My post this week doesn't really have a supporting article. My topic this week is in the media.
All of it.
Well, not really. More LGBT related. Most media has covered LGBT issues, and most have seen both sides of the light. I'm normally very critical of trans interpretation in the media. I eat up books, and I've noticed one glaring fact. Most of the time, the stories regarding trans issues are told from the view point of a cis person, or in third person. I've never read a fiction book that was from the view point of the actual trans individual, and that includes my favorite, Almost Perfect. That book is told from the view point of a cis boy that falls in love, unknowingly, to a trans girl. It has a very interesting view point of the trans experience, since the author himself is cis. Though most trans-topic writers are cis, though normally a cis girl. I felt the view point was highly educated, yet very... macabre. Not really, but the story leads to very psychologically violent events. The trans character, Sage, gets assaulted at the end by another cis boy. She is later brought to a psych ward for suicidal tendencies, followed by announcing she's detransitioning (though she presumably doesn't).
It leaves a bad taste to cis and trans people alike, but it's done so beautifully and flowing that it captivates one with a life that some people could never imagine.
Now, from lyrical beauty to the plain representation.
I refuse to mention South Park in this section. They're South Park, there's really no arguing the inaccuracy.
So I move on to... hmmm, movies. Transamerica. Genius idea for a movie. Poorly executed. Sure, it's entertaining, but it really throws the "trannies are just big deceivers" stereotype in one's face. (Btw, never use the term tranny. Never. Ever.) With that said, Felicity Hoffman had a brilliant performance. She captivated the stereotypes, but for the movie, it worked. The biggest thing I noticed was the scarfs. I scoffed at that thinking, "Not all transgirls wear scarves to hide their adam's apple." I then looked down to notice, I too was wearing a scarf. Oops. There were some accurate sections. The relationship with Bree and her parents flew over very truthful to many people. In addition, the Harry Benjamin Standard's of Care was featured, and the struggle with many people's therapists was very close to home.
How about TV? I do want to say, what inspired this post was a review on Degrassi's trans character, Adam, and his current situations. (While this may not have most policy and law oriented focus, it does have a sense of public perception, the likes of which influence policy and profiling based on stereotyping.) Back to Degrassi, Adam, an FtM transsexual, was BEAUTIFULLY portrayed by Jordon Todosey, who I watched when she played the little sister in My Life With Derek. The episode "My Body is a Cage" was a very common depiction of transteens in high school and their struggles. Hell, I still deal with those issues in college. It was scarily accurate to me as well, besides the direction switch. The burning yourself, the attempt to detransition to make everyone happy only to find yourself suicidal.
What makes me happiest though, is when actual transpeople portray themselves. Seems pointless, no? Well, I'd have to say, one of my favorite TV shows is Transgeneration. A documentary series about 2 FtMs and 2 MtFs in college. The best way to get the right knowledge out there is to bring the true trans people in the camera's eye.
My goal as a public face for the trans community is to hope that everybody around us knows truth, and not just what they see on TV. And maybe the more noticed we are, the more help we get. We can't succeed in this world without the help of cis people. The social ramifications of the deceivers/trap/just a confused gay person/all want to have surgery/married men in their 40s and 50s/sex workers/Buffalo Bill-types/and easily clocked sterotype being the public perception makes laws like unnecessary gate-keeping, the need for people to have SRS to change their legal gender, and the discrimination in the process of name change seem needed and correct.
Fuck that. Life is to be lived by everyone, never to be constrained, or biased, or chained to a wall (...for the most part on that one). It's to be free for people have the options open, and the necessities never hid behind a gate in key. And that my friend, is the future.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
ROTC-Nazis
*This post is currently under work. I felt like posting it's partial content in the meantime. I apologize that the update took til late in the week. I have been suffering from acute sickness. This is a message for not only Ms. Wright, but for the additional readers of this blog, and my personal. Trans-gression will receive a regular update tomorrow, 2/17/11. See you there!*
*Note: for those who don't know, a "ROTC-Nazi" is a ROTC cadet who is anal about rules and procedure. Basically and OCD person in uniform. Often pricks.*
Blogger doesn't like me. This is try 3 to write this.
