my political metamorphosis into an aggressive progressive originated in wanting to respect and protect my friends

Yup, friends (and partners) transitioning pulled me forward on trans rights. Seeing the cops harass the black kids hanging out across the street when I was living on an ungentrified block radicalized me on police abolition.

(later that turned into self-respect, so hey, nice side effect.) loving people, when you take love as the action of caring for someone as they exist in the current world, is a transformative practice.