I think the only way to further education of our cis/straight peers is to meet them on the field of where they are making erroneous statements.
I get weary of trying to educate people as well at times and I have to take breaks.
I don't mind engaging someone if it's going to be a fruitful conversation but if they're not going to listen to me and it's clear they're not going to listen to me, I don't want to waste my breath.
46 year old trans woman here . How else are we going to give them the education they REALLY need without engaging them?
As exhausting as it is, whether we like it or not we are ambassadors.

So... maybe a weird perspective. I feel pretty ignorant on trans issues. To remedy that, I've been reading anything I can find from trans activists or from the trans perspective but its honestly just left me with more questions than answers. Rather than asking the trans people around me to educate me (since that's really not their job) I've just decided to remain ignorant. I'm not sure that's a great thing but I also feel like I don't have to "understand" someone to respect them and treat them the way they want to be treated. I guess I'm saying that some of us ignorant folk don't mean to be.. WIth that being said, if someone were to ask me to use they/them pronouns, I sure as hell would, even though I don't get it.

There are so many people out there who truly just hate themselves. So what they do is to project this hatred onto others, groups, races, etc. They have no idea what they don't know !!!

I am so sorry to hear of your experiences. I've been lucky, it would seem, as I've not as yet been on the receiving end. I can't really add to what's been commented here - just to underline - I hope you do not leave even though it would be understandable. I feel sure (maybe you don't feel the same way of course) that there is a LOT more positive reaction/response than negative.

If you really feel the need to leave I hope you will try to contact someone here that you feel you can trust and discuss it with them. In the meantime I wish everyone and you in particular a happy holiday season.

I hear ya. If it isn’t their “part” of the LGBT community, they disrespect and make little or no effort to learn. I wasn’t expecting that kind of behavior here. I wasn’t expecting it to be all rosy, either.

I think it is probably more accurate to say ignorant and or small minded. Seems like there are plenty of LGBT people out there making similar comments about trans or basically any group they do not personally match with. I find it so hard to understand gay men being disrespectful of lesbians, or bi men; or bears being disrespectful of twinks, or effeminate men; or lesbians disrespectful of bi women, or gay men. Seems like minorities who have directly seen discrimination would get it easier than that, and see how they are doing the same thing as WASPS often do. I mean, we all have some prejudice. I think the most important thing is to try to recognize it and work on ourselves to become better people. I have several transgender friends, but I would be lying if I said I became understanding of the issue overnight, and I am very accepting and liberal. I also took issue with bi men for a long time, as there is a narrative in the gay community that they are just really gay men testing the waters by saying they are bi. A lot of it is upbringing. Sometimes we get initially caught in false narratives due to ignorance or because we see a lot of it. Sadly it is also pretty common to just want a group you can feel like you are better than, to have someone to look down on, and feel superior to. It is an all to human failing. So yeah, I do get tired of all sorts of comments made by people who have latched onto, what now, seems like a false narrative to me. But at the end of the day there are a lot of amazing people on here too, so I try to stay positive and keep that in mind. Not that I always succeed. I also don't really know you personally, but I do hope you stay around. I get some of the best discussions on here, and love all the interesting people. Not perfect, but pretty good.

I like all people based on personalities... Not sexual preferences...

Ah if only it was just this site for me personally it's everywhere....the endless double takes in the supermarket, the checkout assistant who doesn't say a single word me, the teenage boys who have followed me down the street shouting insults at me, the alternative media (OK conspiracy nuts) who came out with loads of truly insightful things but think because you are trans you are part of a plan for the new world order and illuminati spawn......but that's ok they also state they know gay and lesbian people who think trans are freaks too.
The good thing is that you can block people and as far as educating, you tend to find that with people who generally really want to understand, whilst it can be tiring it's kind of easy but there is a certain category of person who there is no point interacting with and it is their problem because their mind box is so small so just leave them to their world of puss filled hate and be proud you are not that person.

Well, at the risk of sounding corny, I would be sad if you left the site. PalacinkyPDX, honestly you are perhaps my very favorite commenter on here. It is rare that I don't notice some difference in my opinion from that of others if I pay attention to theirs for long. But I try to remind myself I have no patent, nor guarantee, on "Truth," with a capital T. Still, I can't recall even one comment of yours that has struck me wrong. So cheers, I suppose.

I did get quite frustrated with ignorance from commenters on Facebook, despite trying to be careful about my friends list. That is one of the reasons I was happy to find this site. Then I realized there were some pretty conservative people here. I avoid the politically conservative tagged groups like the plague, and that shields me from most of the aggravation. When I browse the general posts, I still occasionally see some eye-opening comments that strike me as ignorant and even callous, and sometimes I engage with them, sometimes bluntly. I know I have pissed off a few, who must think me awfully self-righteous, but Fuck-em! Maybe the fact I grew up steeped in Pentacostal community group-think wrong-headedness has given me somewhat more practice stomaching the bullshit without feeling like I am indulging it or capitulating. I remember I believe I was reasonably intelligent even before I escaped fundamentalism or fully came out as gay. That awareness helps me remember the humanity of the people I disagree with.

I do think you have a lot more to put up with as a trans person. I am a relatively run of the mill (by this point) gay guy; white to boot. There is still so much broadspread cis ignorance about trans issues, even from well-meaning people. (Well how about that? Even my spell check on my phone can't handle the abbreviation "cis." ) I realize I have learned a lot, myself, just in the past 5 years or so. It helps that I met my first openly trans person back before I was out of high school, but I am learning more since the spouse of one of my siblings has started transitioningin the past 2 years.
As tiring as it can get, respectfully engaging others in discussion to add understanding is the best thing I know of for the nurturance of enlightenment, slow and incrimental as it may be. And yours are some of the most informative comments on here, so thank you! And please don't leave. Maybe consider taking just a brief break now and then. ?

Well, you haven't blocked me yet so I must be doing something right. =P

Well I hope you don’t place every straight person in the same discard pile. There are some of us a lot more accepting than the others you have crossed paths with. I for one do like to be educated, which is why I enjoy this Agnostic community, so please don’t close the willing out. Thank you! ?

Not really. I've not seen much anti-LGBTQ here save from that little clique of hyperconservative assholes. But I'm not in all the groups here, either.

However, I see no point in joining the singles group because it looks depressingly hetero.