I am a transman: An accessible introduction to trans* identities
By Ariel Tseng
| November 20, 2011
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/campus-notes/2011/11/i-am-transman-accesible-introduction-trans-identitiesA couple of years ago I spent my summer vacation from university back home in Vancouver working at the same pizza place I worked in high school. A work friend of mine asked me if I wanted to go see a few films at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival with him, one of which included an accessible documentary called Diagnosing Difference made by Annalise Ophelian. Diagnosing Difference focuses on Gender Identity Disorder (GID) as a central point to address many trans* issues, including access to health care and services, legal issues, and common misconceptions.
Before seeing the film, my friend, although gay, had almost no knowledge of trans* people -- this is the major issue that I struggle with. The issue of people having little to no knowledge about what trans* means, who we are or our needs. In my experience the little knowledge that most people have is informed by the media, where ->-bleeped-<-s and ->-bleeped-<-s are often used as a comedic tool. This misinformed knowledge makes it difficult for others and myself to reveal our identity to friends, family and community.
I am not a butch lesbian, but rather, I am a transman.
