On November 20th, the Transgender Community of the Greater St Louis regional area will be coming together to hear the ugly words. The ugly words that are names, and the date of not of their birth, but that date of their murder, those since last November 20th. The numbers are ugly in themselves, the Deustch Intstitue "Luminalis" has suggested the rate of murder for Trans individuals worldwide is roughly one every three days - the ones they know of.....
But why is it you don't care? A black gay man in Atlanta, the head of Black Pride there was recently murdered. The outrage for this previously unknown person's murder was huge, the reaction was repetitive postings on social networking sites. Yet earlier this spring I posted the murder of a Trans woman, who's murder was that by decapitation, the look of fear frozen in her face when they found her head over a mile away freom her body. Not one bit of reaction. I posted a picture of her headless body, yet again, not a word from anyone. In fact, the post that came from someone after that, was talking about going to a party, to drink and have fun.
So why don't you care? Are you so removed from the Trans Community that you fear us? We are doctors and lawyers, engineers and retail clerks. But mostly we are unemployed, representing the highest number unemployed people in the LGBT Community. Because of fear. There are those that say they are at the bottom of the 'totem pole.' But you do not see us, because we are buried in the ground underneath it. Of the hate crimes reported this past year, most was towards those being Trans. Being Trans puts us all at high risk, yet seventy-five percent of that hate was directed at Trans women of color.
The thought that our rapes and murders go unnoticed, is it because it is not seen a problem, because no one knows who these people are? Will it have to be my own brutal rape, murder and dismemberment before this form of genocide is brought to your attention? Does it take a photo of that murdered body of mine for you to understand we are being murdered at the rate of one every three days, to wake up?
Have a nice day.
Robyn Carolyn Montague
Friday, September 3, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Why Not Call Nov 2nd, National Equality Day?
I said this earlier this morning:
"The American Independent Party has made a list of candidates to vote against in Missouri. Everyone single one of them is our LGBT and LGBT-friendly politicians across the state. Are you going to let that happen?"
I also said this:
"Elections to the United States Senate are scheduled to be held on November 2, 2010, for 37 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate. Are you going to vote?"
And lastly, my words said last evening:
"November is perhaps the single most important election is recent history for the LGBT* Community. At stake are Equality and Social Justice issues at both State and National levels. It is imperative that our Community gets out to support our LGBT and LGBT-friendly candidates. Issues directly affected by this Vote are ENDA, Repeal of DADT, Marriage Equality, Safe School Laws and true Immigration Reform."
If we, the LGBT do not get out and support and volunteer for those folks that can help us, have we in fact given up the fight for Equality? 'Huh,' you say?
The Republicans are beginning dangerous rhetoric, that they should support 'gay marriage' yet the joke is on them, it is same-sex, better said 'same-gender' marriage, though 'Marriage Equality' works okay for me. From their rhetoric begat from the likes of Ken Mehlman, who has suddenly wanting to become the champion of Marriage Equality.
But do you trust them enough to sway your vote and risk the aspects of Equality in general? Shouldn't we be out donating and volunteering to our LGBT / LGBT-friendly incumbents and candidates. WE will make a difference, that can head us down that road where we can call it 'National Equality Day' every Election Day. I challenge each and everyone to help bring Equality to a reality.
Oh yeah, register to vote if you have not and make certain that you do vote.
Robyn Carolyn Montague
"The American Independent Party has made a list of candidates to vote against in Missouri. Everyone single one of them is our LGBT and LGBT-friendly politicians across the state. Are you going to let that happen?"
I also said this:
"Elections to the United States Senate are scheduled to be held on November 2, 2010, for 37 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate. Are you going to vote?"
And lastly, my words said last evening:
"November is perhaps the single most important election is recent history for the LGBT* Community. At stake are Equality and Social Justice issues at both State and National levels. It is imperative that our Community gets out to support our LGBT and LGBT-friendly candidates. Issues directly affected by this Vote are ENDA, Repeal of DADT, Marriage Equality, Safe School Laws and true Immigration Reform."
If we, the LGBT do not get out and support and volunteer for those folks that can help us, have we in fact given up the fight for Equality? 'Huh,' you say?
