I'm one of the people who says that transgenderism is a mental illness, although I am careful about when and how I say it, and I don't intend to hurt anyone by saying it. I believe that transgender people are suffering intensely (their pre-op and post-op suicide rates are astonishingly high), and I have no desire to add to anyone's suffering. I'm no stranger to mental illness myself (having experienced severe depression and a learning disorder--as well as being bullied on and off throughout my entire life for having said learning disorder and for generally being "different" from others), and I don't think mental illness should be stigmatized. I have nothing but sympathy for transgender people in general, because I believe they're suffering, but my sympathy runs out when they start forcing their identity politics on everyone else and trying to curtail other people's civil liberties (such as First Amendment rights). I will not use someone's preferred pronouns, because the line has to be drawn somewhere. I don't believe that transitioning is the right way to help someone with gender dysphoria. Thank you for not jumping on board the "You're just being hateful!" bandwagon.