Amanda Simpson, The DC Power Elite, and the Cultural Imaginary
Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
January 2, 2010 4:00 PM
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/amanda_simpson_the_dc_power_elite_and_the_cultural.phpThe announcement of President Obama's appointment of Amanda Simpson to the Department of Commerce on the last day of 2009 is a significant event for LGBT rights in the U.S. But what does it, in fact, mean? What, if any, results will it translate into? Or is it just a token of change, with emphasis on the token?
LGBT people, and particularly transgender and transsexual people, are subjected to a great deal of prejudice. A portal icon for Portal:Transgender, based on...This appointment won't change that. I'm not even sure we'll see much news in the mainstream media about it. Few other appointees have received much press, even the controversial ones.
But the announcement that a transgender person is worthy of a Presidential appointment will impact the cultural imaginary of the DC power elite.
