Monday, November 30, 2015

The Myths of the Binary and "Passing"

Reminder


If -you- say/feel you are trans, you do not need hormones, special clothing or other (traditional, modern) gender expressions to 'be trans'

Do -not- listen to those who would fight you on this.

While utilizing these things may indeed greatly help with your feelings of dysphoria, never let anyone tell you that there is ever an actual right/wrong way to be any kind of trans person.

The idea of 'passing' as cisgender, may have certain safety benefits, but is, in theory, problematic at best, and outright offensive at worst.
This concept is completely based on societal expectations and should be questioned and critiqued on the basis of -why- modern, western, society has deemed certain things to be traditionally masculine, feminine, or androgynous.

Your gender -identity- is yours alone to decide, and how you outwardly express yourself is a part of your own unique idea of gender -expression-

Gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation are all separate things. They all fall within a spectrum, in which there are far more than the TWO binary options.


Facts:
'traditionally feminine' expressive people exist in every category of gender identity. and orientation.
'traditionally masculine' expressive people exist in every category of gender identity. and orientation.
'traditionally androgynous' expressive people exist in every category of gender identity. and orientation.


Support all of your SIBLINGS, not just your 'passing' 'brothers and sisters'...


Monday, August 24, 2015

Cisgender Resistance

There have been a myriad of complaints over the past year, regarding the use of the word cisgender to define non trans people.


While so many of our trans siblings lay dead in pools of blood in Brazil, trans women of color are being murdered at record rates here in the USA, and transphobia runs rampant, both online and off in this society, these complaints sound not only unwarranted, but just plain wrong.

The word cisgender has been in use for decades, if not longer, however, it was only recently that it was added to the 'official' language of the Oxford dictionary.

Our language is always evolving and changing with the times.

It is really the best descriptive available for non-trans people, as it replaces many highly problematic terms, such as 'normal', 'regular' and 'biological', which actually ARE offensive and reinforce marginalizing trans people.

Resistance from cisgender people being labelled as cisgender makes about as much sense as heterosexual / straight people taking issue at being called heterosexual / straight.

While it is never okay to make assumptions on another persons gender IDENTITY, regardless of their gender EXPRESSION, once you learn there is a difference, it is really not all that difficult to understand.


If you are part of the trans umbrella, then no, you are actually not cisgender.

We've seen many "male assigned at birth" queer people also seem somewhat reluctant to 'give up' their perceived male privilege to accept themselves and identify as trans, which is evidenced in the multitude of -later in life- transition ratios

We have also known many, including LGBTQ folx, who argue that we are creating a division / binary between trans and cis people (incorrect, as again, there is still a spectrum of identities and expressions within both categories), or that  'don't need labels', 'people are people', and we are 'all human'.

Okay, that is a lovely theory, and for obvious reasoning, seems to nearly always come directly from cis white folx, but let us delve into that for a moment.

Not too long ago, there were no common words in our language to describe homosexuals / gay men, and certainly not lesbians.  The word 'heterosexual' was unheard of, and instead, gay and lesbian people had no language in which to define themselves, find one another, or develop any sense community.

Gay and lesbian (cisgender) people, were often isolated, and lived in secret, often thinking they were just alone in the world and  'abnormal'

A huge change and societal impact began as the "Gay liberation" movement brought visibility and with it new terminology in which to identify gay people and communities.

Without developing some common terminology for gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, and queer folx, there would have been no way to establish a movement, community, or even the very neighborhoods, bookstores, and bars catering to these people, who, with no apparent sense of history and hypocrisy, are now, being resistant to adapting to trans terminology, as we continue to struggle towards our own liberation.

While some labels can indeed seem unnecessary and restrictive, a world devoid of adjectives and labels with which to identify is not evolution, but rather, a knee jerk reaction of resistance to our ever changing landscape of language.

There are very few cases of 'cis' being used as an insult toward cisgender people, and when it has been done, it has usually been in retaliation and as a defense of the majority of the culture that has silenced and ridiculed trans lives into this place of anger and frustration.

If you do not understand why trans people, and especially trans women of color would be angry, fearful, and frustrated, then perhaps you have not been paying any attention to the voices that have been asking politely, to simply be able to live, for so long.

Expecting or demanding that any person from an oppressed population must always treat the oppressive class politely or respectfully, is nothing more than another case of tone policing and respectability politics, which we addressed here two weeks ago.



Special thanks to TSER for the excellent info graphics


Monday, August 17, 2015

Chelsea, Caitlyn, and Transgender Heroism

This week, an article entitled, "Chelsea Manning may face solitary confinement for having Jenner Vanity Fair issue" was sent our way.

chelsea portrait from her twitter account

https://twitter.com/xychelsea

So far, there is some light media coverage, the main story is coming from the Guardian*, where Chelsea herself writes about her experiences.

Chelsea's story is one of  multiple layers of deep morality, injustice, honesty, and heroism; so much can be said about our society, in regards to what we are witnessing in her ongoing incarceration and mistreatment.