The Republicans are beginning dangerous rhetoric, that they should support 'gay marriage' yet the joke is on them, it is same-sex, better said 'same-gender' marriage, though 'Marriage Equality' works okay for me. From their rhetoric begat from the likes of Ken Mehlman, who has suddenly wanting to become the champion of Marriage Equality.
But do you trust them enough to sway your vote and risk the aspects of Equality in general? Shouldn't we be out donating and volunteering to our LGBT / LGBT-friendly incumbents and candidates. WE will make a difference, that can head us down that road where we can call it 'National Equality Day' every Election Day. I challenge each and everyone to help bring Equality to a reality.
Oh yeah, register to vote if you have not and make certain that you do vote.
Robyn Carolyn Montague
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Gay Marriage is so.....uh...'Gay.'
Somehow folks don't realize that the Trans* Community is deeply affected by the Prop 8 Decision. In Missouri, a Trans person in a marriage is seen as same-sex unless some form of irrevocable transition surgery is performed, and many cannot afford it, do not want it or have unrelated medical conditions that prevent doing it. Somehow folks do not or will not recognize that this is our fight too!
I am quite miffed that the marriage issue as related to the transsexual, transgender, et al community has been totally overlooked, yet we are dealt with the same hate unless we are lucky enough to get our gender markers changed. With the Trans Community representative of the lower end of the socioeconomic totem pole of the Community, most cannot afford the surgey required to get gender marker changes. One tends to forget that unless gender markers are changed, we cannot get married...and if one does get their gender marker changed but is lesbian or gay....one cannot get married. Imagine that!
Far too often when I see Facebook postings, blogs and websites, the words are 'gay marriage' or 'lesbian and gay.' Yes, some have the words 'same-sex' but the conversation always seems to revert back to 'lesbian and gay,' meaning those of the cisgender brand. Typically, though, the majority refers to it as gay marriage.
This past year, stretching back to October of 2009, I worked with Pride St Louis to make certain that St Louis PrideFest 2010 was seen truly the inclusive event as it is, our efforts were not in vain as we saw the largest turnout of the Transsexual, GenderQueer, CD, and Intersex Community that PrideFest has ever seen. I managed to reach out to 10 of that Trans* Community to support the Prop 8 / NOM Rally, but there would have been more if the Trans aspect of Marriage Inequality had been better promoted. Clearly, we need to keep that feeling of inclusiveness strong and not simply with words now and then.
I am a persistent advocate of 'Unity in the Community' but when events include the Trans* only as an after thought in it's promotion why should I waste my efforts? I know that some may say that it's my job to promote Trans* inclusion, but why so, if they use the word "Equality" with a "silent T." Me? I have been working for the Trans* Community, but haven't forgotten the "LGB's." When the issue is across the board, the work is inclusive of them. My staff assistant is a gay man and at PrideFest, I had volunteers that were male, female, genderqueer across the diversity spectrum of Transsexual, CD, Intersex, Cisgender Gay and Lesbian, Trans Gay and Lesbian, Trans Bi, Cisgender Bisexual, and oh yeah, male and female hetero allies. Something to be said about inclusion, eh? Well, if you project it, you get it.
And no, this "T" isn't silent, and she is not going away, anytime soon.
I am quite miffed that the marriage issue as related to the transsexual, transgender, et al community has been totally overlooked, yet we are dealt with the same hate unless we are lucky enough to get our gender markers changed. With the Trans Community representative of the lower end of the socioeconomic totem pole of the Community, most cannot afford the surgey required to get gender marker changes. One tends to forget that unless gender markers are changed, we cannot get married...and if one does get their gender marker changed but is lesbian or gay....one cannot get married. Imagine that!
Far too often when I see Facebook postings, blogs and websites, the words are 'gay marriage' or 'lesbian and gay.' Yes, some have the words 'same-sex' but the conversation always seems to revert back to 'lesbian and gay,' meaning those of the cisgender brand. Typically, though, the majority refers to it as gay marriage.
