Mahmoud Elmasry's Blog: London's Transgender Pride is Tomorrow and Here is a long list of reasons why I am going

Those who are like myself, who are their current gender matches what we were assigned at birth are privileged. Not only, in laws and equality but in surviving sociality norms. The attack on Transgender is part of the attacks on every gender notion that doesn't match the patriarchal forms. In the UK, the resigned government has insisted on excluding transgender on the ban of conversion therapy. The arguments against transgender inclusion and protection are usually based on one main pillar. The de-authenticity of the whole struggle. Transwomen are not women. Transmen are not men. This is how it starts. A recent example can be found here in Macy Gray’s interview with Piers Morgan. Which she had to step back from what she said a few days later. This narrative not only dismiss trans people's experiences, and life, it is uninformed and unscientific. Then, they go further and take the conversation to the threatening of women's spaces section. I am a man and I won't have my say in this. But many women did and here is an example that rationalises that transgender women are not a threat in any form of gender violence. Then, they will go further, what about sports? Transgender women are taller and stronger not realise how damaging these narratives are and how they are excluding those women who are naturally taller for example. But I’m a man, and not an athletic or professional sports player, I will not have my say, Go read this to check the data and numbers yourself.

The Trangender issue is one that can really manifest how all the hate toward those who do not fit into the gender patriarchal forms and this is not based on cultures, fairness, or even religions. In Egypt, there are always claims that they are against LGBT rights because of culture and Islam traditions. but is it really though?

As someone who grew up as a Muslim, I can claim that Transgenderism is not seen as a sin and definitely not as same-sex relations from an Islamic point of view, in Egypt most of the transition medical surgeries are administrated in Al-Hussein University Hospital in Al-Azhar University. Al-Azhar is the highest Sunni institute.is a member of a committee named the “Gender Correction Committee” formed by Muslim scholars and doctors that approves or disapproves these surgeries.

Malak Elkhashef, one of the most outspoken transgender women in Egypt, describes her battle with the patriarchy as a battle with several fronts at the same time from family to the public to legal paperwork that still recognises her gender as a man. Malak's case was rejected by the Gender Correction Committees. This was after the long process that she had to go through in addition to the non-attendance of the committee members in the committee's official meetings which was a reason to delay all cases and surgeries. (they just do not like the idea, and they just do not go, so everything is postponed) Although all approved cases were based on physical reasons and not any based on “gender identity disorder” as it is named by the committee. There is a strong conservative opinion inside Al Azhar that refers to these cases as an attempt to change God's creation, and even from an Islamic point of view, this is very extremely misleading.

“my struggle with the mirror phase. Years of asking Who am I? If I am a boy then why do I think this way? If I am a girl then why do I look the way I do? “ Elkashef said in an interview

The struggle Transgenders are going through is very challenging, and those who decided to speak up about it and challenge it risked much of their life, health and mental wellness. Elkashef does not deny her uncounted attempt to commit suicide as the pressure was, on many occasions, unbearable. This case is one of many, that was just brought to the surface and the attention of journalists, activists and scholars, but how many other stories and perhaps human lives have been destroyed and wasted?

In an economic climate where everything is getting worse and the gap between the poor and the rich is getting wider with more and more struggle for the middle-class. Women and LGBT people and specifically transgenders are, undoubtedly, at greater economic risk as it makes their independence from their families much harder and this independence can save their lives.

Our solidarity is crucial with the transgender community in all their battles against the patriarchy and the de-authenticity of their struggles, their lives and their experiences. . We must listen to them on how they want us to support them and do our bit to fight all sorts of discrimination against them.