For many people outside the queer spectrum, the terms "LGBTQ" and "transgender" are often used interchangeably. The rainbow flag hangs outside a cafe; a transgender rights march appears on the evening news. It is easy to assume that the "T" in LGBTQ is simply another hue on the same flag—another group fighting for the same rights, under the same historical umbrella.
Cisgender gay and lesbian people must understand that they have a gender identity, too, even if it matches their birth sex. They must learn that a trans man who loves men is not a "confused straight woman"—he is a gay man. A trans woman who loves women is a lesbian. amateur+teen+shemales+fix
But it is a cautious solidarity. Some older gay men and lesbians feel that the focus on trans issues is a strategic error, alienating moderate allies. Younger trans activists, however, argue that the gay rights movement only succeeded by respecting its radicals—and that leaving the T behind is a betrayal of Stonewall. The future of the transgender community within LGBTQ culture is not one of separation, but of integration with distinct respect. For many people outside the queer spectrum, the
A small but vocal minority of lesbians, gays, and bisexuals have attempted to sever the "T" from the coalition, arguing that transgender issues are distinct from sexual orientation issues. This "trans-exclusionary radical feminist" (TERF) ideology, though repudiated by mainstream LGBTQ organizations, has gained traction in the UK and parts of the US. TERFs argue that trans women are men encroaching on female-only spaces (bathrooms, prisons, sports). This has forced a crisis of conscience within LGBTQ culture: Is solidarity conditional? Cisgender gay and lesbian people must understand that