September 3rd 2024.
As I was scrolling through my social media feed a few days ago, I came across a discussion about something called 'transfishing'. It's a relatively new trend on the internet where cisgender women, who are creators of online content, pretend to be transgender in order to gain more attention and make money. It all started with a viral video of two women who appeared to be cisgender, dancing in their underwear with sex toys stuffed in their pants to create the illusion of a bulge. Their profiles also featured the transgender pride flag and links to their OnlyFans accounts. When I first saw this, I was confused. Having personally experienced the hate and discrimination that trans women face online, I couldn't understand why anyone would want to pretend to be trans for clout. Wouldn't that just make them a target for even more hate?
But as I delved deeper into the conversation, it became clear that these 'transfishers' are simply trying to capitalize off the controversy and attention that these types of posts generate. And this is incredibly upsetting for trans people because these individuals are profiting off of our lived experiences without ever having to actually face the struggles and discrimination that we go through every day.
It's disrespectful and frustrating to see these 'transfishers' use our bodies and identities for their own gain without ever lifting a finger to actually advocate for our rights. It's no surprise to me that this has become a thing, as I know firsthand that trans women have always been fetishized by cisgender men. It's a sad reality, but it's one that many of us have experienced on dating apps or in our everyday lives.
In fact, a 2022 report from PornHub showed that searches for trans porn have increased by 75%. And as a trans woman, I can attest to the fact that I receive countless messages from men online who are only interested in me because of my trans identity. It's incredibly frustrating and dehumanizing to be reduced to a mere sexual object for someone else's pleasure. These men may enjoy trans porn, but in their everyday lives, they may still hold transphobic views and treat us with disrespect.
But I am fortunate to be in a relationship with another trans person who understands and accepts me for who I am. We don't have to deal with any hang-ups or crises about my identity, and we just get each other. It's a beautiful thing, and I couldn't be happier.
It's important to recognize that the content we consume online, whether it's news or pornography, can shape our views and perceptions of certain groups of people. And in a society that often portrays trans people as a threat or objects of ridicule, it can generate a lot of shame for those who are attracted to us. But it's time for people to let go of their shame and realize that there is nothing wrong with being attracted to trans people. We deserve to be celebrated and desired for who we are, not just for our bodies or our identities.
Transfishing is not the way to do this. Using our bodies and identities to sell online content for personal gain is exploitative and disrespectful. Trans people deserve to be seen and represented on our own terms, not by someone else taking advantage of us and our bodies.
So while we continue to fight for our rights and existence in society, it's disheartening to see that some people are profiting off of our identities without ever having to face the same struggles and discrimination that we do. But I hope that with more education and understanding, we can eradicate the hate and prejudice towards trans people, and be celebrated and respected for who we are.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
