Sorry No

Monica Roberts, an out and proud transwoman, wrote in a recent column essentially not asking but almost demanding transwomen, "... need to be out, proud and claiming their rightful place in the beautiful mosaic of human life. We need to be and are demanding our human rights be respected and protected in the laws of the countries we reside in. We are demanding respect for our humanity from friend, foe and frenemy."

Sorry Ms. Robert, no they shouldn't be out if they so choose and want to remain private to protect themselves from public scurtiny and verbal, if not physical, attacks. No one in the transcommunity, who have always argued all transpeople be "out and proud", have the right to dictate how any other transperson lives their life.

It's the right of each transperson, because when almost all transpeople, mostly transwomen, finish their transition they think of themselves or live their lives as transgender, only male or female, and no one, not anyone in the transcommunity, has the right to claim and label them as "trans..."

As much I might agree with Ms. Roberts transpeople need respect, protection and rights, I disagree with how it's done. I also know that once someone transitions (legal documents), they're protected by the Civil Rights Act (laws) for their sex, simply as men and women, not trans-anything, something either missed or overlooked by the transcommunity.

So, no Ms. Roberts, keep your advice to yourself and leave all the other transwomen to themselves. They don't tell you how to live your life, so you don't have the right to tell them. The vast majority of post-transition women are to some measure stealth and they deserve the right to stay there if they choose.