CW: Doomer Rant About Transphobia
Unless someone explicitly confirms that they are not transphobic via the means of something like a genuinely supportive statement, a genuinely supportive action, or association with a group that outright condemns transphobia to a strict degree, I assume they are transphobic by default. This serves as a safety mechanism.
This includes trans people themselves, and it even extends to non-binary trans people.
Unfortunately, this mentality is extremely depressing and makes me feel that the world is fervently against me, but it's not exactly wrong to assume that the world is fervently against me.
I never operate under the assumption that any stranger I meet, trans or cis, binary or non-binary, will truly respect me and be content with who I am, and that's how bad transphobia has gotten.
I also live in Florida, so...
Damn bro, that sucks. Florida has the potential to be the run-away gayest state in the country if not for the death grip of Guasanos and religious fanatics.
There's so much baked in transphobia. I'll openly admit to takes a real conscious effort for me to cram the instinctual desire to act like an asshole back into the hole it crawled out of.
Can't imaging what it's like being on the receiving end. Like sitting in a room full of folks - green to the gills - wondering who is going to lose their lunch all over you.
Just remember this shit is a sickness other people have. It's not your fault they ingested filth. And know that it's a sickness that can and does pass (possibly after they've regurgitated it all over the floor in front of you). It's generally a good sign if they apologize while they clean it up.
I've been on the receiving end.
CW transphobia, obviously
I was at a company retreat and some of my coworkers were swiping on Tinder. A trans woman came up and they started making fun of her neck and choker and telling stories about how a trans woman propositioned them and how disgusting it was when they found out. These guys were quite high up in the company so I couldn't do anything. I was a bit disgusted by their behavior, but more than that it made me feel unlovable and worthless. I wasn't out to them at the time. I lost my job there after I came out and was isolated from the main development team, and it was a while before I could even start looking for work again.
YUH