I have a question about cissexism. That yes, I'm afraid to ask with my face attached. I am cis, but I am interested in learning about the challenges facing trans*people, reading about the things that concern trans*people, and trying to understand things as best as I, as someone who is not trans*, can. I want to reblog things I found enlightening that helped me understand, and if someone is trying to raise awareness for something to reblog it as well and try to help signal boost.

I'm afraid that if I start reblogging things to do with trans*people when I am not one, it will be taken as cissexist or appropriation or any of the other nasty things that white women who stick their noses into minority business are called. I'm afraid that if I start reblogging these things and people follow me because reblogging these things has caused them to think I'm trans* myself, I'm afraid that they'll accuse me of lying or pretending to be something I'm not for not introducing myself here on the internet with "by the way, just so you know, I'm cis!"

I know that I have privilege over trans*people and that trans*people can't be racist against me because of the institutional cissexism, but that doesn't mean they can't be nasty to me, and I'm scared of that. I've seen the tone argument used as an excuse to bully people before, and I'm scared of that, too. It feels like there's a great big wall, like if I try to educate myself then I'm sticking my nose where it doesn't belong and being a condescending white woman. But if I don't educate myself, how is that a good thing?

I don't know what to do. Can you offer me some help or advice?

Kyle: Firstly, I just want to point out that by “racist” I think you meant “cisphobic”—some folks say that “all oppression is oppression” but that simply isn’t true, and just because someone is oppressed on one level doesn’t mean they aren’t on another. So yes, I can be a victim of transphobia but I do still have white privilege among other privileges. Anyway, to the point of your question: I personally see no problem in you reblogging about trans issues. If you have on your blog that you’re cis then it’s there for those who look. As an example I have several friends who constantly share stuff on Facebook about trans folks because they have a significant other or a best friend who is trans. And one friend of mine would repost every single trans link I shared, and I just assumed they cared about social justice. Being an ally doesn’t mean you can’t be as engaged in our community as we are, it just means you have to be careful about respecting your role as a privileged person. And judging by this question, I would say that you probably can handle that line well, even if you slip every so often (and everybody does, it’s all a part of the learning process of being a social justice activist). Just make sure to keep educating yourself and know how to stand your ground of who you are and what you believe in.

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