Begin Transmission Quotes

“The cis binary matrix functions only if people have a choice… which you do! But society does everything in its power to make you think you do not on every level, because that’s what keeps the power where they want it.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Trinity enters the power station. Only cis white men are in charge (they literally have the power). “Hold it right there, little lady.” Denigration. Infantilism. Patronizing. They gotta go.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“When you’re accustomed to being the only one with privilege, equality for others feels like oppression.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“We’re here to take from you what you tried to take from us.” This line is such utter bullshit. I mean it’s great that it’s here, it’s true to character, but it’s voicing what it always comes down to with real-world transphobes. Human rights (which is what trans rights are) aren’t a pie.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Smith is a “red-pilled” men’s rights activist. The Wachowskis saw them coming again, and called them out. Again. They’re so mad at those of us who live outside the system they’ve convinced themselves they’re also outside the system. All so they never have to examine their own truth… while still doing the system’s bidding.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Morpheus: “If you are not one of us, you are one of them.” As I said then and a few times since, we trans people are not a big enough part of the population to change society on our own. If cis people don’t stand up for us and fight for us to have the same rights they do, it will never happen. It can’t happen, because cis people control everything. Until you decide to fight alongside us, nothing will change for us and you’re part of the status quo that oppresses us.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“What we find in our hearts may not be what we wanted to hear and might be difficult to accept… but our hearts will never lead us wrong. Your heart can’t betray you.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Morpheus believes it is only a matter of time. I too believe that, but in some ways that also feels a little naïve. Again, you have to have a bit of hubris to believe you can change the society that’s out to end you.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Being visible matters. Representation matters. Getting to see people like us happy and living our lives matters.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Neo: “You found me, I didn’t find you.” Neo wasn’t setting out to inspire others, he was just… living. And yet that was enough to change someone else’s life.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“As it flares and spins, it’s more visible, more present, thus more euphoric. Neo is doing a “dress go spinny” and it’s giving him gender euphoria.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Notice his coat has a skirt, which flows and flaps around him as he fights. This is likely as close to putting him in a dress as they could get.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Note here Smith says “Neo” for the first time. This is showing you that he knows Neo’s true name, but will use it only if it helps him find Neo to hurt/end him. Neo’s true name is a tool to be used, not to show respect to the person it represents. When they speak to each other, Smith always calls him “Mister Anderson.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Russell’s Paradox. It’s a mathematical paradox I think basically boils down to this: It relates to any group of things, where the definition of that group necessarily includes things that are not part of that group. And even though they’re not part of that group, they’re somehow still in said group. Hence the paradox. When you apply that to trans people: we exist within the society set up by the binary, but we are not part of the binary. Yet we exist within the system the binary created!”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“If you don’t believe these allegories exist, it’s because you don’t want to. Because it’s easier for you not to. Because being comfortable in the matrix that affirms who you are every second of the day is too cozy for you to leave.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“You know that old saying (I paraphrase) “If you have one person and four Nazis sitting at a table, you have five Nazis sitting at the table?” You can’t stand idly by while Nazis do what they do and claim it’s none of your concern. That makes you complicit. By not realizing or caring about what society does to trans people (not realizing that “the matrix has you”), you (yes, YOU) are part of the matrix. You are an integral part of the power structure that oppresses and harms trans people.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Neo: “I’m not ‘the one.’ I’m just another guy.” Trinity: “No, Neo, that’s not true, it can’t be true.” She knows. She’s telling him straight up it can’t be true that you’re a guy”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Mouse, voicing a realization I think all trans people come to: “To deny our own impulses is to deny the very thing that makes us human.” To not transition and live in our simulacra isn’t really living at all. It’s not us, and it’s a cold shadow of life.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Did you know cis people get gender-affirming surgeries too? A cis woman who’s had a mastectomy and gets breast reconstruction? A cis woman who gets a breast augmentation? Collagen lip injections? Cis men who get pectoral implants? Or take medication to prevent hair loss? Or help them maintain erections? All are gender-affirming medical procedures!”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Morpheus: “The matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now in this very room. You can feel it when you go to work. When you go to church. When you pay your taxes.” Notice all his examples are of when you conform to society. “It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.” If you’re too busy constantly worrying about how to fit into society, you don’t have the time to delve into your subconscious truth.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Smith then outright tells him that his “other life” has no future. This is the lie society feeds us to try to keep us conforming to the cis status quo. It’s why so many Republicans enact laws to try to prevent trans kids from getting the care they need. They believe if you see no future for yourself as trans, you will abandon your transness.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“Neo learns who Trinity is and says, “I thought you were a guy.” Her reply: “Most guys do.” Already you can see how some of this allegory isn’t subtext at all, but it very surface-level supertext once you know what to look for! But also note that if Trinity is Neo’s self-actualization, he’s saying to himself that he thought he was a guy. He thought his true self was a man, because that’s what society said he was. But he’s not! His fully realized self is a woman”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“A cop says “I think we can handle one little girl”. We open with a cis white man being dismissive of a woman... who then kills all the men attacking her.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“His chosen name, “Neo,” literally means “new.” His deadname is “Thomas Anderson.” Thomas means “twin,” and “Anderson” means “son of Andrew,” and “Andrew” means “manly or masculine.” This means his name roughly translates to “twin of the manly or masculine.” This is your very first indicator of just how intentional these allegories are. You don’t accidentally pick a name that means “twin of the masculine” for a trans allegory.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“I’ve always loved The Matrix, including Reloaded and Revolutions (and now also Resurrections, so suck it, haters),”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix

“One of the things I struggled with, in terms of “letting” myself transition, was the remarkable privilege I was giving up. As an apparent cisgender white man, I was living life on the easy setting.”
― Tilly Bridges, Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix