Most of the women were middle-aged, some wearing T-shirts with trite antitrans slogans like “God made men and women” and “No men in women’s restrooms,” language the LGBTQ community would see in future nondiscrimination fights. In their speeches, one woman referred to us as “freaks.” Another as “sinners.” But “predators” was, once again, the word of the day. Standing behind these women, I could feel the disdain they held for transgender people, or at least who they thought we were. It was palpable.