It took me til last night to figure out where to go with this weeks posts. But before I get into it, you need a little back story.
When I went into 9th grade I fell in love. No, not with a person (but I would by the end of that year). I fell in love with AFJROTC. Yes, tranny old me was a ROTC-kid. I was really into it to. It consumed me until I was forced out after I was in the hospital. That was the beginning of my transition, but I have to attest that I would not be alive today if it were not for that program and a man named Chief Master Sergeant Thomas Pitzer. Last night, I went to a BoE meeting for my HS about him retaining his job, so ROTC is still fresh on my mind.
Return back to my room and with a refresh click I was led to http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2011/02/16/college-dean-speaks-out-favor-rotc. This is regarding Columbia College's reinstatement of an ROTC program. Now, I went around multiple news sources, and across the board, most articles seemed rather uninformed, but the gist of every article included that there was fear of transgender students would be discriminated by such a program on campus.
You'd think this would have a simple solution: transgender students wouldn't even WANT to apply. Thing is, I know the feeling. ROTC is a wonderful program (and helps you pay for school too), but the members themselves are often over testosteroned and emmasculinizing. The harassment to MtF transsexual students is an obvious asshole-target. I know I had the assholes when I was in ROTC in HS. They're still there.
Also, I regret to say I forgot to see this from the point of FtMs. Yes, while the transgender community transgresses gender boundary, we still fall into gender stereotypes. Transboys interested in the military isn't uncommon. Of course, the military itself discriminates based on its own based on this. The military still currently has the ban on legally female military members from serving on the front line (this is on track to change).
The ROTC is not much different. There's not a "frontline", but the application process can be daunting to someone who is already scrutinized by peers daily anyway.
*This post is currently under work. I felt like posting it's partial content in the meantime. I apologize that the update took til late in the week. I have been suffering from acute sickness. This is a message for not only Ms. Wright, but for the additional readers of this blog, and my personal. Trans-gression will receive a regular update tomorrow, 2/17/11. See you there!*
*Note: for those who don't know, a "ROTC-Nazi" is a ROTC cadet who is anal about rules and procedure. Basically and OCD person in uniform. Often pricks.*
Blogger doesn't like me. This is try 3 to write this.
It took me til last night to figure out where to go with this weeks posts. But before I get into it, you need a little back story.
When I went into 9th grade I fell in love. No, not with a person (but I would by the end of that year). I fell in love with AFJROTC. Yes, tranny old me was a ROTC-kid. I was really into it to. It consumed me until I was forced out after I was in the hospital. That was the beginning of my transition, but I have to attest that I would not be alive today if it were not for that program and a man named Chief Master Sergeant Thomas Pitzer. Last night, I went to a BoE meeting for my HS about him retaining his job, so ROTC is still fresh on my mind.
Return back to my room and with a refresh click I was led to http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2011/02/16/college-dean-speaks-out-favor-rotc. This is regarding Columbia College's reinstatement of an ROTC program. Now, I went around multiple news sources, and across the board, most articles seemed rather uninformed, but the gist of every article included that there was fear of transgender students would be discriminated by such a program on campus.
You'd think this would have a simple solution: transgender students wouldn't even WANT to apply. Thing is, I know the feeling. ROTC is a wonderful program (and helps you pay for school too), but the members themselves are often over testosteroned and emmasculinizing. The harassment to MtF transsexual students is an obvious asshole-target. I know I had the assholes when I was in ROTC in HS. They're still there.
Also, I regret to say I forgot to see this from the point of FtMs. Yes, while the transgender community transgresses gender boundary, we still fall into gender stereotypes. Transboys interested in the military isn't uncommon. Of course, the military itself discriminates based on its own based on this. The military still currently has the ban on legally female military members from serving on the front line (this is on track to change).
