Why We Shouldn't Use the Word '->-bleeped-<-'

[Shana A]

Lance Bass
Singer, actor, producer, writer, entrepreneur and philanthropist

Why We Shouldn't Use the Word '->-bleeped-<-'
Posted: 12/23/11 03:48 PM ET

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lance-bass/why-we-shouldnt-use-the-word-->-bleeped-<-_b_1168078.html

Let me start this off with two very important words that I truly mean from the bottom of my heart: I'm sorry. I'm sorry to anyone who was offended or hurt by my use of the word "trannies" while appearing earlier this week on Access Hollywood Live.

Let me share what I have learned in the last 24 hours. I have learned, thanks to Glaad.org's website, that the term "->-bleeped-<-" is used as a dehumanizing slur to describe transgender individuals and is oftentimes the last word someone hears before they are brutally attacked. Similar to the anti-gay F-word, the term "->-bleeped-<-" is commonly used to humiliate and degrade transgender individuals.

I can tell you with all sincerity that I had no idea.

[~RoadToTrista~]

Mmm, I'm totally fine with being called a ->-bleeped-<-, I don't associate it with the F or N word at all. Now, "it", I do.

[Joeyboo~ :3]

I'm fine with it.

->-bleeped-<- just sounds short for transsexual lol.
OMGSUCHABIGPROBLEM.

[cynthialee]

I have no issue with ->-bleeped-<-.

I refuse to take offense or allow someone the pleasure of hurting my feelings.

[Rain Dog]

Declaring words slurs and censoring them does more harm than good.

The word '->-bleeped-<-' is perfectly fine, it's the attitude of the speaker that makes the whole difference.

[Bishounen]

I have absolutely no problem with the term either- It is how and in what situations a word is used that in general decides whether the word is to be taken as a slur or not. Not always, ofcourse, but a I said, in general.

If anything, it is more worrying with the constant fingerpointing that occurs when somone that is by far no gayhater, transhater, racist, whatever, at all, yet gets pointed out as being such only because the person has used a certain word.

However, the writer of the linked article also points out this doublestandard himself in his article;

But there is something that is bothering me about all of this, and I feel I would not be doing my part if I didn't bring it up: I am extremely disappointed with the gay media, which has chosen to turn this into a headline that will garner more attention for their websites and help sell more of their magazines and disregard the irresponsible effect they are having on our community.

Within an hour of the show being over, I knew what I had done and was immediately brought up to speed on the fact that in recent weeks, Kelly Osbourne and Neil Patrick Harris had both used the word "->-bleeped-<-" and were immediately, publicly slapped on the wrist, and I immediately apologized over Twitter. I had not heard about the recent instances; if I had, I am sure I would have added that word to my "things not to say on live TV" list.

Kelly Osbourne is, and has been, a very vocal supporter and ally of the LGBTQIA community. Neil Patrick Harris has arguably and singlehandedly done more for the image and public perception of the gay community than any public figure before him. I recently wrote about my coming out experiences right here on The Huffington Post and have publicly pledged to do what I can not just for our community but for human equality. I am not defending any of us for the misuse of the word, but I am disgusted with how the gay media has pounced on us as though they have been waiting for us to misbehave and spun it to make us look like the bad guys.

Yesterday, The Advocate wrote, "Lance Bass Uses Transgender Slur On Air." Regardless of the article that followed the headline, guess what the mainstream media will pick up and turn into the public's perception in the process? Lance Bass hates transgender people.

[juliekins]

I do  take offense with the word. It has been typically used by people outside of our community just like the F** word for gay. Its thrown at people as a jeer and putdown.

I know the word is used within our community when talking amongst each other. Still, I don't care for the word. As far as I'm concerned, I'm female. Nothing more, nothing less. My friends who are FTM are just men.

Just my perspective...

Good for Lance Bass for getting educated and making a public apology.

[Julie Marie]

I feel compelled to ask those who have no problem with the word ->-bleeped-<- where they are in their life.  Are you a closeted CD?  Are you presently living in your birth gender or have you fully transitioned?  Do you ever intend to transition?  Have you transitioned and are completely passable?  Does derogatory transgender terminology affect you in your everyday life?

When someone outside the community uses the word "->-bleeped-<-" they are usually using it in a derogatory manner.  Within minority communities these types of words are typically allowed but outside the community there is zero tolerance for it.  And when there is zero tolerance for derogatory terms, the general public eventually respects that and respects the community for standing up for itself.

A couple of years ago a gay club in Chicago was advertising "2010: A Space Oddity - Night of 1000 Trannies."  The trans community went up in arms.  The immediate reply was something along the lines of "What? We mean no harm."  But that didn't quiet the uproar.  After a while they got it and apologized.

Bass was right when he said it "is oftentimes the last word someone hears before they are brutally attacked" and usually the F-word precedes it.

No one respects those who don't respect themselves.  For that reason alone, I will never be okay with the T-word.  Maybe those who are need to rethink the consequences of sending an "I'm okay with it" message out to the general public. 

