Elisha Sum | InQueery
Trans−gressions and transphobia
Published: Tuesday, February 15, 2011
http://www.tuftsdaily.com/op-ed/elisha-sum-inqueery-1.2469201 (http://www.tuftsdaily.com/op-ed/elisha-sum-inqueery-1.2469201)
The admirable Style section of the New York Times — let's face it, those asinine trend pieces really understand what's in vogue — ran an article last December, confirming that, yes, in fact, 2010 will be considered the year of the transsexual. How quaint. But will that make 2011 the year of transphobia awareness and activism advocating for the trans community? I doubt it.
What also went down last December was the arrest of a transwoman named Chloe Alexander Moore in Washington, D.C. In short, she pepper−sprayed off−duty police officer Raphael Radon, who allegedly verbally and physically abused her. Moore also claims that she was refused medical treatment and charged with simple assault, despite the fact that two witnesses confirmed her version of the story. Justice is poetic sometimes.
As further evidence of the facile nature of the designation, let's look into more recent transgressions, some mild, others less so.