Yes. It is true. There is a
transgender agenda. It is pretty darn devious and malevolent. Here it is in a
nut shell…
"We want to be left
alone and have the same rights as everyone else."
I know, what arsehole we are
right?
What do I mean "the same
rights as everyone else"? Well, here it is: the evil manifesto:
·
We want to walk down the
street without being harassed
·
We want to try on clothes and
accessories for the gender we identify with without giggles, without judgment,
without a second damn though
·
We would like to just be left
alone to express ourselves how we want
·
If we need it, yes, we may
need medical help and we would like to have that without fighting for it as it
is not our fault we are trans
·
Also, if possible, we would
like to not be killed on a regular basis just for being trans
·
Oh, and can we pee in peace
please? In the bathroom we identify belonging in and where we are less likely
to have the living heck beaten out of us
So yes. What a list
outrageous demands. But guess what, we are not hiding any more…
See, we do want to just get
on with our lives. True, many folk may not understand what it means to be trans
but does that really matter? I say I am a woman - does that actually impact
you? If a gender fluid assigned male wants to wear a dress is that really an
issue? If someone wants to be referred to as ze, zem, zir and have the title
Mx, does it need to be a major problem?
That said, sometimes we just
want to be understood. This can be super
hard because the message that is put out there can be super mixed and it is no
wonder folks find it hard to understand who we are and what we want. Language is
changing - our labels are changing. Changing fast. Right now there are so many
pride flags and we have to remember that folk still don't know what the rainbow
flag means, what LGBT refers to. We cannot make an assumption that what and who
we are is pretty obvious. There needs to be some give and take on both sides.
For this reason, I think it
is important that we have role models out there being visible and sharing
information. See, not every trans person wants to be noticed. So many want to
slink away, be accepted for their gender and have that as end of story. For some
there is a belief that people can get things right straight away but that is
not always so. You may just not want to talk about it. Fair enough. I get that
and I understand wanting to quietly get on with it.
The problem is that there is
a lack of understanding out there, so we do need some role models shouting out
and explaining things: being highly visible.
This is not an easy thing and it can be dangerous.
Also it is very easy to get
wrong. Caitlyn Jenner does not seem to live on this planet. Douche as a male,
douche as a female. Gigi Gorgeous is possibly just an idiot. There was the big scandal
about her heading to Dubai and not getting let in because she is transgender.
No shit Sherlock. 'Gender Deviance' is illegal out there. That is how that
country operates and you should check things like this before you go. I don't
agree that it is right but this is the real world and trans rights have a long
way to go. When you go making a fuss about these things you just make us look
stupid as a community. I wouldn't go flying to many, many countries. Just cause
you are a c-list celebrity, doesn't mean that the real world doesn't apply.
Luckily, there are folks out
that that do spread the message and do so well. Here are a few of my current
favs, who make use of different media. I write as that is my method for
spreading the word. And talking. I talk a lot. Sometimes a have an audience and
they cannot move from their seat cause it is rude. I like that J
but others have different methods of communication.
A month or so from the time
of writing I will be attending a talk by Sophie Labelle. Sophie is an artist using her talents to
explain the issues facing the trans community. Her cartoons are sharp and to
the point. Best of all, they are succinct and explain what I ramble on about in
a thousand words in three short images. Want to understand pronouns, check this
one out!
want to know the wrong way to
deal with accidentally misgendering someone, here ya go:
I wrote a massive blog on
that - this explains it much better and way quicker.
That said, she has come under
fire for being visible, for being trans. If you stand up you will get pushed
around. No wonder so many folk are so scared to come out as trans. Thank goodness
for folk like Sophie. She maintains a good, strong and clear message without
getting bitter. Exactly the sort of role model we need.
So I was bloody horrified to
hear that she was getting grief from the trans community too. The claim is that
she is making money off 'the pain of others' who are transitioning. Shut up. Sit
down. You stupid peoples. Sophie gets points across clearly and quickly, as I state
above. Way better than I do. We are lucky to have her speaking up. I really
look forward to meeting her next month.
Another current favourite
trans advocate is the YouTuber Claire Michelle https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtCSrYbGbzmeLPNJYFuD50A
.
