Selective Disclosure
Selective disclosure can involve specific actions or behaviors that may not feel completely genuine to you. For example, it can include hiding your trans and/or nonbinary identity or changing the way you dress.
However, selective disclosure can be helpful because it helps you make decisions that ultimately increase your safety when dealing with anti-trans people. (“Selective Disclosure” puede ser útil porque te ayuda a tomar decisiones que, en última instancia, aumentan tu seguridad cuando tratas con personas antitrans.) This skill is only intended to assist you in navigating an anti-trans and transphobic society. If we lived in a society that fully accepted and respected trans and/or nonbinary people, this skill would not be necessary.
It is crucial for you to think about and decide if this skill will be helpful to you. We are only suggesting you use selective disclosure if it will be helpful to you. We are in no way encouraging or attempting to persuade you to use selective disclosure in any other case. (Solo te estamos sugiriendo que uses “selective disclosure” si te será útil. De ninguna manera estamos alentándote ni intentando persuadirte a usar “selective disclosure” en ningún otro caso.)
Selective disclosure means choosing what parts of your identity to share—and what to keep private—based on who you’re around or where you are. Sometimes, this might mean not telling someone you’re trans and/or nonbinary, or dressing differently than you want to, just to stay safe. (“Selective disclosure” significa elegir qué partes de tu identidad compartir—y cuáles mantener privadas—dependiendo de con quién estés o en dónde te encuentres. A veces, esto puede significar no decirle a alguien que eres trans y/o no binario/a/e, o vestirte de una manera diferente a la que quisieras, solo para mantenerte a salvo.)
That can feel uncomfortable or not fully like yourself. And that’s totally understandable.
But in some situations, selective disclosure can help protect you. (Pero en algunas situaciones, “selective disclosure” puede ayudarte a protegerte.) It gives you the power to make choices that keep you safer, especially around people who are anti-trans or in places that don’t feel accepting.
This skill exists only because we live in a world where trans and nonbinary people still face harm and discrimination. (Esta habilidad existe solo porque vivimos en un mundo donde las personas trans y/o no binarias todavía enfrentan daño y discriminación.) If society fully respected and supported us, this skill wouldn’t even be necessary.
It’s really important that you decide for yourself if this skill feels helpful. You never have to use selective disclosure unless you want to. (Nunca tienes que usar “selective disclosure” al menos que quieras.) We’re just giving you the option—not trying to convince you to hide who you are.
Only use selective disclosure if it is going to be helpful to you and if you feel some sense of comfort with trying them out. In the next video, we will provide instructions on how to skip selective disclosure if it does not feel good to you. (Usa “selective disclosure” solo si te va a ser útil y si sientes cierta comodidad al probarlo. En el próximo video, daremos instrucciones sobre cómo saltarte “selective disclosure” si no se siente bien para ti.)
