GLBT and its various derivative forms are facing a lot of challenges these days, but while religious groups might seem to be the biggest problem, the reality is that we are our own worst enemies. There is no solidarity among the groups, or even the semblance of an alliance because of many factors, not the least of which is prejudice and animosity among its members.
For each group, equality means something different, and attempts to reach compromises is hampered by each group taking the Orwellian view that some of us are more equal than others. Consider ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which was originally drafted with gender expression protections. During lobbying efforts, politicians convinced gays that the legislative branch would be more likely to sponsor the bill if it abandoned the politically sticky gender terms, and the language of the bill was changed. Only after transgenders staged public protests was the language returned to the bill. The failure of the bill was both testament to the strength of our political enemies and to our own political weakness as a whole.
Transsexuals in particular are often unwilling to take part in efforts to lobby for issues like gay marriage because of their belief that doing so confuses the public about who we are, a charge that is not without merit. Even though some transsexuals are gay or bisexual, our first priority is to establish our rights to express our true gender without risk of discrimination. Only after that goal has been met are we willing to press for acceptance of our sexuality.
Consider that when a gay comes out, he or she is then out for life. For most gays the point of equality is to be able to be open about their sexuality. But for most transsexuals, coming out is simply a single step in a very long journey, one which will ultimately lead them to a point where they can quietly blend into society without notice. To the gays, this is equivalent to coming out of one closet and jumping into another.
It also doesn't help that many gays see transsexuals as nothing more than confused gays. During a conversation with a bisexual man at work, I was asked why I didn't try to explore my male side instead of doing something drastic to myself. Nothing I said could convince him that I had no male side, or that I'd spent twenty seven years of my life trying to find a way to live as a male. His opinions were limited to his perspective, and he was just as close minded to my condition as a religious fundamentalist would be.
And even within the transsexuals, there are major divisions. Many transsexuals choose to "go stealth", divorcing themselves so completely from their old lives that they never acknowledge their past to anyone. Many activist transsexuals feel this is nothing short of treason, and during a discussion on an online forum, I saw several women advancing notions such as a tax or fine on stealths as punishment for abandoning the community that fought for them. But on the opposite side of this debate, many stealths point out that activists have done nothing for them that was not already available from as far back as the 1950's. They believe that since they had to pay for their therapy, medicine, and surgical costs on their own, they deserve the right to slip quietly into their communities as their chosen gender. I agree that they have earned such a right, and when I said as much during our discussion, I was labeled a traitor myself, even though I'm not a stealth.
Transsexuals for the most part also do not wish to be associated with the rest of the transgender community, believing them to be "fetishists". I've heard more than a few transsexuals refer to transvestites as bearded men in dresses. This attitude angers me, that we claim legitimacy for ourselves by downplaying the struggles of others. Some even go so far as to say that gays choose to be gay, while transsexuals do not. Is it any wonder we can't agree on any issue when so many of our own people refuse to accept each other at face value?
But really, we aren't any different from the rest of the world in our desires to be treated as separate and equal. Blacks frequently condemn gays and transgenders with statements like "I didn't choose to be black, but they chose to be queer". Even minorities still experiencing discrimination cannot rid themselves of their ignorance of the plights of other minorities. These perspective blinders we wear narrow our view down to only our experience, and they prevent us from working as allies.
At the same time, our conservative adversaries are in agreement on fighting us even when they don't agree on much else. Their efforts against us are well organized and constant, and because the GLBT will not stand together, we will all be forced into being second class citizens.