Erica Keppler
LGBT activist and software engineer working in the aeronautics industry
How ABC Can Salvage Work It
Posted: 12/22/11 09:15 PM ET
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erica-keppler/work-it-abc_b_1166102.htmlIt is clear from reading public comments attached to various articles and blogs on ABC's upcoming new show Work It, which revolves around two masculine men forced by economic circumstances to seek work as women, that the general public does not comprehend why the transgender community is upset about it (also here, here, and here). (I expect similar comments to be attached to this post, so if you're writing to say, "It's just a joke," save it.) If transgender people were on a full and equal footing with the rest of society, if we were completely respected as a minority group, if we had full protections under the law like those based on race or religion, then I suppose we could view it as a little good-natured ribbing and take our lumps the same as anyone else.
The problem is that we are not.
[...]
We are the most discriminated-against minority group in America. This isn't a little, innocent jab at your best bud. This is kicking down people already at the bottom.
