Jen -
Yes and no. Obviously people/society need to change. One of the ways society needs to change is the way trans* peeps are treated by the law. When a trans* person can get sent to the wrong prison simply because the state failed to correct her documentation there is a problem. When rape and domestic violence and homeless shelters can deny services to trans* women there is a problem. When the simple act of using a public restroom becomes up for debate there is a problem.
With the case of violence it becomes even more critical. The abysmal rate in which our attackers are caught, much less convicted is maddening. Even when the attacker is well know to members of the community. When Kelly Telesford (from the UK, so not directly applicable to the US) can be strangled, her last date found with her stolen property on him, can get found not guilty because he implied she was "easy" and into "freaky sex'. There is a problem.
When men who have a history of dating trans* women can kill us and get a "manslaughter" conviction and sentenced to 6 years in jail by claiming "gay panic". There is a problem. When a Trans* woman in DC is left to die in a car accident because the EMTs are too busy making fun of her genitalia. There is a problem. When those same EMTs get a promotion a year later - that is an outrage.
So, yeah people need to change, but a good start is letting folks know that assaulting, raping, murdering us isn't a justifiable act worthy of a mitigated sentence. That firing us from our jobs because we are trans* is not going to be OK. That's where the law comes in. Sometimes you can't depend on the kindness of strangers.
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