How do you respond to the stereotype that transgender people have terrible lives?

How do you respond to the stereotype that transgender people have terrible lives?

Trans people are usually a decade or so behind gay and lesbian people I think in terms of public perception, and gay and lesbian people and trans people in the media started out as villains and sources of horror and disgust, and then they became tragic victims in film and television. You know, I think perceptions are changing and it's getting better, but we still battle things like Jerry Springer and talk shows and movies that portray us as prostitutes, punch lines and psychopaths. Basically we just have to get out there and be good examples and create our own media and get our own voices out there to overpower those negative images.