I have been following Claire since she
first appeared on YouTube and I have always enjoyed her videos. Of late though
she has been doing a more informative type of video pretty much sharing ideas
that share 'how to be a good trans person'. Explaining that we need to be
patient with folk and we need to educate. That we need to be clearer and not
mix our message. All with a massive grin on her face whilst she talks. I think that
if I smiled that much my face may crack - but then I'm a grumpy punk.
I really like her message and
I think she is a fantastic role model for our trans community. Plus, she is a
kick ass musician. I may have accidentally been a bit rude about folk music
over at the music magazine I write for. I was actually trying to be complimentary.
And then over compensated with a ramble apology. And there we go - I sometime
miss the point I want to make. I think her message is clear and that is the
trick to a good trans role model. Her music is also darn ace - I won't go on
here, especially as I am saving it for a review. But check out her album here and give her some deserved love:
Fox Fisher has been putting
out quality educational videos for ages. Fox is non binary and I have learnt a
lot about what that means watching their videos, whether on their personal
YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/tigersnack or through the My
Genderation channel https://www.youtube.com/user/MyGenderation that had a whole
bunch of different trans folks sharing their views and opinions on life. Indeed,
the greatness of My Genderation is that there are trans-men, trans-women,
gender fluid, non-binary etc folk featured. So important.
As trans evangelicals it is
important that we explain more than just our own personal state of transiness, but
all others too when we can. I can only really talk about being a trans-female
as that is my experience. Fox gathered a range of folks so that the channels
can be as informative as possible.
That said, when you talk
about things that folk don't understand, such as being non-binary in a
non-binary relationship you are gonna
attract hate. And wow, what a lot of
hate. Sod it - keep going Fox. You are star for trans rights. This was a
fantastic way to hit back!
"They live amongst us."
I'm not going to go on too
much, but I will leave you with one more person to think about and that is the
singer Fat Mike from the punk band NOFX. I have just listened and written a
review of the new album First Ditch Effort. it will be out shortly on the (self-promo) AWESOME http://apathyandexhaustion.com/ website. NOFX have always pushed the
boundaries and I think it is fair to say that many things they say are pretty
crass.
Unhelpful? Maybe. But I have
always been able to take it all with a pinch of salt. See, there is the song My
Vagina, all about sex change. Crass as all hell and somewhat of a joke. Yet,
there was always something about it that made me think that it was not meant in
a nasty way. Plus, it actually had some informative lyrics in there.
Don't ask me why - just a gut
feeling. Sure, it would be easy to hate on it and be offended but I just
wasn't. So many time NOFX go on about equality etc and it never sat right that
they were such hypocrites. Many times they actually advocate, in their way, for
equal LGBTI rights in their songs. When Against Me! needed a musician to stand
in on the album for recording after Laura Jane Grace came out as trans, there
was Fat Mike stepping in. Also notice the videos where he is in drag - he walks
easily in heels.
In the new album, Fat Mike
comes out as a cross dresser on the song I'm
a Transvest-lite. Again, in his way. In an interview with AltPress he says:
“I used to live so much of my life in private
but I’ve slowly started going to parties and out in public without being
embarrassed of my true identity and that confidence just transferred over to my
entire life,” he continues. “When you’re dressed in rubber and heels and corset
and you’re waiting in line for an Omelette in Jamaica, well, after that there’s
nowhere else to go.”
I actually think that this is
a very important song. From a well know, famous punk rocker, coming out as a
cross dresser is a pretty big thing. It just isn't done and is pretty groundbreaking.
Binary transitioned figures are more and more visible. Non-binary figures are
becoming visible. Having someone stand up for cross dressers is pretty cool. The
lyrics are fantastic and the song is pretty good too. Check it out - track 7 on
this playlist. (Sorry - I cannot skip to it here - it is playlist only. I will
ask them to release it as a single!)
So yes. We need good role
models and these are some of the ones I think are good for the trans community.
Personally I am doing my best to become
one myself. I am putting myself out there. I am opening up. I am expecting hate
but I can't say I am too bothered about that. I am happy and I hope I am
helping.
Of course, there is a bunch
more folks I could talk about.
Another time!
