Everyday Visibility

You pass him as you walk down the street

in line to get coffee, she orders a mocha breve.

They hold the hand railing in front of you on the subway

she sits near the front of the bus next to a stranger.

He's leading that meeting you had at work

she's in the stall next to you in the ladies' room.





You may not see us but we are there

and we kind of always have been

whether we're 'out and proud'

or blending in after years of changes

or even trying to live with

the unborn secret in our hearts.





She honks her horn in the traffic jam

In the movie theater, they're sitting 3 rows behind you

She's having lunch in the same restaurant as you

You leave and he wipes down your table.





He's your cousin's husband

or your best friend's brother

She's your coworker's wife

or your everyday barista.





We are all over the map both figuratively and literally

no two of us are alike in beliefs or personality

you can box us up in a package called 'transgender'

and try to make it sound scary or weird

but the reality is we are just people like you

leading everyday lives.

We're not asking for much, just unalienable Rights

like everyone else, we want to live free

if you give us a chance, put yourselves in our shoes

we are really not all that different from you

so maybe reach out and try to understand

chances are, you already know one of us.

Today is Transgender Day of Visibility . Different from Transgender Day of Remembrance which honors the dead transgender individuals each year, it's a day to both celebrate those of us who are still alive, shedding light on the lives we lead as well as bring to light the issues we face.The population of transgender people has nearly doubled in the last decade and yet I actually assume it's less about the fact that we are becoming more numerous and more that we are becoming more brave; able to stand up and say "Yes, I am transgender." or "No, I can no longer live a lie."With that in mind, I wanted to speak a the cisgender audience. I want you to imagine yourself in your everyday lives, going about your own business. You probably encounter some of us without ever knowing it. So I wrote this poem.