Changing society's perceptions

[insideontheoutside]

Just curious if anyone else has given any thought to how to try to change society's various gender perceptions?

I've been following the LGB movement's accomplishments over just the last 3-5 years and society's changing perceptions on sexuality and I wonder if the same thing can happen with gender? I wonder if there will be a time where it IS accepted that male-bodied people can wear makeup, that a female child wouldn't be forced to like pink everything ... stuff like that. I'm not talking about destroying the binary or anything, I just mean more acceptance that there are variations from "typical" male and female and that it's not something to hate, be afraid of, or discriminate against. What instances does gender variance present problems for society? How can those problems be solved?

From the moment someone is born there is gender attached to them and most people still have a very defined view of what equals mail and what equals female (and there's no room for anything in between).   

I've been thinking just over the last year how I can go about trying to effect change just as an individual. Besides the fact that I exist and that I push the boundaries, what else can I do?

[Lacey Lynne]

Great question.

Actually, I believe the younger generation is doing a great job of gender bending, gender blending and the like.  Apparently, this is an idea whose time seemingly has come with today's kids.  Are their parents cool with it?  Can't say for sure.  All I know is that I see plenty of it out and about in society.

Mainstream society finally "gets" LBG due to several reasons:

The Stonewall Riot in 1969 in New York City.  Harvey Milk and what he and his people accomplished in San Francisco in the 1970s.  You MUST see the movie "Milk" where Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk.  Sean won the Oscar for best actor for that one and surely deserved it!  That is a must-see movie, especially having asked the questioned that you did on here.  It answers many questions.  Finally, the powers that be moreorless "gave the greenlight" some years back to the media to start not only to discuss gayness but to do so in a positive light.  THAT, I believe, is what "achieved critical mass" in the mainstream society so that people "get" gayness and now, if not accept it, tolerate it.  However, many DO accept it.

The transcommunity needs an amalgamation of events like these, and I believe they eventually will happen, and we're then mainstream.  My opinion anyway.

Peace & Joy       Lacey Lynne

[Wednesday]

Actually, I believe the younger generation is doing a great job of gender bending, gender blending and the like. 

In fact I think this too. Still a long way to go, but I think some changes are happening.

[janetcgtv]

The younger generation is more likely to change their perception of us. The older generation is likely to change as much as seven hungry lions who are pulling out a wildebeest from it's burrow. I hope i'm wrong about this.

[gennee]

Mainstream society finally "gets" LBG due to several reasons:

The Stonewall Riot in 1969 in New York City.



Lacey, one thing I have done is to tell me that drag queens and trans people were the ones who started Stonewall. People like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Miss Major were front and center. What's happening is that trans people's participation is being whitewashed out of existence. It's a project of mine that I have undertaken.

Over a month ago, transgender 101 was presented during adult education at church. I and another were able to share our own different experiences and perspective. Afterwards, a few folks thanked me for clarifying some questions that they had. Many people didn't really know what transgender entails. The problem is that that some people assume that gender and sexuality are the same thing and they not.

Perceptions are difficult to change but they do. All I can do is present information and facts. I live openly as a transgender woman so that helps to show that I'm a normal person with gifts, talents, and concerns.

[JesseG]

I think one way to change society's perceptions is for them to find out that... we live among them! We always have!

I've been living a very closeted existence. Even now, after coming out somewhat, I'm still very private. It occurred to me one day that the people in my city, and community, may be fooled into thinking that they live in some sort of cis-bubble - no gender bending here, no sir! Don't you know these are the suburbs?

There are some very public trans or cd people in the media, but I would bet good money that most of us are 'hidden in plain sight'. We're secretly agonizing in front of our mirrors, and then putting on gender-approved clothes when going out. So everyone (including me) is fooled into believing we live in such a mainstream society.

That's when I realized me presenting femme in public might be important not just for me, but for others out there. Sure, a bit startling for them, at first. But perhaps they may realize "oh, they're not just on TV, they're my neighbors..."

On a slight tangent: saw someone presenting mostly male, but with full feminine makeup at a very busy mall the other day. He seemed in his 20s. Made me smile. I wanted to stop and say something supportive, but it was busy and we just passed each other.