Literature
I Believe (Teiko's Version)
I believe that dignity is not something granted by birth, identity, or circumstance—it is something every person deserves unless their actions prove otherwise. Skin color, orientation, gender identity, belief system, neurotype, or physical form do not harm anyone by existing. Cruelty does. Disrespect does. And so I choose to measure people by what they do, not by what they are.
Human rights are not conditional. They do not shrink or expand based on someone’s place in society or how well their identity fits another person’s expectations. LGBTQIA+ people—gay, lesbian, bi, omniromantic, trans, ace, aro, questioning, xenogendered, and beyond—are human beings, and their rights are human rights. Gender itself is a social construct, a shared language of identity and experience. Even when that language is unfamiliar, even when its nuances escape me, respect is still possible.
I believe that transition and detransition are both valid paths. A person’s journey with gender is not a spectacle
