Well I would like to take some time to state I hope I have never offended in this way. Its not that I don't agree with the homosexual lifestyle or not but I have personally, as stated in other threads, had problems with homosexuals in my life respecting boundaries. Thats not to say they all don't respect boundaries or to say that they are all evil. Just stating my experience with those of an alternative lifestyle, if the post I am referring caused problems I am sorry. If I am being paranoid and I am totally in the cool, than you can ignore this.

There is no religion, gender, race or sexual orientation that offends me as an idea. However there are people of many different religions, genders, races and sexual orientations that annoy the hell out of me. The two are not related though I admit with my own personal experiences I am taken back a bit when someone tells me face to face they are homosexual but I know there are many good homosexual people out there.

Interestingly, there have been a number of game-shifting court cases in the last decade that have built up a solid reasoning. Just as discrimination because of a change of religion is still religious based discrimination, discrimination due to a "change of sex" (as the federal judge put it in Schroer v. Library of Congress put it eight years ago) is still sex based religion, or sexism. It's why so many cities, states and now Federal policies have added "gender identity" to their laws prohibiting discrimination based on racism, sexism and homophobia.

Perhaps Wrong Planet could make that minor addition as well?

Um, dcj123? While I thank you for being a thinking, respectful person, your comment is sorta like saying you aren't offended at all by mexicans because african americans are okay in your book. Please allow me to explain?

This has nothing to do with "homosexuals". To state trans women are gay if they like men inherently also then states that their gender identity is invalid, based solely on the speakers prejudice. Gender identity is how a person defines themselves and identifies on a male-null-female spectrum. Sexuality is the gender they are physically and romantically attracted to. Just as there straight, gay, bisexual and asexual cisgender people (opposite latin prefix,means: 'not transgender'), there are straight, gay, bisexual and asexual transgender people.

Thank you again, for being respectful of others and for all your wonderful posts!

Transsexualism is a relatively new thing for most people, and it may take them a while to get used to the idea and form their own opinion on it, especially AS people who are often slow to change. While that change is occurring, I don't see the value in attempting to cram one particular set of opinions down everyone's collective throat via stifling of opinions that fail to conform, and given that this is an AS, not trans, support site, I think that could be downright harmful for our members.

uh wow ok

I see the errors of my ways quite clearly now, perhaps I would have been better off not speaking at all. Thank you for this information, I would to the best of my ability express that its our unique traits that make us a diverse and loving group if your daughter was to ever post here.

We can try this again if you want, I have boundary issues with homosexuals and I actually don't mind transgender people at all. I actually had a transgender friend. She was cool and actually got me into body modification which is an awesome outlet for me. It kinda goes with my identity now. I love piercings and they really seem to fit my personality and express my open mindedness. Shame I fell out of contact, she was one of the nicest people I know actually.

If I may, I believe my confusion came from the how the group LGBT is lumped together in one category, I kinda dislike that term now that I have been shown the narrow way of lumping all those together.

Actually, *acceptance* and accurate education and familiarity are what are new - in modern America. Hardly anyone was *not* aware of who Christine Jorgensen was after 1952 & historical document refer to countless trans people across cultures around the world, including records of ancient Rome and the Bible.

Yes, this is an AS support site. AS is a categorical diagnosis, a grouping of behaviors & variations of neurological development. Interestingly, AS and being transgender tend to be co-morbid at levels significantly higher than expected levels. Both also tend to have connections to certain windows of brain development, as well as ties to serotonin regulation.

I am curious; Do you feel that having restrictions on saying hateful things to people who are depressed, have OCD, sensory issues and other co-morbid conditions or variations would also be "downright harmful to our members"? What about gay people? Should saying hateful things to them be restricted, or not? Why are trans people somehow not deserving of the same respect and kindness?

You're asking the wrong question; what you should be asking is what I consider "hateful", which I imagine diverges significantly from what you do. Actually, I try to avoid that term in general, too loaded, but then I suspect that's the reason you do use it.