Why Trans People Are Pissed About Being Legislatively Left Behind
Transgriot
By Monica Roberts
27 December, 2010


http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2010/12/why-trans-people-are-pissed-about-being.html


Some of our lesbigay brothers and sisters may be puzzled as to why we in the trans community have had the mixed bag mostly negative reaction to last Wednesday's signing of the DADT Repeal Act

Much of this political drama painfully reminds us of the line that was repeated like a mantra in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica show when it was on the air.

I'm already at the point where I have no problem voicing my dissatisfaction with the GLB community. I don't have an issue with members of that community but I believe in calling a spade a spade. In other words actions speak louder than words. I'm tired of seeing GLBT strung together and the GLB"T" community claiming to support us (with words) when their actions consistently demonstrate the opposite. As I've stated before here on various threads as well as my blog, I've received some serious prejudice and discrimination from gay men whereas I've received virtually no mistreatment by L or B people nor the straight community including those who identify as conservatives. These are my observances, this is how I see it, and this is how I'm stating it is. I'll change my opinion when I see real action and not just words.

The places that have wide-ranging protections for trans persons are places where T people got up, got out, and put the T in GLBT.

Quote from: Britney_413 on December 27, 2010, 11:30:21 PM
I'm already at the point where I have no problem voicing my dissatisfaction with the GLB community. I don't have an issue with members of that community but I believe in calling a spade a spade. In other words actions speak louder than words. I'm tired of seeing GLBT strung together and the GLB"T" community claiming to support us (with words) when their actions consistently demonstrate the opposite. As I've stated before here on various threads as well as my blog, I've received some serious prejudice and discrimination from gay men whereas I've received virtually no mistreatment by L or B people nor the straight community including those who identify as conservatives. These are my observances, this is how I see it, and this is how I'm stating it is. I'll change my opinion when I see real action and not just words.

I'm sick of organisations using the 'T' in their mission statement when they actually only cater to gays and lesbians. It seems that it's the 'in' thing to call yourself 'GLBT friendly' when you're actually only GL friendly and coldly tell bi and trans people that you don't know anything about their issues so you're better off somewhere else.

Some of us older activists types worked hard to get the "T" added to the LGB.  While we gradually succeeded in retrospect it really should not be a surprise it was mostly lip service.  I was very naive myself and had no idea that the least likely group to "get" transsexuality was gay men.

The principal gay group in the UK, Stonewall UK, doesn't add the T.

On the one hand, this is at least honest. On the other, they, or rather their leadership, does tend to support a number of people who are openly demeaning to transgender people.

But it should also be said that many rank and file gay people are increasingly critical of Stonewall UK leadership. That leadership is actually a branch of the Labour party, which pretty much sums them up.

We really do need to organise.

On the Stonewall thing.... Stonewall UK is GLB, Stonewall Scotland is GLBT

Stonewall UK doesn't have the T there because when they founded they specifically decided they were only going to be a GLB group and not work for T stuff at all. Which is fair enough, except for the part where they demand input into T issues, claim to represent the T community to get into meetings and get funding and generally go out of their way to screw over the T community and the groups like GIRES that work for T issues.

Then again what would you expect from a gay rights lobby group that opposed gay marriage because expanding tax breaks and inheritance rights to G&L couples would cost the government too much money?

On the other hand Stonewall Scotland is really rather good and inclusive. I'm trying to make the point that YMMV on how helpful or phobic GLB organisations are and it's a bad idea to draw a general conclusion. Some really are worth the effort.

(That being said, I REALLY want to see someone going after StonewallUK for some of their ->-bleeped-<- - If there was the equivalent of the SPLC in Europe I'd be all over them to get them stuck on some hate group list.)

In some ways I think bisexuals are even more left out than trans people. Try going to a "GLBT" friendly venue with an opposite sex spouse and chances are you will get menacing looks mainly from gay men who can't understand why a "straight" couple is in their bar/restaurant. I've had multiple gay men insist that there is no such thing as bisexual people. When it comes to trans issues, most of the gay men I run across who lack such understanding seem to believe that this is basically the same as drag queens. I continue to notice that most straight men I run across can easily understand the concept of someone not feeling comfortable with their gender and "changing sex." They will often say "Well I can't really identify with it because it isn't me but I can certainly understand your needs and feelings." Even very politically conservative people I come across (excluding religious nuts) will say something as simple as "Well, it is all about life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness so if that is what makes you happy then good for you." Yet a gay man at a GLbt (notice the decreasing importance) will immediately begin analyzing someone's gender issues as if they know more about it than the stranger they don't even know who has been dealing with it for years. Then they will say something stupid like "Well, I don't see why you can't just be a gay boy, why do you have to be a girl?" It's so wonder that TG people haven't ended up suing gay establishments for discrimination. A restaurant that I almost had a lawsuit against over a bathroom issue claimed to be GLBT-friendly. Again, actions speak louder than words. Some gay men and organizations are very understanding. The bulk of the ones I have run across, however, couldn't care less what happens to us. In fact, when one of us gets killed in a hate crime, you are unlikely to even hear about it whereas if a gay meets the same fate it will be immediate national news. Again, actions speak louder than words.

Funny, in any other situation your 'conservative' (I put that in quotes because I don't think you believe any more than it's a matter of convenience to you) would say: "Any business has a right to do business as they see fit."  Which of course goes right out your window when it's you they choose not to do business with.  But.... I've never found that to be true, so perhaps, it's not the trans deal, it just might be you.

Any place that does not want my business I'm more than happy to give my money to the next person.  Funny, I go to the local biker bar pretty fem and never get any problems, but I bet you would get the boot walking in packing your tiny heat on your hip and dressing and acting as butch as can be.  Why?  Because I'm a working person, regardless of the clothing, and your not, no matter what you wear.  Sometimes its about far more than fashion, it's about what and who you really are.  We're all union people, we are all working stiffs, we all work hard and sweat - who cares at that point what kind of shirt you are sweating up?

But it just ain't that end, I can go to the hoity-toity places around here, and it's the same deal with me, as it no doubt would be the same way with you.  They love me, I can relate, despite the wardrobe, or anything else, I'm part of them.  I went to the same schools, got the same degrees, and make vaguely the same kinds of money - even in a skirt and ballet shoes I'm one of them, and that's all that matters.  Particularly when you have perfectly developed social skills, and know how to play the game, and play it.

I don't judge them much, and I don't care much how they judge me, after all, we went to the same schools, have the same degrees, talk the same talk.

And this, to a large degree is going to be the real problem with 'acceptance' is that the more social gains we make then the less any of this is going to be about being 'trans' and the more its going to be about people just not liking you.