I, like many people my age grew up online, spending dozens of hours a week glued to my computer and phone. I spent a chunk of that time on twitter and tumblr, two TRA social justice strongholds since about 2012. And the TRA dogma has been so prevalent in my upbringing online that their terminology, gaslighting, malicious manipulation and just straight up lunacy is almost... normal to me.

I grew up hearing that lesbians need to unlearn their genital fetish or they’re bad people. I grew up hearing that “TERFs” are an evil subhuman sect of the population that deserves only the worst because their thoughts and words “literally kill trans women”.* I grew up being taught to never doubt that trans women are women and trans men are men, full stop. That I couldn’t even call them their correct sex because that would be literal violence. It’s horrifying that they have fostered an environment on these huge platforms (with many minors and impressionable young people) where there’s a constant threat of trans suicide, being ostracized by society and being considered a bad person if you don’t comply with the TRA ideology without criticism, without question and dissent? Dissent is not even an option for us. And... ugh. This was all on websites I used from age 13 til now, as a 21 year old. Surrounded by friends of the same age. Having our environment flooded with this fuckery, and our minds bent by malicious adult TRAs to submit to them accept these harmful lies.

I’m envious of older gender critical thinkers I’ve seen here on reddit who got to grow up normal, and not be exposed to all this and thus have an easier time smelling the bullshit and being critical.

After all though, I’m better off than some my peers. Despite being surrounded by it all I’ve always been more resistant and less into the TRA’s schtick. I never self described as cis, never put pronouns in my bios, never questioned my “gender identity”, hell I never thought much of it at all. Like I don’t even have one I’m just female. On the other hand though I have had many friends and knew tons of people who drank the TRA kool-aid, bottoms up with not a drop to spare. Every single one of them is suffering and mentally ill in some way, desperately in need of a positive life change and real help and coping skills, but what they got instead was all they knew. Fuck the trans cult.

*(It’s honestly jarring how much emphasis they have on hating feminists and lesbians but generally ignore misogynistic/oppressive men. And how there is no equivalent for the whole anti terf phenomenon for trans men. Reflecting on this was my peak trans moment.)

I could go more into it all but I’m tired atm. Sorry this is barely readable lol just wanted to get my thoughts out there and maybe others will feel the same and even if not, I’m interested to hear your opinion on what I’m thinking.