This past year, stretching back to October of 2009, I worked with Pride St Louis to make certain that St Louis PrideFest 2010 was seen truly the inclusive event as it is, our efforts were not in vain as we saw the largest turnout of the Transsexual, GenderQueer, CD, and Intersex Community that PrideFest has ever seen. I managed to reach out to 10 of that Trans* Community to support the Prop 8 / NOM Rally, but there would have been more if the Trans aspect of Marriage Inequality had been better promoted. Clearly, we need to keep that feeling of inclusiveness strong and not simply with words now and then.
I am a persistent advocate of 'Unity in the Community' but when events include the Trans* only as an after thought in it's promotion why should I waste my efforts? I know that some may say that it's my job to promote Trans* inclusion, but why so, if they use the word "Equality" with a "silent T." Me? I have been working for the Trans* Community, but haven't forgotten the "LGB's." When the issue is across the board, the work is inclusive of them. My staff assistant is a gay man and at PrideFest, I had volunteers that were male, female, genderqueer across the diversity spectrum of Transsexual, CD, Intersex, Cisgender Gay and Lesbian, Trans Gay and Lesbian, Trans Bi, Cisgender Bisexual, and oh yeah, male and female hetero allies. Something to be said about inclusion, eh? Well, if you project it, you get it.
And no, this "T" isn't silent, and she is not going away, anytime soon.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Selection of Trans-Positive Films in Film Festivals
Bringing a film to a film festival is not necessarily such a hard thing to do, other than meeting the criteria for entry and of course, having the artistic merit. As St. Louis Q-Fest 2010 was about to begin, the rather salacious and trans-exploitative film by Israel Luna was being prepared for its debut at the Tribeca International Film Festival in New York City. While I had previously looked at Q-Fest's line up here in St. Louis and saw there was no 'Transgender-related' offering, I did note to myself 'maybe next year' and then actually had a sigh of relief, as I did prefer not having to address such an issue such as 'TO#WK' rather than have just 'anything' offered up to settle the inclusive mindset that I possess.
In the course of watching many films where there is a transgender individual portrayed, I have come across any number of the scenarios where it is exploitative in any sense of the word or the person is portrayed in a 'down-on-the luck' scenario and rarely if ever is the transgender portrayed as successful or as a well-educated or 'tech' person. As we all know (and if you don't, I suggest some rather high intensity, remedial reading over at 'Wiki') the transgender individual is no less smarter, no less intellectual than most anyone else. Yet most films will dwell upon something else thus perpetuating the myth that 'gender identity disorder' is an impairment or psychosis of the brain function.
So with the possibility of TO#WK being brought to town, I contacted the Artistic Director of Cinema St Louis, which produces the St Louis International Film Festival ((SLIFF) and we began to look at bringing the film “Paulista” to SLIFF this year. After a copy of 'Paulista' was obtained by SLIFF, we sat down for a acceptance screening and it was indeed accepted and will be shown at the Festival here in St. Louis, in November. What follows, is my estimation of what it takes to bring a good film to a festival. Note: I am writing this from a 'Transgender aspect, it should apply in most any case.
1. Know the film, either through reviews by a reputable film critic or through reviews coming from other transgender folks who have seen it at other festivals. There's no point in bringing in a film you don't like yourself. And the first thing the selection committee / Artistic Director will be looking for is credible artistic value. Don't waste their time.
2. Determine the criteria from which selections will be chosen: Remember, most film festivals will not bring in a film that has been previously fully released to the public and/or available for sale on DVD or Blu-Ray.
3. Establish contact and meet with the Festival's Artistic director / Selection Committee: Explain why a marginalizing / exploitative film is damaging / dehumanizing to the Transgender Community and hurtful to the entire Community as a whole. Then explain why a trans-positive film is needed in a film festival, including the need for Transgender representation in the festival.
