April 5th, 2012 by Dyssonance
Shame, Vulnerability, and Trans people
http://www.dyssonance.com/?p=11406 (http://www.dyssonance.com/?p=11406)
So, yeah, there was this viral video TED Talk. By a woman, no less. Her name is Brene Brown and she's a researcher who studies Shame. And while you have probably seen her talks, I want to talk about how they apply to Trans lives. So, first we'll introduce her, then drop in the videos, and then we'll talk about how it all applies to trans lives.
Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past ten years studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. She spent the first five years of her decade-long study focusing on shame and empathy, and is now using that work to explore a concept that she calls Wholeheartedness. She poses the questions:
How do we learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and imperfections so that we can engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to recognize that we are enough – that we are worthy of love, belonging, and joy?
I read this blog and watched the videos embedded in it yesterday. I think it is VERY valuable and strongly recommend it to everyone here.
We need to confront the shame that has been instilled in us by the cisgender world, and which is still being pushed at us, if we want to make progress in our own lives and thereby making progress in our community. The shame is based on fallacy and ignorance. We need to get rid of it.
Please take the time to watch the videos (about 45 minutes altogether) and read what Toni has to say. I think she has hit upon a major issue in our community, one that causes a great deal of pain and strife on both personal and community levels.
I watched both videos, and found them to be profoundly enlightening in my own journey of self acceptance and living as who I am. I highly recommend taking the time to watch them.
Z