Vanessa Baird, co-editor of the New Internationalist. has created a video intended to promote that magazine's October issue. I decided to bogart it for my own purposes, because the video provides a fairly good summary of where the transgender community stands at this particular time.

1. Examine the language you use

Eliminate the hurtful words

The language we use about trans people frames the way we treat trans people in our societies. So, if you want trans people to be treated fairly and equally, start with the words you use.

2. Eliminate the unwarranted assumptions

You so often can’t tell by looking – what our pronouns are, what our histories are, how we describe ourselves – so don’t try. Making assumptions is generally a rubbish way of interacting with other humans.

3. Put our safety first

Whether someone is ‘out’ as trans (or has a trans history) or not can be a matter of life and death. You don’t have a right to make that call. If this sounds like hyperbole, search: ‘trans panic defence’. This is a defence used by lawyers acting for killers of trans people to excuse the perpetrators’ ‘loss of control’ and ‘excessive violence’, in order to get crimes downgraded from murder to manslaughter.

Example: It was totally wrong for Elections Canada sent Canadian transgender voters voter informations materials displaying their birth names. One has to wonder if this was done as a means of intimidating transgender voters in Canada.

4. Drop our medical histories as a topic

A trans person’s veracity does not rely on what they may or may not have done with their bodies. If there’s a genuine reason why you need to know our medical histories and medical plans then we’ll tell you. And no – idle curiosity as to the contents of our underwear is not a genuine reason.

5. Don't assume you know how we'll react to your attempt at humor

Don't expect us to willingly be your straight man or fodder for your wit.

6. Don't assume you can teach us anything about gender...especially our own

You are not the authentic version that we copy – we don’t need lessons on how to be ‘real’ men or ‘real’ women or ‘real’ anything. If you’d like to pay someone a compliment, do it for the right reasons – not because you think that you have the right to ‘affirm’ someone else’s gender.

7. Learn things.

Don’t let ignorance be your shield – educate yourself about the risks and discrimination faced by trans people – the violence, homelessness, unemployment, suicides, forced sterilizations. Then educate those around you. Don’t act like we’re a taboo, shameful subject. Raise trans issues; share articles on social media; recommend writers that you like; email your local and national politicians. Don’t just shake your head at how awful something is and do nothing.

8. Stand up in support of us, especially when we are unable to defend ourselves.

9. Support trans charities and organizations.