Do what you want, but I will tell you the biggest problem in this country with second place being a long distance away has been our creation of echo chambers. It’s not fair to ask of you to be some kind of person on the front lines for the issues/perspective you espouse when you have the perception you’re in enemy territory. I’m not going to tell you not to take offense, that it’s “not personal” and that “everyone gets made fun of.” If I were in your shoes that would not feel compelling to me.
What I will say is if you feel like a lone wolf for a position/tribe you advocate - in this case LGBTQ, and specifically transgender - then maybe you’re exactly what this community needs.
Tribalism is at its most dangerous when there’s no exposure to the other side. It creates an ignorance. Inherently as a tribal species we begin to demonize the other side, which can lead to seeing it as an existential threat that has to be marginalized and/or exterminated. We don’t have our preconceived notions effectively challenged. By FAR the most effective counter to tribalism is some kind of personal relationship imbued with respect and admiration for a member of the opposing tribe. That never forms in an echo chamber.
The advent of the internet, the profitable dissection of our society into tranches, each with their preferred presentation of information, means that each tribe seeks out fellow members who then echo the group think, create litmus tests for what is required to be a member of the tribe, and then paint any who oppose those litmus tests as fundamentally flawed and evil.
I’m not saying you’re saving the world by posting on surlyhorns. That’s absurd. Maybe you never make a difference at all. I don’t know. But I do know the true battle we’re in as a society is the battle between our most basic tribal impulses - impulses that aren’t going anywhere, btw - and our brain’s amazing cognitive ability to overcome those impulses if presented with compelling persuasion. Honestly, sometimes that compelling persuasion is not on the positive end. Shame, fear, guilt, pain can be tools to repress our natural instincts as well. But so can love, respect, admiration, passion, and conviction.
I’ll tell you up front I’m not in favor of biological men who identify as women being allowed to compete in women’s sports. I will also say I am not an LGBTQ ally on most issues. That said, we need more love in this world, and people should be encouraged to love who they want. Whatever discomfort I might feel in this regard is my problem, that deals with my issues and background, not on the people who just want to love one another.
In any case, I’m convicted you’re an important voice on this board. You are a great community member who interacts with everyone in constructive/positive ways. If you’re feeling embattled right now I appreciate you’re feeling that way, and don’t want to delegitimize it in any way. That said, that feeling of being embattled may be exactly the reason you’re supposed to be posting on here. We need to hear an alternative perspective from someone we trust and respect that gets outside our own echo chambers.