The ROTC is not much different. There's not a "frontline", but the application process can be daunting to someone who is already scrutinized by peers daily anyway.
*This post is currently under work. I felt like posting it's partial content in the meantime. I apologize that the update took til late in the week. I have been suffering from acute sickness. This is a message for not only Ms. Wright, but for the additional readers of this blog, and my personal. Trans-gression will receive a regular update tomorrow, 2/17/11. See you there!*
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Utah. Of course.
Now, I might be Mormon, and I might have a best friend over at BYU, but I've been getting annoyed with Utah lately since it's been singles and GLBT persecution, and I don't like to hear that from my church. I started paying attention when I found out that GSAs were now allowed in public schools. Which blew my head. I wish I had read more into that too.
But I'm talking about a recent bill today.This is a link to an article. Forget the subtle persecution. This bill, strike that, TWO bills would basically double-team gays in the ass. HB270 is the first one, which says that any publicly funded event is required to be family oriented, and calls "marriage with children the desired norm." Now here's the subtle double team HB182 says that any arrangement that goes against public policy (like a will, or hopital visit and the such) is negligible.
Now, I mean, I can understand the family part. The LDS Church has a basis in marriage (one part of their history involving something they'd rather not talk about), and it's believed that to go to the highest level of heaven, you have to have a temple marriage. That's the marriage that is legally binding even after death, and it can only take place in the temple, meaning both bride and groom must be a member of the Church with a "temple recommend" card that allows them access to the building. Sooooo don't expect any gay couples or transgender folk in the highest level of heaven. (It'd be cool, but I'm fine with it.)
This bill is a whip lash. It extends not only to GLBT peeps, but also single people (yeah, I know, right?), childless couples (even if they are unable to have children), and some were claiming re-married parents as well, which I found ridiculous, but it wouldn't surprise me.
The worst is that the people who have had wills that give to their spouse, whom does not follow HB207 currently will be void, and should they die before getting this fixed or moving out of state, their spouse receives nothing.
I particularly didn't like the part where childless couples were considered not an important part of society. Pregnancy is obviously an issue with me, and if I were to see a couple with either spouse finding themselves unable to conceive, I wouldn't believe them to be a couple that goes against God's law. I believe that finding out your spouse is unable to conceive is legal grounds for divorce in the church, which is discriminatory since it's aimed toward sterile women (which would be sex discrimination, if it existed in Utah) because I believe (don't quote me on this since I don't have my scriptures handy) that having a child in vitro from a donor is allowed while surrogate mothers are not. But this is beside the point (while still relevant).
Overall, I'm disappointed. Not because Utah holds the capitol for my religion and that that state is now doing this, but that this was conceived at all. While the bill is only still being prepared for review by the House of Reps, I'm still disappointed that a human being could thing of considering people who are not following a nuclear family is a good idea. Well, so much for seperation of Church and state.
But I'm talking about a recent bill today.This is a link to an article. Forget the subtle persecution. This bill, strike that, TWO bills would basically double-team gays in the ass. HB270 is the first one, which says that any publicly funded event is required to be family oriented, and calls "marriage with children the desired norm." Now here's the subtle double team HB182 says that any arrangement that goes against public policy (like a will, or hopital visit and the such) is negligible.
Now, I mean, I can understand the family part. The LDS Church has a basis in marriage (one part of their history involving something they'd rather not talk about), and it's believed that to go to the highest level of heaven, you have to have a temple marriage. That's the marriage that is legally binding even after death, and it can only take place in the temple, meaning both bride and groom must be a member of the Church with a "temple recommend" card that allows them access to the building. Sooooo don't expect any gay couples or transgender folk in the highest level of heaven. (It'd be cool, but I'm fine with it.)