4. Ask to attend the acceptance screening of the film: While many films may seem innocuous simply by title or summary, there still may be that one little bit that is unacceptable as far the point you are trying to make. Remember, you are representing the Transgender Community. Also, you will be able to have a feel of what the 'age-level' will be for those “Not Rated” films, with regard to vulgar language and sexual situations. Remember that vulgarity and sexual situations are quite acceptable in a film if it isn't being used to titillate or becomes the main feature of the film. Be prepared to answer questions as to why the film is acceptable to the Trans Community
5. Is there a person, group, organization or business willing to financially sponsor the film?: Many festivals are produced and run by non-profit organizations and there is a cost to bring in the film, promote, advertise and show the film. Having a sponsor no doubt makes it attractive to the festival, but do yet remember, the film itself must pass other success criteria.
Revlon Robyn (aka Robyn Carolyn Montague)
for TOXIC Ticked off Tra**ies With Knives Clearinghouse
June 7, 2010
In the course of watching many films where there is a transgender individual portrayed, I have come across any number of the scenarios where it is exploitative in any sense of the word or the person is portrayed in a 'down-on-the luck' scenario and rarely if ever is the transgender portrayed as successful or as a well-educated or 'tech' person. As we all know (and if you don't, I suggest some rather high intensity, remedial reading over at 'Wiki') the transgender individual is no less smarter, no less intellectual than most anyone else. Yet most films will dwell upon something else thus perpetuating the myth that 'gender identity disorder' is an impairment or psychosis of the brain function.
So with the possibility of TO#WK being brought to town, I contacted the Artistic Director of Cinema St Louis, which produces the St Louis International Film Festival ((SLIFF) and we began to look at bringing the film “Paulista” to SLIFF this year. After a copy of 'Paulista' was obtained by SLIFF, we sat down for a acceptance screening and it was indeed accepted and will be shown at the Festival here in St. Louis, in November. What follows, is my estimation of what it takes to bring a good film to a festival. Note: I am writing this from a 'Transgender aspect, it should apply in most any case.
1. Know the film, either through reviews by a reputable film critic or through reviews coming from other transgender folks who have seen it at other festivals. There's no point in bringing in a film you don't like yourself. And the first thing the selection committee / Artistic Director will be looking for is credible artistic value. Don't waste their time.
2. Determine the criteria from which selections will be chosen: Remember, most film festivals will not bring in a film that has been previously fully released to the public and/or available for sale on DVD or Blu-Ray.
3. Establish contact and meet with the Festival's Artistic director / Selection Committee: Explain why a marginalizing / exploitative film is damaging / dehumanizing to the Transgender Community and hurtful to the entire Community as a whole. Then explain why a trans-positive film is needed in a film festival, including the need for Transgender representation in the festival.
4. Ask to attend the acceptance screening of the film: While many films may seem innocuous simply by title or summary, there still may be that one little bit that is unacceptable as far the point you are trying to make. Remember, you are representing the Transgender Community. Also, you will be able to have a feel of what the 'age-level' will be for those “Not Rated” films, with regard to vulgar language and sexual situations. Remember that vulgarity and sexual situations are quite acceptable in a film if it isn't being used to titillate or becomes the main feature of the film. Be prepared to answer questions as to why the film is acceptable to the Trans Community
5. Is there a person, group, organization or business willing to financially sponsor the film?: Many festivals are produced and run by non-profit organizations and there is a cost to bring in the film, promote, advertise and show the film. Having a sponsor no doubt makes it attractive to the festival, but do yet remember, the film itself must pass other success criteria.
Revlon Robyn (aka Robyn Carolyn Montague)
for TOXIC Ticked off Tra**ies With Knives Clearinghouse
June 7, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
A Transitory Stay In A Roman Catholic Hospital
Having not sustained a major illness, condition or injury since transitioning, being admitted to a hospital since then was not only a new experience, but also offered me the opportunity to 'rate' a major medical facility in the St Louis area for friendliness to the Transgender Community. I must admit that I had a small fear of issues and went to the ER with a bit of not only reluctance, but also ready to battle.
I went to St John's Mercy Medical Center on New Ballas as it not only is the hospital of my Primary Care Physician but also is owned by the same Sisters of Mercy religious organization that owns the health insurance plan that underwrites my Medicare Advantage plan through my pre-retirement employer. With that in mind, I not only went to a hospital, but also one owned through ties to the Roman Catholic Church.