A big applause for Lance Bass for being a stand up guy and taking the bull by the horns and publicly apologizing.  He just won over another fan.

[Amazon D]

Because we are on a TRANS-MISSION   



and only junk yards have ->-bleeped-<-'s

[Embla]

The weird thing is I'm fine with the word, and sort of believe in "reclaiming" it.  It's almost self-empowering, to take this word back and make it my own.

People can definitely use it in offensive ways, just like people use the word "gay" or the other f word in offensive ways.  Granted "->-bleeped-<-" is a bit of slang compared to other trans words.

In the end a word is a word is a word.  You can't control how others use it or what it means to others, only how you use it and what it means to you.

[cynthialee]

Julie,
I must completely disagree with you.

Allowing a word to harm you is to embrace the victim mentality, something I simply refuse to buy into.

I posit it is those who are claiming harm from the word that are the ones bringing harm to the comunity. The perpetuation of the victim mentality perpetuates being victimized.

[Rain Dog]

If it would actually make transphobia go away I'd be all for banning the word.

As for reclaiming a word, I actually think 'trap' from 4chan is pretty funny. Especially superimposed on a picture of Admiral Ackbar:

[Bishounen]

Julie,
I must completely disagree with you.

Allowing a word to harm you is to embrace the victim mentality, something I simply refuse to buy into.

I posit it is those who are claiming harm from the word that are the ones bringing harm to the comunity. The perpetuation of the victim mentality perpetuates being victimized.

^ Quoted for Truth.

As long as people see it as their duty to victimize themselves, then they will also remaine victims, and that all by their own initiative.
Although, they are not true victims but just tries to pass themselves off as such, for various reasons.

Rain Dog:

If it would actually make transphobia go away I'd be all for banning the word.

True Transphobia wouldn't go away even if someone would ban the whole speaking language, as the transphobic attitudes behind the banned words would still remain.
It wouldn't matter what words would be banned, as it is not the words in themselves that are hatefull(Again; generally) but the mouth that the word/s are coming from.

[Julie Marie]

There are all sorts of ways to see this.  I don't see it as harming me, I see the use of the word as a means to degrade trans people.  It isn't the meaning or intent I attach to it, it is the meaning and intent the transphobe attaches to it.

It is no longer socially acceptable to use the words "->-bleeped-<-", "spic", "chink", "pollack", "slant eye", "->-bleeped-<-got" or any other of dozens of words that were used to denigrate, segregate, demean, discriminate against... a group of people.  And it is in that light that I place my objection to the word "->-bleeped-<-."   

But again I have to ask, for those who are okay with the word: regarding how you live your life, where are you?  Everyone I know who is full time hates this word.  Most of the CDs I know, especially those who spend a lot of time in the gay community, have no problem with it, because it doesn't affect them in their everyday life.     

[SandraJane]

Mmm, I'm totally fine with being called a ->-bleeped-<-, I don't associate it with the F or N word at all. Now, "it", I do.

Absolutely! No "IT",  far worse than "->-bleeped-<-"!

[Annah]

I feel compelled to ask those who have no problem with the word ->-bleeped-<- where they are in their life.  Are you a closeted CD?  Are you presently living in your birth gender or have you fully transitioned?  Do you ever intend to transition?  Have you transitioned and are completely passable?  Does derogatory transgender terminology affect you in your everyday life?

Im out fulltime. I don't mind the word "->-bleeped-<-".

My two best friends call me a "->-bleeped-<-" as a term of endearment. And I call them other names as terms of endearment.

The word, like any other word ever used will have a different meaning depending on the intent of the word.

[Annah]

The weird thing is I'm fine with the word, and sort of believe in "reclaiming" it.  It's almost self-empowering, to take this word back and make it my own.

^This.  Our college campus uses "Queer" because we are reclaiming it.

[cynthialee]

I have been full time for 2 years come January.

Been on HRT for 2 years and change, had a BA and an orchi.

So the premiss 'all FT women object to the word' fails.

[Amazon D]

I have been full time for 2 years come January.

Been on HRT for 2 years and change, had a BA and an orchi.

So the premiss 'all FT women object to the word' fails.

You sure are all woman Cynthialee no matter what they say 

[Bishounen]

Regarding my Gender expression and Identity, I have always been 'out and about' since childhood, basically, with, I think, two shorter moments when I half by half tried being a bit more "guyish" because of two persons in my surrounding, but soon enough they got the message, too. Lol

Anyway, apart from that, I have always been "me" and dress and acts how I want. I live in a large city, although I live in one of the calmer parts of that city but have nonetheless spent lots of time in the "loud" parts of it aswell and also done lots of things on those occasions that I really shouldn't have, but, those events are memories and experiences too.

Although I am and have for the very most part actually been very well accepted, I have been called a few things aswell. However funnily enough, the discrimination have actually come foremostly from gay people, but then again, I am not alone in noting that(And some of the discriminating have also come from heterosexuals, although very few).

Anyway, I am hardly in the closet, to put it shortly, and I couldn't care less what those that potentially has any problems with it, thinks.