Agreed. Trans people have existed in society for aaaages. Trans women have been using female bathrooms for decades, and no one batted an eyelid. A trans woman won the UK version of Big Brother when it was still mega popular, and people loved her - no one batted an eyelid. A trans woman was a major character on Coronation Street, and everyone loved her - no one batted an eyelid. Trans rights were cemented in the Equality Act 2010, and no one batted an eyelid.
I suspect that trans rights have come to fore because it's just another culture war issue (along with other "issues" like refugees, immigration etc.) being touted by powerful, vested interests to distract people from actual issues like the rich robbing us all the time, or the cost of living crisis or perpetual war.
Trans people are just another ball being kicked around by the elites to distract the gullible people from real actual issues. Unfortunately, distracting people with what essentially amounts to lies and propaganda works, in democracies and dictatorships. Trans people weren't the first metaphorical ball to be kicked around, and they won't be the last.