Basically everthing went smoothly, yet not without anticipating a few pronoun problems. The first three people I dealt with in the ER, to register, to assist me in my mobility and the first level of caregiving , call me with male pronouns. In each case, I immediately responded to the "Sirs" with "Ma'am" and in each case, the party acknowledged that and immeadiately corrected themselves and apologized. Do note, I was wearing a nice, flowered summer dress, so there should not have had been that problem, per se, but I did give them the benefit of the doubt and did not crucify them for their blatant errors.
In my room, I did not have that problem at all. To begin with, they placed me in a private room. My thought was at first, that this was their solution to an issue not knoiwing what to do, or simply because I was in the Heart Hospital section and they do tend to place people by themselves due to the extra level of care and the isolation from catching things from others. One thought though is that they have actually have a 'sensitivity policy' in place and this placement of a transgender person separately is their rule of thumb. One other note that I wish to make is that on the worksheet form for ER treatment, for gender I crossed out "Female" and wrote down and circled "Trans Female," as sort of a 'heads up' to them as how I wished to be treated and handled as female.
All of the nurses, who were (cisgender) female, male, Anglo, African-American, Pacific Islander treated me with respect and as female. There were no questions of my medications, those for my heart issues, for diabetes and my hormone replacement therapy and each were dispensed without question. Privacy issues such as attaching montior electrodes, in which exposure of my breasts was required, was done in decorum and as a matter of medical necessity, ie no gawking or snide looks in any of these ocassions. Any time that I was transported out of my room, I was certain to be covered so that my privacy and dignity was respected.
In conclusion, I found St John's quite friendly and understanding of the transgender patient. There was a moment of confusion by the nun that came into the room expecting to see a cisgender woman, but she recovered admirily and in her quick chat, did not use the moment to chastise or lecture. Yes, there were a couple of quick glances one might suspect unfriendly, but I also saw their quick return to a thought of professionalism within the confines of the hospital, that the purpose of thier mission was to heal and not to hate.
Not having stayed in a hospital after transitioning, before, and considering the dogma behind the organizations running St John's, I definitely will give them a gold star with an additional A+ for effort.
Robyn Carolyn Montague
June 4, 2010
I went to St John's Mercy Medical Center on New Ballas as it not only is the hospital of my Primary Care Physician but also is owned by the same Sisters of Mercy religious organization that owns the health insurance plan that underwrites my Medicare Advantage plan through my pre-retirement employer. With that in mind, I not only went to a hospital, but also one owned through ties to the Roman Catholic Church.
Basically everthing went smoothly, yet not without anticipating a few pronoun problems. The first three people I dealt with in the ER, to register, to assist me in my mobility and the first level of caregiving , call me with male pronouns. In each case, I immediately responded to the "Sirs" with "Ma'am" and in each case, the party acknowledged that and immeadiately corrected themselves and apologized. Do note, I was wearing a nice, flowered summer dress, so there should not have had been that problem, per se, but I did give them the benefit of the doubt and did not crucify them for their blatant errors.
In my room, I did not have that problem at all. To begin with, they placed me in a private room. My thought was at first, that this was their solution to an issue not knoiwing what to do, or simply because I was in the Heart Hospital section and they do tend to place people by themselves due to the extra level of care and the isolation from catching things from others. One thought though is that they have actually have a 'sensitivity policy' in place and this placement of a transgender person separately is their rule of thumb. One other note that I wish to make is that on the worksheet form for ER treatment, for gender I crossed out "Female" and wrote down and circled "Trans Female," as sort of a 'heads up' to them as how I wished to be treated and handled as female.
All of the nurses, who were (cisgender) female, male, Anglo, African-American, Pacific Islander treated me with respect and as female. There were no questions of my medications, those for my heart issues, for diabetes and my hormone replacement therapy and each were dispensed without question. Privacy issues such as attaching montior electrodes, in which exposure of my breasts was required, was done in decorum and as a matter of medical necessity, ie no gawking or snide looks in any of these ocassions. Any time that I was transported out of my room, I was certain to be covered so that my privacy and dignity was respected.
