What A Trans Wreck

(An LGBT group at my university has hosted a lecturer to speak about trans issues. I decide to go along and bump into my friend, who is trans, who decides to tag along. This happens shortly after we leave.)

Me: “So, what did you make of it?” 

Friend: “I found it very uncomfortable to sit through. You shouldn’t have dragged me to it.”

Me: “I’m sorry you didn’t like it, but I didn’t ‘drag’ you. I was already going.”

Friend: “Whatever. I just found it incredibly misogynistic for a man to talk about what happens to my body when going through the transition.”

(I find this strange, as the speaker, who quite clearly is a woman, introduced herself as a trans woman who had undergone a full transition.)

Me: “Okay. I assume she wanted to share her experiences, and who else to share them than someone who has actually transitioned.”

Friend: “THAT WAS A WOMAN? Well, he needs to try harder if he’s going to be like us.” *laughs*

(I don’t know if this was internalised transphobia or if she was just joking, as she had only just started the process and was confused quite a lot on campus for being male, to which she reacted badly and with hostility. I can’t imagine why she would put someone else down who had gone through what she was about to. Either way, I’ve stayed away from the issue since then, and only talk about it when she introduces the topic herself.)