Trans Pride Parades? Count Me Out…

[Natasha]

Trans Pride Parades? Count Me Out...

http://womenborntranssexual.com/2011/06/22/trans-pride-parades-count-me-out/
6/22/11
by Suzan

I'm not transgender.

Why would I march in a Transgender Pride Parade?  Even though I did in the 1990s before I realized how  the TG Borg Collective/Transgender Inc demanded not just my support but that I "identify" as transgender.

Now I think the whole idea of "identity" is pretty ridiculous.  But in any case transition and sex reassignment surgery were so long ago I really don't feel I have any real connection.

[spacial]

Have to agree. The idea of participating in a parade fills me with horror for so many reasons.

I am certainly not proud of being transgender. I am stuck with it like an ugly growth, which is, in some ways, what it is. If I could get that corrected, then I would want to put the whole thing behind me as quickly as possible.

I would certainly continue to try and support others in my position. But that is not the same thing.

[Pica Pica]

Cos it's been at least a week since one of these.

[Silas]

Seems fun enough to me, although I'm genderqueer as well.
I'd reckon it's about the same thing as gay pride parades. All in good fun, but no one HAS to go.

Although with both gay and trans pride parades, I'm imagining they're both slightly offensive. (I mean, with the latter, it sounds like just a lot of drag royalties. Maybe not, though.)

[Annah]

I actually enjoy pride parades. I've been involved in three in the last month!

I have a blast in those places! I did a few with the Human Rights Campaign in New Hope, PA, Philadelphia, PA and some others and absolutely had a blast!!

Met so many new friends too!

(Edit: this is regarding both trans and LGBT pride parades)

[VeryGnawty]

Other than meeting people, pride parades don't sound very interesting to me.

[Luc]

I don't know about a parade, but I think maybe it's the fact that people who have already transitioned don't identify anymore with the label "transgender" that has set us back so far in tg rights.

I haven't been mistaken for anything but a man for over 3 years now, but even if it were 30, I'd still want to help tg awareness, if god forbid things are still as primitive as they are now. Or perhaps I just live in the wrong place.

[justmeinoz]

Sort of defeats the purpose for a lot of people who just want to be seen as very ordinary.  If it was a festival over a few days with speakers, performances,  etc it might be worth it though.
Karen.

[Miniar]

Icelandic pride is an event that takes place over several days and has outdoor speaches mingled in with outdoor concerts and so on..
The parade itself is called gleðigangan (the walk of joy) in which every non heteronormative and cisgender individual can get fair representation if they so choose.

And it's always the second weekend of August.

This year, I'm participating with my local gsm group (Gender & Sexuality Minority, so much better than alphabet soup)

[Ann Onymous]

I don't know about a parade, but I think maybe it's the fact that people who have already transitioned don't identify anymore with the label "transgender" that has set us back so far in tg rights.

aside from the fact that some of us NEVER identified as 'transgendered' there remains the issue that some of us were perfectly content to move on with life once our medical condition was remedied.  Having been born with a birth defect is not something that, to me, warrants something to be 'proud' of.     

[JungianZoe]

Having been born with a birth defect is not something that, to me, warrants something to be 'proud' of.     

Really...?  I'm proud of having 12 toes!   But I suppose that's a different discussion.

[tekla]

Ever notice that the people who make the biggest deal about why they won't be going to the party are exactly the people you hoped wouldn't come when you sent out the invitations?

[Hikari]

I see them as great events for people to meet and gain more understanding, especially important to those that are new, or lack access to good information. Though, not only did I not goto the one locally, I probably never will without a specific purpose.

Don't get me wrong, I want to help people and even once I transition I intend to stick around and give people advice and whatnot, but I think I would prefer to look at my ->-bleeped-<- as an open secret, rather than something to show off.

I am not saying that I want a normal life per se (even if such a thing were to exist) but, I do at least not want to have to carry my past around everywhere I go. When I was a child I was homeless for a time and that has made me be active in trying to confront that problem too, but I am not about to go around and say "Hi I am Hikari, formerly homeless as a child".

