Member-only story
Sticky Notes of Solidarity for All Line My Apartment
Reminders to care about every sentient being
I was at a Women’s March in San Francisco in 2018, asking people to sign a petition to help animals while joining the march in women’s solidarity. In an unexpected moment, I saw the words of her sign:
Trans women are women.
I wish I could describe how good I felt, but it’s hard to find words. If I could choose a perfect moment to die in, this one would be an option. Because there I was, trying to help young pig, chicken, and bovine beings with what would become Prop 12, affirming the truth of animals’ worth… and suddenly I see these words on a sign that affirm what I am worth. As a transgender woman, I am worth listening to. I am worth being believed, seen, and loved for who I am inside.
My life purpose is to joyfully, healthily, rewardingly create a kinder world that includes animals. So a moment like that, where both bravery and comfort were present, made me feel complete.
I was able to walk up to the woman holding the sign. “I’m transgender,” I told her. I think I remember her saying that she wasn’t, or that she was cisgender. Perhaps she felt nervous, wanting to make sure that her sign came across well to the very type of human it was meant to uplift.
