Okay, let's look at that from a different angle.
Okay, shoot.
For 30-35 years I was frequently mistaken for being First Nations, even by other Native people.
So was my dad; in fact dad's family was told there was Mi'kmaq in their background after coming over from Scotland. It was hard to prove though because the church where records were kept, of course, burned down so the records are hard to find past a certain point. We've had people look into it, some have found that no, there isn't, some have said yes there is. So, who's right?
Should I have gotten all overdramatic about being mis-identified?
Because you were mistaken for First Nations, did you suffer the problems of First Nation's in being discriminated against, abused, and so on? Did you correct people who mistook you for First Nations, but they denied it and said NO, you ARE FN despite what you say, because I say you are!
At that point, the "different angle" view on this falls apart if the answer to any of that is "no".
Would it have been appropriate for me to get all overdramatic about it after the umpteenth time?
If you weren't getting upset with being called FN when you weren't, I'd question the legitimacy of this story. Or claim you're like other people who take the FN appearance and use it to their own ends.
Were my human rights somehow violated in any way?
See the above replies about "being mis-identified".
Your analogy might have been better served had you said you were FN, but were told continually you weren't. Because of that, you didn't get the usual rights other FN members do, which would then mean yes, your rights *were* violated.
The simple fact is, no matter how evolved we like to think we are we are still a visual species.
Agreed.
If somebody looks like something, we're going to assume that's what they are.
Again, agreed.
To put it bluntly, NOBODY wants to start every personal interaction with every new person they meet tiptoeing around what they might or might not be because they might get overdramatically offended about it if you guess wrong.
It's not tiptoeing, it's respecting that if you're not sure the gender of the person in front of you, then be aware and just ASK them. And when they tell you, RESPECT that.
I've been called "sir" and "guy" and other male connected titles all my life. Now me, personally, I don't give a shit, I really don't, so I don't correct people. Or when people ask my name and I tell them, they either mispronounce it (especially if they're French or another language) or say a whole other name all together. And again, I don't care what so ever. And if later the person hears my name and they realize they've mispronounced it, I shrug and tell them "I don't care, just don't call me late for dinner."
But that's me, personally.
The issue with trans people is the lack of respect given when they correct people "No, my name is.... " or "no, I'm..." and those they spoke to STILL deny what they're told. It gets tiring after a while and when it happens continually, they're going to get pissed. Most people - unless their weird like me - would.
The other day, we had a patient come into the hospital. My co-worker put them through. Then she asked me later, "I don't know if that's a girl or a boy" due to the name the kid had. When I looked at the kid myself, I shrugged and said "The parents could be raising the kid so they're gender neutral, but visually (which yes, fits into your we're a visual race comment) they appear female".
Or another situation; I was registering someone for their T-shots (so female to male trans). I misgendered them. And you know what? I apologized, and the only response I got was "that's okay, it happens" and it was fine. If more interactions were like that, Trans people wouldn't be so bitchy when mistakes are made. It's when in that situation no one apologizes or, if corrected, they say "No, you're ..... gender!" that it becomes a fucking issue. Because imagine saying it over and over and over again - especially in a home or group where people are NOT accepting of it - just how do you think people will act?
If you're going to make a life-altering choice/decision that's one thing.
True.
But there's 8 billion other people on the planet who don't know you did. Maybe quit expecting everyone you meet for the first time to automatically know you did.
That's NOT what happens.
You and others like who who keep saying it does, only prove that a) you're not listening or even willing to listen to trans people and b) you don't give a damn regardless and you'll do what you want, but then bitch and complain when things go sideways or you're held to account for the shit you do, because "how dare they".
Try some compassion, try some empathy, or better yet, if you can't be respectful, hide in your house for the rest of your life so you don't encounter people who might want respect from you. Cause that's the only 'fix' there is.