In conclusion, I found St John's quite friendly and understanding of the transgender patient. There was a moment of confusion by the nun that came into the room expecting to see a cisgender woman, but she recovered admirily and in her quick chat, did not use the moment to chastise or lecture. Yes, there were a couple of quick glances one might suspect unfriendly, but I also saw their quick return to a thought of professionalism within the confines of the hospital, that the purpose of thier mission was to heal and not to hate.
Not having stayed in a hospital after transitioning, before, and considering the dogma behind the organizations running St John's, I definitely will give them a gold star with an additional A+ for effort.
Robyn Carolyn Montague
June 4, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Paulista - A film review
I had the unique opportunity last evening to screen the film 'Paulista' a Brazilian film done in 2009. The purpose of the screening was for acceptance into the St Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) this coming Novernber 11-21, 2010. I invited SLIFF's Artistic Director over for dinner and with some decadent cupcakes from Jilly's here in St Louis (exported to my home in O'Fallon, Mo) and cups of my infamous Cafe La Brea, we watched the film.
Paulista is a nice, fun and sexy film, yet not (of course) without drama, that being the main course of a three course plot that is this film. The film embodies three separate relationships, one of a writer of poetry that has found love for a feisty prostitute, a lesbian impassioned with a bisexual woman married to a man, and the young attorney Suzana, who is in love with yet another young attorney, to whom she has yet to reveal that she is transsexual.
In each of the relationships, the three separate protagonists, living in Sao Paulo, Brazil, have all found their perfect lovers, yet circumstance and the separate backgrounds of their lovers collide, which create confusion, distrust and indifference. Each of the situations are unique each a blend of drama and heartfelt love and of course a bit of steamy passion.
The film contains no violence nor exploits the transsexual aspect of Suzana, played by Maria Clara Spinelli. Her character is that of a young attorney, no suggestion at all of transgender sex workers, transgender revenge and my (oh My!) not a peep of the word 'tranny.' Imagine that! As a matter of fact, the only reason there is the reference to one who is transsexual, is that it is part of the storyline, where the character knows she is reluctantly needing to reveal that to her lover.
The film is a well played out drama and has direct connections to the LGBTIQA Community. But not not with the stereotypical marginalization that one finds so often in films regarding our Community or individual that is in our Community. The beauty of it, is we have an awesome film regarding a transsexual's problem in a relationship, done by an actor that is truly a transsexual and not a gay male drag queen. The film had no rating on the box supplied by FigaFilms, but is indeed an adult only film, with nudity and sexual situations. The language is not out of line, in fact a feeling of vulgarity did not come across to me.
Revlon Robyn (...uh...sometimes known as Robyn Carolyn Montague ;)
Paulista is a nice, fun and sexy film, yet not (of course) without drama, that being the main course of a three course plot that is this film. The film embodies three separate relationships, one of a writer of poetry that has found love for a feisty prostitute, a lesbian impassioned with a bisexual woman married to a man, and the young attorney Suzana, who is in love with yet another young attorney, to whom she has yet to reveal that she is transsexual.
In each of the relationships, the three separate protagonists, living in Sao Paulo, Brazil, have all found their perfect lovers, yet circumstance and the separate backgrounds of their lovers collide, which create confusion, distrust and indifference. Each of the situations are unique each a blend of drama and heartfelt love and of course a bit of steamy passion.
The film contains no violence nor exploits the transsexual aspect of Suzana, played by Maria Clara Spinelli. Her character is that of a young attorney, no suggestion at all of transgender sex workers, transgender revenge and my (oh My!) not a peep of the word 'tranny.' Imagine that! As a matter of fact, the only reason there is the reference to one who is transsexual, is that it is part of the storyline, where the character knows she is reluctantly needing to reveal that to her lover.
The film is a well played out drama and has direct connections to the LGBTIQA Community. But not not with the stereotypical marginalization that one finds so often in films regarding our Community or individual that is in our Community. The beauty of it, is we have an awesome film regarding a transsexual's problem in a relationship, done by an actor that is truly a transsexual and not a gay male drag queen. The film had no rating on the box supplied by FigaFilms, but is indeed an adult only film, with nudity and sexual situations. The language is not out of line, in fact a feeling of vulgarity did not come across to me.
