Flying Marriages Under the Radar
Filed by: Mercedes Allen
June 23, 2008 2:30 PM
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/06/flying_marriages_under_the_radar.phpI recently had the pleasure of attending and helping out with the wedding of some close friends in the trans community (or at least until I threw my back out and hit a bout of dehydration and shock that messed me up somewhat for the rest of the day). My partner was a bridesmaid. I won't say a lot about it, because I haven't yet discussed with the couple what they prefer to remain private and such, so all I'll say is to jokingly and affectionately comment that if you want something to start on time, don't let a drag queen organize it.
However, it amazes me just how much insight and maturity can come from a union where one or both of the partners is trans, bi- or gay. In the case of transfolk, we tend to see the world from eyes in which we are socialized to be something entirely different from what we are. It tends to make one question things a whole lot more, such as why men have to be "stoic" or why women aren't paid their worth in employment. I fail to understand why radical feminism sometimes feels threatened by transwomen, for example, when we've probably got the most intimate experience with male privilege and the lack of it, by acutely having life experience of both for comparison.
