The small school I taught at said the pledge every day, but the principal did regularly announce to everyone present that they don't have to say it (but they did have to be there for it)
There's just a lot of anti trans stereotypes in media that I tolerated before. It's a lot harder to turn a blind eye to it when people use the same misunderstandings to try and tell me I'm sick and confused and bad for just being myself these days
There are so many examples of anti trans sentiment in older comedy. Just about all of them hinging on the "you can always tell" myth and/or highlighting how obviously wrong and confused the poor trans people must be. For someone whose only exposure to trans people was that for a long time, I can't begin to say how damaging and limiting that was.
I think a large and important difference is the ease of back-room manufacturer. Anyone with a boiler can can make some alcohol, but vapes are rather more complicated, no? Cigarettes and other straight up smoking products would still be around, though.