Let’s start with the basics: being transgender is as human as breathing, eating, or arguing over whether pineapple belongs on pizza. It’s not some new fad or modern invention. It’s not a “phase” or a “lifestyle.” It’s a fundamental part of human diversity, and it always has been. We’re talking about something older than recorded history, older than the concept of countries, and definitely older than the loud-ass transphobes losing their minds over it today.

The history books (the honest ones, anyway) are full of examples of trans and gender-diverse people thriving and contributing to societies around the world. Here are just a few:

The Hijra community has been recognized in South Asia for over 4,000 years. Mentioned in ancient Hindu texts like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, Hijras are neither strictly male nor female but occupy a unique and sacred space in society. They’re often invited to bless weddings and births, despite centuries of colonial bullshit trying to erase them.

Many Indigenous cultures in North America have long embraced Two-Spirit people—individuals who embody both masculine and feminine qualities. The term “Two-Spirit” is a modern one, but the roles and identities it describes go back thousands of years. Two-Spirit people often held important roles as healers, storytellers, and spiritual leaders.

In ancient Rome, the Galli were priests of the goddess Cybele who often underwent castration and lived as women or nonbinary people. They were an integral part of religious life, performing rituals and maintaining temples.

In parts of Albania, women could choose to live as men—dressing, working, and being treated as men—in order to maintain family honor or take on traditionally male roles. These Sworn Virgins were widely accepted in their communities.

The fa’afafine of Samoa are recognized as a distinct gender category. Fa’afafine people are assigned male at birth but take on feminine roles and identities. They’re not only accepted but often celebrated as integral parts of Samoan culture.

Transphobes are like toddlers yelling at rocks. They can scream all they want, but they’re not changing the fact that trans people have always been here and always will be. Their ignorance is astounding, and their tantrums are as pointless as they are loud.

A lot of transphobia comes down to plain old ignorance. People don’t know the history, they don’t understand the science, and they’re too lazy or too stubborn to learn. Instead, they cling to outdated ideas and misinformation like it’s a security blanket.

Let’s talk about how many transphobes hide behind religion. They’ll cherry-pick verses and twist scripture to justify their bigotry, ignoring the fact that many religious traditions (yes, even Christianity) have historical contexts that included gender diversity. The Bible doesn’t have a single verse about pronouns, Karen.

Change scares people, and nothing gets some conservatives more riled up than the idea of dismantling rigid gender norms. But guess what? Gender norms are as artificial as the plastic in a fast-food straw, and they’ve been changing for centuries. Get over it.

Let’s put things into perspective. The United States? Founded in 1776. Trans people? Existed thousands of years before that. Every time a transphobe complains about “new trends,” they’re showing their ass. Gender diversity isn’t new. What’s new is the visibility and the fight for rights. And if that makes people uncomfortable, good. Progress always does.

Think about your ancestors. No, really, think about them. Odds are, some of them lived in societies where trans and gender-diverse people were accepted. Hell, one of your ancestors might have been trans themselves. Gender diversity isn’t some modern anomaly; it’s part of the human story.

Religions like Christianity and Islam are relatively young in the grand scheme of history. Meanwhile, the Hijras, Two-Spirit people, and other trans communities have been around for millennia. Trying to erase trans people with religious arguments is like trying to delete a hard drive with a feather duster.

As much as we’d like to laugh at transphobes yelling at clouds, their hate has real-world consequences. Transphobia fuels discrimination, violence, and systemic inequality. And for what? To uphold some imaginary standard of “normalcy”?

Trans people face staggering rates of violence and discrimination worldwide. From hate crimes to workplace discrimination to barriers in healthcare, the deck is stacked against us. And it’s not because we’re trans; it’s because of the transphobia baked into society.

The constant attacks on our existence take a toll. Trans people experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide, not because we’re trans, but because of the hostility we face. Every hateful comment, every discriminatory law, every act of violence—it all adds up.

Transphobia is a self-perpetuating cycle. Ignorance leads to fear, fear leads to hate, and hate leads to policies and attitudes that keep trans people marginalized. Breaking that cycle requires education, empathy, and a willingness to change.

This is a reminder that trans people have always been here and will always be here. It’s a call to stand firm in the face of ignorance and hate. It’s a fuck-you to the people who think they can erase us, and a rallying cry for those of us who refuse to be erased.

The more we share our stories and history, the harder it becomes for people to deny our existence. Visibility is a weapon against ignorance, and this is a shining example of that.

Knowing our history gives us strength. It reminds us that we’re part of something bigger, something enduring. We’re not a trend; we’re a legacy.

This isn’t just about the past; it’s about the future. It’s a declaration that we’re not going anywhere, no matter how loud the haters yell. We’ve survived for millennia, and we’ll survive this, too.

Trans people are as old as humanity itself. We’re not a phase, a trend, or a problem to be solved. We’re a testament to the diversity and resilience of the human spirit. For every transphobe yelling at the sky, there’s a trans person standing tall, backed by a history that stretches back to the dawn of time.

So, to the transphobes out there: your ignorance doesn’t change reality. You can yell at your limestone mountains all you want, but we’re not going anywhere. We have always been here, and we always will be.