Transgender and proud! Or keep my head down?

I'm transgendered, and proud to say so. But...

There doesn't seem to be a day that goes by where there isn't a news item about abuse being thrown at a transgender person, or even worse their physical abuse or murder.
One of the latest events has involved a hired comedian working for Microsoft at an Xbox One gaming event, that decided to dehumanise, misgender and insult one of the participants purely because she is transgendered.

Sadly, any reporting of this case (and similar) will draw out the usual trolls and bigots. What I wouldn't expect is the same abuse from other members of the GLB community. Here's a selection of samples taken from the Gay Star News article:

• Rebecca ToxicLette Soderi Soderi: "You're a man.", "The fact is, it is confusing. I dont know what it is. It is fair to call it an it."
• Jacob Troutman from Longview Community College: "pre op? then no leg to stand on.", "I have a problem with how some people are reacting. Seriously, a trans wearing MLP stuff gets called on stage. What do you think a COMEDIAN is going to do? Tell jokes about how awesome and above everyone else you are? That must of been what was going through his or her mind. I don't fucking care anymore... If you have a dick you're a guy, if you have an axewound, woman."
• Kim Seese: "Well. I'm a gay man and if you go up un stage with a rainbow wig with ears....then excuse me if I react to your freakish appearance! If we want to be treated NORMAL then we need to act and TRY not to freak people out by looking like a clown!", "Like I said...DUMBASS. Look like a clown. ....get treated like one. Simple as that."
• Wesley Jeffers from Jimmy John's: "Not trying to sound pessimistic, but when choosing to become transgender, you should be prepared to put up with a lot of criticism; it's one of the least accepted concepts I can think of in the world today, and if you can't stick up for yourself and handle other peoples' opinions and harsh words, then you aren't ready to undertake such a huge life decision."

As misguided and stupid as most of these comments are, most are down to pure maliciousness. If someone doesn't understand, isn't it basic human nature to want to learn rather than just write it off? There were however many rebuttals and amazing comments of support, but far too many to list :)

What this does, however is make me, personally doubt whether I've done the right thing by being "out and proud". With each new article or post, I worry even more whether I'm going to be safe, whether I'm going to get abuse hurled at me when I walk down the street, beaten up because someone thought I was "trying to trick them", all for being true to myself and living my live as I feel, not trying to hide, to pretend to be something I'm not.

Many people I know strive for (and many succeed in) being "stealth" and "passing", which perpetuates the problem and pushes it onto someone else. We're still seen as "freaks" or "men in dresses", or worse, "perverts", and "paedophiles".

This is the reason I am out and proud, to make a difference, to make things better for me, for other people in my situation, for future generations, to not have to deal with this shit. We have to stand up and fight our corner. We can't expect anyone else to do it for us or the bigots and trolls out there to think "Oh, I'm really being quite mean, I should stop". Isn't this what social progress is all about?

I'm transgendered, and proud to say so.

Update

Some people seem to have taken this as deriding transgender people who aren't out which was not my intention at all.
I understand that some people are in a position where they feel unable to transition, and those that want to keep out of the lime light.
It is a personal choice, but not mine. I know I'm unlikely to "pass" 100% of the time, so I'm open, and I answer questions, and increase understanding so we're no longer "freaks in dresses".