Brennan Answers Critics

[Shana A]

Friday, 12 August 2011
Brennan Answers Critics
Written by  Rev. Mother Meredith Moise, SPSA

http://www.baltimoreoutloud.com/k2-fetch-latest/thinking-outloud/opinion/item/678-brennan-answers-critics

Veteran Lesbian Activist Answers Criticism Over United Nations Letter

Cathy Brennan is a seasoned lesbian activist who has lived through some controversy. She is currently embroiled in a debate involving a letter she penned to the United Nations (UN) with another lawyer regarding the use of gender identity inadvertently causing harm to females born female. She has been the target of death threats as trans activists pounced on the letter as trans-phobic and racist. In the following interview, Brennan offers her view on the letter and her outlook on transphobia and feminist idealism.

Rev. Meredith Moise: What is your position on anti discrimination legislation in general and gender identity legislation in particular?

Cathy Brennan: I support rational anti-discrimination protections for people of transgender and transsexual experience. As you know, I actively supported HB 235 in Maryland last spring, which would have banned discrimination in housing, employment and credit.

[Lisbeth]

Cathy Brennan: I support rational anti-discrimination protections for people of transgender and transsexual experience.

There's that word "rational" again. She previously stated she was against "irrational discrimination" against trans people. This implies that she believes there are irrational protections and rational discriminations.

[Pinkfluff]

Guess what transwomen are females born female.

I actually wouldn't be against requiring medical documentation though if the American health system were not so rigged against the poor. If all of us who needed to see a therapist and doctor, needed to get our other medical treatments for this condition, were able to even without having money, then I wouldn't mind presenting a letter stating such if some cop asked and then left it alone.

Of course, all the above is a great deal of ifs, and who knows how long it will take for the health system to be fixed. And no waiting until it is is unacceptable.

[LordKAT]

. Meanwhile, females in 2011 continue to struggle to be accepted as human

Since when?  For that matter , animals are  half the time female so 


Anyway, I see her point, I just don't agree with it.

[Arch]

MM: Are there any documented incidents of crimes against females born female committed by men dressed as women?

CB: Why yes! They are legion. There are many reported incidents of men videotaping women in restrooms. There are also numerous incidents of men dressing in drag to peep in women's restrooms. This has very little to do with the trans* community. It really is a male vs. female issue.

I find Brennan's response interesting. The first type of incident makes no mention of men who are dressed as women. And the second type of incident speaks directly to the question but has a few problems with it. First of all, how many substantiated incidents? How much data have we? Not to mention that if an incident occurred where there were no trans-protective restroom policies in place, then that indicates that this sort of crime will happen regardless of such protections. In addition, can we reasonably expect that such incidents will increase under trans-protective policies? If they don't, or if they only increase slightly, then we might as well institute the trans-protective policies anyway.

The thing is, a trans woman is not a criminal just for being trans, and she shouldn't be considered pathological for wanting to use the women's restroom. But ANYONE who peeps on women in the restroom is breaking the law. Why not continue to go after those sickos instead of demonizing trans women?