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6 Quotes From Influential Transgender People That Will Make You Think

"We are not what other people say we are. We are who we know ourselves to be, and we are what we love."

Whether you are atrans person, youknow someone transitioning,you want to be a better ally to the LGBTQ community or all three,these quotes are worth reading -if only totake a momentto consider theexperience of transgender peoplein a way you perhaps never had before.

Each thought comes from an influential transperson and not only highlightshow much there still is left to do to ensure thetrans community experience trueacceptance and equality, but are quitesimply kickass af.

Andreja Pejic on people's understanding of transgender people

“I would like them to understand that we are people. We're human beings, and this is a human life. This is reality for us, and all we ask for is acceptance and validation for what we say that we are. It's a basic human right.”

'Vogue'

Laverne Cox's advice for trans and genderqueer kids

"Define yourself in your own terms. In terms of gender, race, anything. We are not what other people say we are. We are who we know ourselves to be, and we are what we love. That’s OK. You’re not alone in who you are. There are people out there who will love and support you. It’s about doing the work and believing and finding those people—if they’re not in your local community, there’s somebody online that you can talk to for support."

'Rookie'

Jazz Jennings on how she's proud of being trans, but it does notdefine her

"Sometimes it gets annoying in interviews. People ask the same questions about me being transgender. They say, ‘How does it feel to be transgender?’ or, ‘Why do you think this way?’ – blah, blah, blah! All these questions. And I tell them, ‘You know, I’m not just a transgender individual, I’m also Jazz.’ I’m a soccer player, I’m an artist, I love to be creative. I am a representative in my class office. I’m on the varsity soccer team, I am going to do tennis later in the year. I’m in the Gay-Straight Alliance and the Jewish Student Connection, as well."

'Dazed'

Juno Dawson responds to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's recent controversial comment regarding a 'difference' between 'women' and 'trans women'

"Gender doesn’t need – and doesn’t have – gatekeepers. This is where the media needs to wise up. I have no idea why news producers are asking cisgender people for details of things they have no experience of. When it comes to trans issues, you can either get the experience from a trans person or an opinion from a cis person. Opinions are like assholes: everyone’s got one. They’re neither facts or news."

'LAPP'

Lea T on how there arethings way more important than sexuality

“I believe much more in love and heart.That’s much bigger [than] to see what you have in the middle of your legs.”

'Huffington Post'

Geena Rocero on why people must understand that being trans is not a choice

"We are all assigned a gender at birth. Sometimes that assignment doesn't match our inner truth, and there needs to be a new place -- a place for self-identification.I was not born a boy, I was assigned boy at birth. Understanding the difference between the two is crucial to our culture and society moving forward in in the way we treat -and talk about -transgender individuals ...In today's globally connected and ever-diversifying world, culture is now more fluid and more flexible than ever -- and so too should be our understanding and perception of gender.​"

'TED Talk'

'March 31st marks InternationalTransgender Day Of Visibility - a day created to shine a spotlight on the trans community, raise awareness for issues relating to visibility andthe community,and to forward the fight for equal rights (find out more about the day and why it's so important here).'

'Check out the video below for the latest from MTV News...'

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