My lane is Protecting People. I work to empower, educate, and protect trans folks from the dangers we all face, which is why I've historically tried to focus on trans science and empowerment in my writing, and why I'm going to be doubling down on that approach going forward.

It's not that I don't see the political realities. I very much do. It's not that I don't believe in our ends, or that I don't believe in the power of protest. I EXTREMELY do.

But those protesters need rest and rhetorical ammunition for their part of the fight. I can give that to them.

The folks inside those civic institutions, who are resisting oppressive laws and fighting to expand our freedoms, need external justifications to represent themselves as reasonable dealmakers who can speak for the community. I can give that to them.

These are just a couple of examples, by the way. There's lots more that people in each lane need and can benefit from in the other 3.

This is why it's critical for us to not eat our own. This is what it means to build community.

None of us wins alone.

Identify your lane. Identify what you need people in other lanes to do to bolster you, and how your acts can bolster them.

If you're clean hands (protectors & institutionalists), *keep your hands clean*. If you're dirty hands (disruptors and organizers), *don't drag people in other lanes into your work unless they step forward*.

We need all four lanes to win.

@Impossible_PhD
People need to drop allegiance to purity.

I will criticize someone one moment, and the next champion and defend them.

We can't afford to lose anyone.