Revlon Robyn (...uh...sometimes known as Robyn Carolyn Montague ;)
Friday, May 7, 2010
POPWK - I'm Not A Fucking Ugly Tranny Whore
yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm late. Who cares, I don't get paid. As far as I am concerned, the marginalization of the Trans Community seems to be a daily project of at least one individual, so this is timely enough. At any rate, here we go:
My my my, aren't we a bunch of unhappy campers. I have been reading the seemingly endless debate on 'Ticked Off Trannies With Knives,' which due to it's shameless infamy won't go back into it, other than to mention it's shameless exploitation of trans women and the marginalization of the Transgender Community as a whole. If you don't know the story, take a couple percocet, do a 'google' on 'TOTWK' and call me in two weeks. One point that doesn't entirely hold too much water is that the drag entertainers are all trans. There are several that I know that will totally disagree especially the queen that said in a local entertainment paper, that "hell no I am not transgender, transgender people are psychologically diseased."
Where I am driven in this battle of rhetoric of this "film" (TOTWK) is where we are seen as less than human, in the same vein as described by the Traditional Values Coalition and Mass Resistance. If our brothers and sisters weren't being murdered (what is the total now, about 6 of us in the last month and the viscious assault on the guy in Long Beach?) and we weren't being marginalized by the hate groups, the effect of TOTWK on my thoughts would not be as severe. And with TOTWK being filmed by a cisgender gay man, it is easy enough to say that the people that are murdering us, are doing it as a favor to the ones that describe (depict) us as unhuman.
One of the issues that is coming out this is the use of the word 'Tranny' or “Trannie.” It is to me, a very marginalizing and insulting word, many people use it, many people abhor it. What really irritates me (I am a lady, thus I won't say it pisses me off, though it does) is that most of the commentary on the acceptability of use of the word seems to be coming from gay people who are not of the Trans Community. One rationale being used is that if some clueless media source uses it, then it's ok to use. Then they say that if we can use it, then somehow it becomes their free license to do as well. And it is amazing (though not really surprising) that cisgender gay men in the entertainment industry have decided to speak for the transgender community, people such as TOTWK's director Israel Luna and female impersonator Ru Paul (yeah, yeah, I have heard him say he is not a female impersonator, but then what the hell is he doing in women's clothes, eh?).
My issue with the term 'tranny' comes that (though perhaps at one point it is fun, is a campy term and perhaps endearing between two friends) when it is used as in hate and to dehumanize, the fun of it goes away. In my case, being called a fucking ugly tranny whore by a gay man in a community establishment pretty much put the term on my verboten list without hesitation. I figure that each person in their lives, will come to that point where it is used as a word of hate at them and finally say enough is enough. But to have gay men say it is all right to use it, is asinine.
The math is simple: We are marginalized by the same community we work together with towards equality with words and actions that dehumanize the transgender individual. We are then seen as less than human by those outside the community, and trans women and trans men are raped, murdered and our bodies mutilated.
Let me put it this way: What if I called the gay folks, faggots? Or pansies. You know, the words that are used before a gay man is beaten by a person in a crime of hate? Why is it wrong for me to call you that? Since gay men are claiming to be spokespeople for the Transgender Community, why can't I take the position for the entire gay population and say that calling you faggots is okay? Before you castigate me for saying that, I will share that my husband is a gay man (no, you may not ask how that works, it is none of your business) and I would would be highly ...uh... irritated to hear anyone calling my husband a faggot. Yet no one seems to care that there are similar sensitivities to marginalizing words describing transgender people.
Yet I can only imagine the uproar by every gay man, upon hearing of a transgender director doing a film called Pissed Off Pansies With Kittens. If the resulting drama ends up with a lot of blog time, we can always shorten it to "POPWK."
