Last year, 27 transgender people were reported murdered in the U.S., the majority of whom were women of color. That was an increase from 2015, when 21 transgender women were killed, making 2016 the deadliest year on record for trans people, according to GLAAD.
When it comes to mainstream feminism, race and other identities often take a backseat to gender equality—and that simply isn’t good enough.
In America, a woman’s body seemed to belong to everybody but herself. Her sexuality belonged to her husband, her opinion of herself belonged to her social circles, and her uterus belonged to the government.
Intersectional feminists need to show up for Muslim women in the face of these dueling axes of oppression, because we cannot push for the rights of some without working towards the rights of all.
I trust my patients to make the right choice for themselves, just as I have made this one for myself.