so can I just say there's a reason I wasn't going on and on for paragraphs underneath transfem voices project submissions about how "monstrous" and "demonic" submitters' abusers were, or how their experiences were "horror movie material"
first of all, TVP was not about centering my feelings about transfems' abusers or what they went through. going on about how disgusted and enraged I felt underneath submissions would have actively detracted from the voices I was trying to center. TVP was not about my voice
second, abusers are not a subhuman class of people. they are often very ordinary people that exist in our lives. even my worst abuser did not abuse me because he was a subhuman monster or a demon. he abused me because he had systemic power over me, and that power went unchecked by any of the people or systems that could have protected me. he was thoroughly, mundanely human
the world is full of TME people who abuse transfems in ways that range from minor to major. I do not believe this means the world is full of subhuman monsters and demons. I believe that it means there are systems and norms that facilitate and enable this abuse. this isn't "rot," it's systems working as designed