This bill is a whip lash. It extends not only to GLBT peeps, but also single people (yeah, I know, right?), childless couples (even if they are unable to have children), and some were claiming re-married parents as well, which I found ridiculous, but it wouldn't surprise me.
The worst is that the people who have had wills that give to their spouse, whom does not follow HB207 currently will be void, and should they die before getting this fixed or moving out of state, their spouse receives nothing.
I particularly didn't like the part where childless couples were considered not an important part of society. Pregnancy is obviously an issue with me, and if I were to see a couple with either spouse finding themselves unable to conceive, I wouldn't believe them to be a couple that goes against God's law. I believe that finding out your spouse is unable to conceive is legal grounds for divorce in the church, which is discriminatory since it's aimed toward sterile women (which would be sex discrimination, if it existed in Utah) because I believe (don't quote me on this since I don't have my scriptures handy) that having a child in vitro from a donor is allowed while surrogate mothers are not. But this is beside the point (while still relevant).
Overall, I'm disappointed. Not because Utah holds the capitol for my religion and that that state is now doing this, but that this was conceived at all. While the bill is only still being prepared for review by the House of Reps, I'm still disappointed that a human being could thing of considering people who are not following a nuclear family is a good idea. Well, so much for seperation of Church and state.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Pretty cool update
I spent 2 hours and 13 minutes Skyping with Oak Reed. One of my most interesting conversations. Oak hasn't been able to come across many other in the transcommunity (let alone MtF. Apparently I was his first :P). He has, however, had dinner with Chaz Bono. Which made me VERY jealous. I found out that the ACLU still is holding his case and that he is, indeed, suing the school. I asked what he felt about the media's interpretation of events, and truthfully, a lot of the things I joked about were the same things we laughed about. My most interesting observation being that in seemingly every article, it ends with "Reed says he will try for prom" or something of that nature. He told me (number one, he never told ANY reporter that) and that he doesn't really want to have a repeat. Perfectly understandable. Why, if you're still waiting on a case against a school you're suing, would you want to push MORE buttons? (See that tie-in I made there with my last post. Mhmmm)
We also talked about the mundane. Bunking in band camp. Reactions in school. A short little timeline of his life. He relayed to me that he has been getting a surge of older transpeople on both sides asking questions like "How can I come out?" when he never really had to come out. Based on the story he shared with me, he's basically been living full-time his whole life. You can't really come out when you're full time. (Wish I was that lucky :P) We also talked about the power of thought in transition. That if we thought hard enough we'd see changes in our selves, with or without hormones. Oak has not started T, a fact I found interesting (Although he did at first ask me how long I'D been on T, thinking I was FTM xD I'd have to say a good 17 years) because he has manly features and a deep voice. Not to say he's big and husky (You've seen pictures in the article I linked) but he just looks so age appropriate for his gender. In all honesty, he's flat out hot. All I have to say. Unfortunately, I looked and sounded like shit at the time. Go figure.
Splattered in between the media and the home life was the talk that only transpeople can have. Stuff you cis people wouldn't care for. Binding, tucking and packing. I felt like I was boring him at one point with my transgirl issues, and I'm sure he thought the same when he was talking about his issues, only I spend so much time with transboys, talking and helping out with issues is second nature at this point. It was nice to get someone new to talk to. Talking to the same Rutgers people who hate me over and over can get boring. Besides, if all trans fails, we can always talk about Marching Band :]
We also talked about the mundane. Bunking in band camp. Reactions in school. A short little timeline of his life. He relayed to me that he has been getting a surge of older transpeople on both sides asking questions like "How can I come out?" when he never really had to come out. Based on the story he shared with me, he's basically been living full-time his whole life. You can't really come out when you're full time. (Wish I was that lucky :P) We also talked about the power of thought in transition. That if we thought hard enough we'd see changes in our selves, with or without hormones. Oak has not started T, a fact I found interesting (Although he did at first ask me how long I'D been on T, thinking I was FTM xD I'd have to say a good 17 years) because he has manly features and a deep voice. Not to say he's big and husky (You've seen pictures in the article I linked) but he just looks so age appropriate for his gender. In all honesty, he's flat out hot. All I have to say. Unfortunately, I looked and sounded like shit at the time. Go figure.
