BLUF: The left, specifically content creators, is so eager to bend over backwards to draw in people from the right that they'll sacrifice their current allies and you're driving people away.

Upfront, this isn't my first rodeo with watching the fallout of a movement trying to assert themselves. I was in the LGBTQ community long before I knew I was trans and started transitioning. So, I'm not shocked that an attempt to say "Hey, this was line crossed" has ended up inspiring more hate, but damn, I did not expect how many people I counted as allies or trustworthy sources just...absolutely would throw us under the bus.

Of course, this is about the Chapelle special. Yes, I watched it in full, twice. Honestly, I wasn't triggered, I found it largely tiring and the biggest takeaway I had was "This is a millionaire who could get someone to explain this to him. He's not at street level anymore. He could learn any time he wanted to. He chooses to remain ignorant." And, sure as shit, it's empowered the TERFs. I've seen TERFS, #IStandWithLesbians and LGB without T trending, being discussed more and largely people siding with them because "The transgenders are just too sensitive and they have to be stopped". That's real world harm. Do you know how we could blunt that? Cis allies actually having our backs.

Instead it's think piece after think piece about how comedy is sacred, how Dave is harmless, how if you don't like something just change the channel. The last one pisses me off. I didn't seek this fight out, it came to me. I hadn't thought about Dave Chapelle in years then I had friend say "So, why do you hate Chapelle?" out of left field. He assumed, because Dave said all trans folk hate him, that I did. Funny enough I might now. I definitely hate his fanbase. But, back on track: Ya'll are honestly dropping the ball for your allies and I can't figure out why.

The best I could come up with - this is the best case - is that you're under some misconception that standing up for trans people here will stop some fence sitters from leaning left or stop conservatives from joining your side. If that's the case, the left can't be trusted. It's all caculations for power, who to sacrifice and who to uplift and honestly, the trans community will never be large enough to be "worth" defending by that calculus. As one trans woman, the list of people I can count as stalwart allies is growing shorter by the day and this may be my last time interacting with politics outside of presidential elections.

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So, why shouldn't I feel like we were just erstwhile allies?