Who I would like to have over for Lunch:
This weeks guest would be Angela Lafferty. A lot of people have talked about this moron who heads the Traditional Values Coalition. She calls trans women 'male/female hybrids' and otherwise uses hate to describe the Transgender Community. For this particular example of hate personified, I would prefer to do our lunch at an upscale restaurant in an upscale teabag-end of town. After a few glasses of my favorite club soda with a twist of lime, I could ask her to join me to continue the discussion in the ladies room.
My my my, aren't we a bunch of unhappy campers. I have been reading the seemingly endless debate on 'Ticked Off Trannies With Knives,' which due to it's shameless infamy won't go back into it, other than to mention it's shameless exploitation of trans women and the marginalization of the Transgender Community as a whole. If you don't know the story, take a couple percocet, do a 'google' on 'TOTWK' and call me in two weeks. One point that doesn't entirely hold too much water is that the drag entertainers are all trans. There are several that I know that will totally disagree especially the queen that said in a local entertainment paper, that "hell no I am not transgender, transgender people are psychologically diseased."
Where I am driven in this battle of rhetoric of this "film" (TOTWK) is where we are seen as less than human, in the same vein as described by the Traditional Values Coalition and Mass Resistance. If our brothers and sisters weren't being murdered (what is the total now, about 6 of us in the last month and the viscious assault on the guy in Long Beach?) and we weren't being marginalized by the hate groups, the effect of TOTWK on my thoughts would not be as severe. And with TOTWK being filmed by a cisgender gay man, it is easy enough to say that the people that are murdering us, are doing it as a favor to the ones that describe (depict) us as unhuman.
One of the issues that is coming out this is the use of the word 'Tranny' or “Trannie.” It is to me, a very marginalizing and insulting word, many people use it, many people abhor it. What really irritates me (I am a lady, thus I won't say it pisses me off, though it does) is that most of the commentary on the acceptability of use of the word seems to be coming from gay people who are not of the Trans Community. One rationale being used is that if some clueless media source uses it, then it's ok to use. Then they say that if we can use it, then somehow it becomes their free license to do as well. And it is amazing (though not really surprising) that cisgender gay men in the entertainment industry have decided to speak for the transgender community, people such as TOTWK's director Israel Luna and female impersonator Ru Paul (yeah, yeah, I have heard him say he is not a female impersonator, but then what the hell is he doing in women's clothes, eh?).
My issue with the term 'tranny' comes that (though perhaps at one point it is fun, is a campy term and perhaps endearing between two friends) when it is used as in hate and to dehumanize, the fun of it goes away. In my case, being called a fucking ugly tranny whore by a gay man in a community establishment pretty much put the term on my verboten list without hesitation. I figure that each person in their lives, will come to that point where it is used as a word of hate at them and finally say enough is enough. But to have gay men say it is all right to use it, is asinine.
The math is simple: We are marginalized by the same community we work together with towards equality with words and actions that dehumanize the transgender individual. We are then seen as less than human by those outside the community, and trans women and trans men are raped, murdered and our bodies mutilated.
Let me put it this way: What if I called the gay folks, faggots? Or pansies. You know, the words that are used before a gay man is beaten by a person in a crime of hate? Why is it wrong for me to call you that? Since gay men are claiming to be spokespeople for the Transgender Community, why can't I take the position for the entire gay population and say that calling you faggots is okay? Before you castigate me for saying that, I will share that my husband is a gay man (no, you may not ask how that works, it is none of your business) and I would would be highly ...uh... irritated to hear anyone calling my husband a faggot. Yet no one seems to care that there are similar sensitivities to marginalizing words describing transgender people.
Yet I can only imagine the uproar by every gay man, upon hearing of a transgender director doing a film called Pissed Off Pansies With Kittens. If the resulting drama ends up with a lot of blog time, we can always shorten it to "POPWK."
Who I would like to have over for Lunch:
This weeks guest would be Angela Lafferty. A lot of people have talked about this moron who heads the Traditional Values Coalition. She calls trans women 'male/female hybrids' and otherwise uses hate to describe the Transgender Community. For this particular example of hate personified, I would prefer to do our lunch at an upscale restaurant in an upscale teabag-end of town. After a few glasses of my favorite club soda with a twist of lime, I could ask her to join me to continue the discussion in the ladies room.
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