Trans Activist Glitter Bombs Dan Savage Again. Counterproductive?

[Shana A]

Trans Activist Glitter Bombs Dan Savage Again. Counterproductive?
By:           Daniel Villarreal
On:           Nov 14, 2011

http://www.queerty.com/tobi-hill-meyer-trans-activist-glitter-bombs-dan-savage-again-counterproductive-20111114/

Gay activist and sex columnist Dan Savage has received a second on-campus glitter bombing—this time, a University of California Irvine student glittered Savage for using the terms "->-bleeped-<-" and "freaky ->-bleeped-<- porn" when discussing straight guys who watch trans porn. Police arrested the student and Savage said that being gay he loves glitter.

We've already explored whether Savage is really the right target. But here's a more basic question: is queer-on-queer glitter bombing counterproductive?

[Lepidoptera]

Just for the record, he was reading a letter. Not using those words as his own. He writes about it here. His transcript can be verified since it was recorded by the cameras with him.

[Butterflyhugs]

If the letter contained "n*****" and he repeated it, how upset do you think people would be?

I don't see a difference

[Mahsa Tezani]

I am actually a huge fan of Dan Savage.

LEAVE DAN SAVAGE ALONE!!!

[Lepidoptera]

If the letter contained "n*****" and he repeated it, how upset do you think people would be?

I don't see a difference

Had it been that word, I would feel the same way. I don't care, because I think intent and meaning matter far more than a couple of syllables. If somebody called me "the N-word" to my face in an unfriendly way, I'd feel differently than if my friend said it, or someone who is a powerful ally was reporting what a letter said. The Black community has a complex relationship with the word, and yet white people try to compare other words to it as an example of why some specific word is The Worst Thing Ever. That isn't even how Blacks deal with the word, so it's a silly comparison.

[Butterflyhugs]

Had it been that word, I would feel the same way. I don't care, because I think intent and meaning matter far more than a couple of syllables. If somebody called me "the N-word" to my face in an unfriendly way, I'd feel differently than if my friend said it, or someone who is a powerful ally was reporting what a letter said. The Black community has a complex relationship with the word, and yet white people try to compare other words to it as an example of why some specific word is The Worst Thing Ever. That isn't even how Blacks deal with the word, so it's a silly comparison.

Except he's not a "powerful ally"; he's a documented transphobe who apparently believes that "it [only] gets better" for effeminate gay guys and no one else is worth respect.

[Mahsa Tezani]

Except he's not a "powerful ally"; he's a documented transphobe who apparently believes that "it [only] gets better" for effeminate gay guys and no one else is worth respect.

Really? I am sure he respect trans people. Saying stuff about trans people is not equal to "transphobia".

He was right though, things got better for me. LMAO.

[Maya Zimmerman]

Had it been that word, I would feel the same way. I don't care, because I think intent and meaning matter far more than a couple of syllables. If somebody called me "the N-word" to my face in an unfriendly way, I'd feel differently than if my friend said it, or someone who is a powerful ally was reporting what a letter said. The Black community has a complex relationship with the word, and yet white people try to compare other words to it as an example of why some specific word is The Worst Thing Ever. That isn't even how Blacks deal with the word, so it's a silly comparison.

I think it's obviously a very different set of social circumstances, historical oppression, and even etymology, but it's a useful analog in that both words are occasionally used in a derogatory sense and are used by some members of both groups in order to take power away from the word, while others in both groups would rather it not be used at all.

As far as all this nonsense about attacking Dan Savage, I wouldn't say it's counterproductive, as that implies it's actually doing anything.  I would just say it's unproductive.  I think it's clear that Dan Savage has said some rude things about trans people, though likely out of ignorance and/or encouragement from trans friends of his.  It's only more clear from that last article written by him that he understands what can be hurtful and wants to be respectful of it.  Considering how he is, I think that's pretty big of him.  I honestly wonder how many people who are outraged by his statements have ever read Savage Love (which, I'll admit, is kind of funny from time to time).

[Lepidoptera]

I think it's obviously a very different set of social circumstances, historical oppression, and even etymology, but it's a useful analog in that both words are occasionally used in a derogatory sense and are used by some members of both groups in order to take power away from the word, while others in both groups would rather it not be used at all.

I'll agree with that. I learned a long time ago that intent and point of view can matter far more than words alone, though, and I wish people would keep this in mind. When I was in college, I had an elderly history professor who used the term "colored people" which shocked and dismayed me, and a sociology professor who knew every proper PC button to push.

And yet, as the semester went on, I realized the history professor had better and more useful things to say about race relations, while the sociologist just wanted to play the blame game from the vantage point of the guilty white liberal.

Sometimes people can say the wrong thing--because of their generation, their education, their cultural background, because they have friends who told them a word is "okay"--and yet still be working towards positive change.

As far as all this nonsense about attacking Dan Savage, I wouldn't say it's counterproductive, as that implies it's actually doing anything.  I would just say it's unproductive.  I think it's clear that Dan Savage has said some rude things about trans people, though likely out of ignorance and/or encouragement from trans friends of his.  It's only more clear from that last article written by him that he understands what can be hurtful and wants to be respectful of it.  Considering how he is, I think that's pretty big of him.  I honestly wonder how many people who are outraged by his statements have ever read Savage Love (which, I'll admit, is kind of funny from time to time).

From the things he's said, I think his primary exposure to trans people has been with trans men and gay male cross-dressers who consider themselves transgender. If the goal is to wipe out ignorance, I think trying to make him listen to trans women's voices would be far more valuable than assault by glitter.

[tekla]

The worst part is: As Dan Savage got more popular, had more people quoting him, became a 'spokesperson' for something or another his weekly columns, which were once brilliant beyond belief with advice like "if there is a god in heaven both you and your idiot boyfriend are sterile" got more and more watered down and now he's nothing but the hollowed out husk of what he once was.  Kind of like Snoop Dogg.