I am me, I don't want to be defined by any one thing, and sadly people love to define you by one thing.

[Padma]

I have to say, the so-called "National Transgender Celebration" that's taking place in Manchester (UK) next month is somehow a lot less appealing to me now that I know it's called "Sparkle" and has a "->-bleeped-<- of the Year" competition .

[...removed my own sarky comment...]

[tekla]

all the noise is at the shallow end
That's because most of the people in the deep water just quietly drown.


I probably never will without a specific purpose.

The purpose of the event (and truly all similar events), and it's very specific, is to let the general public know that there are more people who are someway, or feel someway, then is generally let on. 

When it started in SF, (and currently its the largest single transgender event in the world, and has been since its inception in June 2004) the goal was simply to show the community there there were a lot of us, that we mattered, and we too had a piece of pride.  The first year (and this arose in the wake of the Gwen Araujo murder trial) they had about 2K, which surprised everyone.  Then the next year, 4K, by 2007 they were up to 7-8K and currently they are expecting 10K depending on how you want to count it.  And with that growth in the general awareness of the number of trans-ID persons there were (and supporters) so too came a growth in understanding, acceptance, awareness and all that other stuff that everyone WANTS, but so few seem to be willing to do the actual work required to bring it about.  (Oh yeah, it also started because a few very dedicated people took it upon themselves to make it happen.  Its not like someone else put it together for us.)

Maybe it breaks 10K this year.  (It's a magic number in protests).  Every year it seems to get more positive, more inclusive, and more general (inclusive) and more mundane.  It's not wild, it's not full of highly embarrassing (at least by SF Pride standards) persons.  It's just a nice time laying out on the grass in the sun at Delores Park then a little parade then cocktails.


a short video montage can be seen here:
http://www.transmarch.org/

http://www.facebook.com/transmarch

[Miniar]

The reason why "Pride" is called "Pride" is because it's a response to a cultural "shaming" of people for belonging to a gender or sexuality minority.

I am allowed to be proud of myself.
I'm allowed to be trans without feeling ashamed of being trans.
Being trans doesn't make me less of a man.
I'm allowed to feel proud that I had the gall to get up and transition in the face of all the shaming and the hate that we who are trans or transition face.
Just like I'm allowed to be proud of my relationship with my partners, same as any heterosexual and/or monogamous person is proud of their relationship.

That's what "pride" is about.

It's not about pretending that our gender or sexuality is "better" than anyone else's, but that we're allowed to take pride in our own lives, and that we shouldn't be bloody well shamed for being who we are, who we've always been.

[April Dawne]

I'm sure, too, that there are plenty who go to pride events not because they belong necessarily, but to show SUPPORT to those who are, and to let them know they are not hated by everyone. Going to an event doesn't automatically mean you are outing yourself as trans or gay or whatever the event is being held for.

[Pica Pica]

I have to say, the so-called "National Transgender Celebration" that's taking place in Manchester (UK) next month is somehow a lot less appealing to me now that I know it's called "Sparkle" and has a "->-bleeped-<- of the Year" competition .

[...removed my own sarky comment...]

I haven't gone, but they showed a run of my videos in their AV tent last year, and it went down so well, they booked a cinema and showed them (and other trans videos) for a few days. Very nice organisers, and a very big event by all accounts. Seems to take place when I'm working though.

[justmeinoz]

Miniar, you have an interesting situation given Iceland's small population.  It would be hard to go stealth after being on TV too, so I'd be interested to hear how it all turns out for you.
Karen.

[Padma]

I haven't gone, but they showed a run of my videos in their AV tent last year, and it went down so well, they booked a cinema and showed them (and other trans videos) for a few days. Very nice organisers, and a very big event by all accounts. Seems to take place when I'm working though.

I've changed my mind about going, it seems like a good idea to support it, and to be there as a non-sparkly trans woman .