News and Events => Opinions & Editorials => Topic started by: Shana A on December 15, 2012, 02:33:37 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Why the silence over trans victories?
Post by: Shana A on December 15, 2012, 02:33:37 PM
Post by: Shana A on December 15, 2012, 02:33:37 PM
Why the silence over trans victories?
By Dana Beyer on December 12, 2012
http://www.washingtonblade.com/2012/12/12/why-the-silence-over-trans-victories/ (http://www.washingtonblade.com/2012/12/12/why-the-silence-over-trans-victories/)
A friend who edits a major gay newspaper asked me last week for my thoughts about the dearth of news reports and analysis regarding the landmark revision of the DSM, the "mental health bible," on Dec. 1. That revision, the DSM-5, redefines Gender Identity Disorder as Gender Dysphoria, affirming that being trans is not a mental illness.
I had noticed the general silence, with the exception of good stories by Mike Lavers in the Blade and Zack Ford in ThinkProgress. The trans blogosphere was active, as expected, but when I researched the gay blogosphere, I noticed nothing from the major gay blogs, websites and listserves, and no more than brief blog and Facebook mentions from our major LGBT organizations. No banner headlines anywhere. This was before the Supreme Court accepted the Prop 8 and DOMA cases last Friday, a story that understandably grabbed all the attention, and ended up on the front page above the fold at The New York Times.
What is most striking is that this decision from the American Psychiatric Association mirrors the one 40 years earlier that sparked the gay rights movement by de-pathologizing homosexuality. So why the silence?
By Dana Beyer on December 12, 2012
http://www.washingtonblade.com/2012/12/12/why-the-silence-over-trans-victories/ (http://www.washingtonblade.com/2012/12/12/why-the-silence-over-trans-victories/)
A friend who edits a major gay newspaper asked me last week for my thoughts about the dearth of news reports and analysis regarding the landmark revision of the DSM, the "mental health bible," on Dec. 1. That revision, the DSM-5, redefines Gender Identity Disorder as Gender Dysphoria, affirming that being trans is not a mental illness.
I had noticed the general silence, with the exception of good stories by Mike Lavers in the Blade and Zack Ford in ThinkProgress. The trans blogosphere was active, as expected, but when I researched the gay blogosphere, I noticed nothing from the major gay blogs, websites and listserves, and no more than brief blog and Facebook mentions from our major LGBT organizations. No banner headlines anywhere. This was before the Supreme Court accepted the Prop 8 and DOMA cases last Friday, a story that understandably grabbed all the attention, and ended up on the front page above the fold at The New York Times.
What is most striking is that this decision from the American Psychiatric Association mirrors the one 40 years earlier that sparked the gay rights movement by de-pathologizing homosexuality. So why the silence?
Title: Re: Why the silence over trans victories?
Post by: Kevin Peña on December 15, 2012, 03:09:36 PM
Post by: Kevin Peña on December 15, 2012, 03:09:36 PM
Perhaps because people don't want to out themselves? Or maybe because we haven't really won the war yet? I don't know. ???
Title: Re: Why the silence over trans victories?
Post by: Damian on December 15, 2012, 03:24:17 PM
Post by: Damian on December 15, 2012, 03:24:17 PM
I know a lot of gay cis people, who very much dislike transgenders. I feel we sadly have a war on all fronts, even in the gay community :/
Title: Re: Why the silence over trans victories?
Post by: gennee on December 15, 2012, 07:44:24 PM
Post by: gennee on December 15, 2012, 07:44:24 PM
Last month I shared with a predomnantly gay setting that transgender people suffer more than GLB.
There's still much education needed because some GLB folks don't understand what it is to be transgender.
There's still much education needed because some GLB folks don't understand what it is to be transgender.
Title: Re: Why the silence over trans victories?
Post by: suzifrommd on December 15, 2012, 08:52:24 PM
Post by: suzifrommd on December 15, 2012, 08:52:24 PM
Change doesn't go in effect until next may. We're all "disordered" until then, after which, with the stroke of a pen, we'll all suddenly become merely dysphoric.
If this sounds ridiculous, maybe that would be a clue to Dr. Berry why we're not all ecstatic.
If this sounds ridiculous, maybe that would be a clue to Dr. Berry why we're not all ecstatic.
Title: Re: Why the silence over trans victories?
Post by: MaidofOrleans on December 16, 2012, 01:02:48 AM
Post by: MaidofOrleans on December 16, 2012, 01:02:48 AM
GLB is a sexual identity not a gender one and many are cis and just as prone to not understanding us as any straight cis person.
Title: Re: Why the silence over trans victories?
Post by: gennee on December 17, 2012, 05:11:48 PM
Post by: gennee on December 17, 2012, 05:11:48 PM
Quote from: MaidofOrleans on December 16, 2012, 01:02:48 AM
GLB is a sexual identity not a gender one and many are cis and just as prone to not understanding us as any straight cis person.
Very True.
Title: Re: Why the silence over trans victories?
Post by: gennee on December 17, 2012, 05:13:40 PM
Post by: gennee on December 17, 2012, 05:13:40 PM
Quote from: agfrommd on December 15, 2012, 08:52:24 PM
Change doesn't go in effect until next may. We're all "disordered" until then, after which, with the stroke of a pen, we'll all suddenly become merely dysphoric.
If this sounds ridiculous, maybe that would be a clue to Dr. Berry why we're not all ecstatic.
I agree that it's just a play on words.
:(