Splattered in between the media and the home life was the talk that only transpeople can have. Stuff you cis people wouldn't care for. Binding, tucking and packing. I felt like I was boring him at one point with my transgirl issues, and I'm sure he thought the same when he was talking about his issues, only I spend so much time with transboys, talking and helping out with issues is second nature at this point. It was nice to get someone new to talk to. Talking to the same Rutgers people who hate me over and over can get boring. Besides, if all trans fails, we can always talk about Marching Band :]
Thursday, February 3, 2011
My opening statments.
Two fairly recent issues have been in my head lately. One resurfaced, one brand new. One is Andy Moreno.(http://revelandriot.com/news/transgender-teen-runs-for-homecoming-queen) who ran for homecoming queen in Dallas, Texas. Go figure, elsewhere, Oak Reed (http://www.aolnews.com/2010/09/30/transgender-teen-snubbed-becomes-facebook-superstar-after-homeco/) was running for homecoming king.
Both were snubbed by school officials. Why? Just because they're both transgender. My favorite part was that Oak Reed was a write in. 60% voted for Reed, yet, every vote for Reed was thrown out. I plan to ask him about his thoughts. We're both trans band geeks and we're facebook friends now.
Andy (who is a transgirl, and I wonder if the media accurately displayed her name. My guess is Andi.) on the other hand simple wanted to. Though she originally didn't care about actually making it, after the administration made their decision, she pushed because she wanted to "prove a point". I call "show them up" ;] This hit home, because I'm FROM Texas. I have to wonder what it'd be like if I was never adopted. I'd live in a state with no laws to protect me. No administrator would let me display my true self in school. I wouldn't be allowed to use any public bathroom. And even here. I wasn't allowed to go to prom (unless I was in a suit. Which I didn't argue. I like suits). I wasn't allowed to wear the dress for senior photos. I had to use the hidden girl's bathroom. By the band room. I was put under the microscope. But that's not because I couldn't, but because the admin felt "uncomfortable" and I had to wonder how far they would take it if I push their buttons.
So it's not that hard to wrap around why Andy and Oak got discriminated in these positions (especially Texas). I would have loved to be put in the situation where I ran and was allowed to. Except I wasn't very popular, so I guess I wouldn't win :P All I have to say for Andy and Oak is, there's always prom ;]
Both were snubbed by school officials. Why? Just because they're both transgender. My favorite part was that Oak Reed was a write in. 60% voted for Reed, yet, every vote for Reed was thrown out. I plan to ask him about his thoughts. We're both trans band geeks and we're facebook friends now.
Andy (who is a transgirl, and I wonder if the media accurately displayed her name. My guess is Andi.) on the other hand simple wanted to. Though she originally didn't care about actually making it, after the administration made their decision, she pushed because she wanted to "prove a point". I call "show them up" ;] This hit home, because I'm FROM Texas. I have to wonder what it'd be like if I was never adopted. I'd live in a state with no laws to protect me. No administrator would let me display my true self in school. I wouldn't be allowed to use any public bathroom. And even here. I wasn't allowed to go to prom (unless I was in a suit. Which I didn't argue. I like suits). I wasn't allowed to wear the dress for senior photos. I had to use the hidden girl's bathroom. By the band room. I was put under the microscope. But that's not because I couldn't, but because the admin felt "uncomfortable" and I had to wonder how far they would take it if I push their buttons.
So it's not that hard to wrap around why Andy and Oak got discriminated in these positions (especially Texas). I would have loved to be put in the situation where I ran and was allowed to. Except I wasn't very popular, so I guess I wouldn't win :P All I have to say for Andy and Oak is, there's always prom ;]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)