It has become far too common to see Chelsea Manning frequently vilified, misgendered, and worse, and, while we are currently seeing a massive amount of the same for Caitlyn Jenner, (including more trans-trolling from the subcultural cis-gay darling, John Waters), there is also unavoidable promotion of Caitlyn Jenner as the new number one American Transgender Hero.

We can see through the all the hype, and while all of the growing visibility hopefully means something positive, this iconic elevation is sometimes difficult to accept. While it is certain that Caitlyn is a brand new shiny trans social media darling, her world is that of many unique privileges, and the intoxicating inexperience of newly living and being publicly out as a trans woman.

While her coming out and media appearance has obviously raised trans visibility to unprecedented levels. Some say her apparent desire to help others, specifically- at risk, less privileged trans people, and speak out for all trans people is 'heroic'. Many others, especially more knowledgeable trans people, feel it is simply, and urgently, necessary - in her position.

Caitlyn Jenner is always going to be coming from a point of view that most of us simply can not really view as all that 'heroic'.

The list of awkward Caitlyn issues grew recently, when she was making that tired conservative argument of not 'getting hooked into the system, and then asking why they would be needing to work',
Meanwhile, her own children have inherited more wealth and fame than the hardest working people in most any industry, ever would.  This obliviousness was remarkable, and it was almost worth watching, if even to see the looks on faces on the other trans women who were present.

Chelsea Manning, however, as a member of the military, took her oaths so seriously that she willingly risked her own life and freedom on her values and ability to expose what so many would like to remain hidden.


She has shown so much selflessness and even chose not to disclose being trans until after her trial, to keep focus on the criminal and immoral facts she was compelled to disclose publicly, for the benefit, certainly not to herself, but the country that she had signed up to protect.

We must stand up for every trans persons right to live authentically, and we can choose to elevate the stories of those who resonate with us, Chelsea Manning is absolutely a hero, and there is no doubt that she has made a major impact upon the world - not just for trans people, but everyone else too.

Meanwhile, the highly publicized media Jenner/Kardashian machine is showing that the expected burnout and backlash is apparent, her ratings are down, and it is still a possibility that she may yet decide to sink into Hollywood obscurity. (since she is not poor, homeless, or incarcerated, is actually privileged enough to choose such a path)

It is important that we choose our 'heroes',,, wisely.

*(The Guardian is providing Chelsea Manning a platform, and it is important to have these stories available. The site is, however still choosing to use the highly ridiculous deadnaming practice of the media = "formerly known as" )


Monday, August 10, 2015

#BlackLivesMatter, I support you, but...


"Liberal / Progressive" People & Those Who <3 #BernieSanders


We, as privileged white folx - NEED to really LISTEN and support #DirectAction and #BlackLivesMatter - ALWAYS.

No, not, "If" ... no not,  "But..."
Just stop - yes, stop - and LISTEN
"If" and "But" - do nothing but -support- the systemic and institutionalized racism that so many are still facing, on a daily basis.

Focusing on  policing the TONE of any protest or action is a common method of derailment and distraction from these important issues.

And PLEASE stop clutching your pearls, #DirectAction has been a civil rights tactic THAT WORKS --- for a very long time. LGBTQ people should be especially aware of this tactic, and even more wary of respectability politics, as they are both a part of our (recent) history too.

Civil rights history has been built on many forms of #DirectAction. as a reaction to injustice, killing, war, and inequality.



Use your technological privilege to study the suffragette movement and every feminist wave to follow, how #DirectAction and radical activism brought about countless changes in racial equality and desegregation, to massive anti-war demonstrations, and of course the entire LGBTQ movement - including #Stonewall / #ActUp / #QueerNation / #BashBack and more.

Learn your history, if you have access to the internet and the magic of google, so it is no longer optional.


These uprisings were all based on giving a voice to the unheard, and utilized many direct actions.
Anger is absolutely justified when faced with the urgency of insurmountable oppression, injustice, and, as we should all know - frequent death of black - and trans - lives.

So, it is not surprising that radical acts are likely to be much more important to many activists than voting, and the obviously questionable legitimacy of electoral politics as usual.



Beware of tone policing and respectability politics, as that was exactly the refrain LGBTQ activists heard from so many others, through their own decades of oppression, and is likely what many #BlackLivesMatter activists are possibly feeling NOW from the (very white), progressive / liberal left, who are currently embracing Bernie.
( I ACTUALLY CANNOT SAY - SINCE I AM WHITE)
This action / disruption was one fast way to bring the urgent matters of racial injustice and the daily horrors black lives are NOW facing, to the forefront of all of the usual 'respectable' campaigning.

We must choose to listen, read, and learn, and support #Radical activism, #DirectAction and #BlackLivesMatter - ALWAYS.

And, it looks like Bernie Sanders.... Agrees.
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Respectability politics or the politics of respectability :refers to attempts by marginalized groups to police their own members and show their social values as being continuous and compatible with mainstream values rather than challenging the mainstream for its failure to accept difference.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respectability_politics