In my naive youth, I used to assume that anyone who's experienced oppression due to being part of a minority - for example anyone LGBT - would automatically be more tolerant of others. Oh, fool that I was.

Lately, I come across more and more instances of LGB people being transphobic, and trans people being homophobic, or racist, or sexist (or all the above).

Someone from my local trans support group recently requested to friend me on facebook, which I reluctantly complied with (I don't usually friend people who aren't actually, you know, friends). I've just unfriended her again after she posted some godawful anti-Asian "they come over here, blah drone" comment on there.

It is easy to assume that someone who's unconventional in one aspect of their identity is going to be unconventional in others too, but it ain't necessarily so. Some trans people that I've encountered recently have been frighteningly reactionary.

Hey ho. I don't know what the purpose of posting this is, other than for me to let off some steam.

Psssssssshhhhhhhh.

 People are people. Priests can be molesters, scientists can be idiots, the judged can be judgemental, and so on and so forth - I'm not the biggest fan of humanity, but I'm thankful for the occasional kind, decent person that it produces.

Agreed. Bigotry always shocks me, especially somewhere I "expect" to be a safe space. I need a thicker skin (but I'm not giving up estrogen ).

I really, really hate intolerant, nasty bigots!  Is that prejudice?

Horizontal prejudice within minorities is quite common.  I have not actually experienced outright transphobia from members of the local Lesbian community, but some make it obvious that there is no point trying to have a conversation. It is a case of gaining a rung on the social ladder by pulling someone down by one, or quite likely internalised homophobia and misogyny.

Oh yes, its very school-playground kind of behaviour.

 I'll be honest, the trans community (in my real-life personal experiences) can actually be composed of some of the most vicious people!

One second they're all hugs and smiles. The next, they're putting daggers in each others' backs and making each other feel like crap by being totally cruel and mean. People cry, lose self-esteem, and start to hate each other, drama escalates... and all kinds of other fun things happen.

The punchline: This was at a support group.

Evil is out there. It wants to delve into us and distort us. Hopefully we seek good and stop evil at every corner. Hugs D

 Yeah. I've been contemplating the existence of evil a lot lately, and I think it's really affected me.

My new avatar is helping though. I mean, I can't possibly look at it without automatically becoming happy. It's easily the cutest thing ever.

Something we're seeing here in Maryland, where there is a ballot measure in  Nov. trying to take away Gay couples' rights to marry. Most of the support comes from African-American churches, who one would think would understand firsthand the evils of discrimination and oppression.

Same sorta thing.

I should balance this out with the number of times I've seen people stand up for each other. It's more my own naïvité I was complaining about .

I still find the level of sexism and homophobia in trans communities to be kind of mind blowing. It is one of the things that turned me away from transitioning when I was 21.

I don't really say much usually, 'cause I don't know what to say. The slut-shaming thread we had many months back was particularly horrifying. Another "what am I doing here, who are these people" moment. I guess I just come from a very different world to a lot of the people.

Quote from: Kelly J. P. on August 08, 2012, 07:03:42 AM
My new avatar is helping though. I mean, I can't possibly look at it without automatically becoming happy. It's easily the cutest thing ever.

Also incredibly distracting. I just spent 5mins staring at it.

I just like observing them and investing emotions in people who I think are worth it. (That's what I'm trying to train myself to do anyway. )

Quote from: Laura91 on August 08, 2012, 10:59:26 AM
Yeah, but hating people is effortless, really. It takes far more energy to love someone than it does to hate them.

Oh heavens!  I make a conscious, deliberate effort to like (even love) everyone I meet.  Those who go out of their way to make themselves unlikeable, I simply put them out of my awareness to the best of my ability.

What can I say?  Loving people is just better for my complexion than hating people.  My cheeks are glowy and apple shaped when I'm loving.  My eyes get all clear and sparkly when I'm loving others, which really accentuates the effort that I put into my eye makeup every day.  I stand up taller when I'm loving.  I smile more when I'm loving and feeling no stress... and I much prefer laugh lines around my eyes to frown lines around my brow.  Laughter keeps my voice pretty and feminine.

All in all, I consider loving everyone I meet to be my best kept beauty secret.  When I look good, I feel good.  When I feel good, I look good.  It's a vicious cycle, this business of loving others.... but sacrifices must be made for the sake of beauty!

Kisses!   
Miharu

Quote from: Laura91 on August 08, 2012, 10:39:40 AM
I've always hated people in general and thought that they sucked so none of the reverse bigotry, reverse discrimination surprises me...ever.

It's always those whom are oppressed by the greatest degrees that desire to oppress other people at the first chance they get. It's absolutely pathetic.

Am I bigot?

Yep

I hate the human race.

They suck.

We took a vote, Laura.  Of the 7 billion people in the world, 5.5 billion said they loved you. 

Yeah, yeah, I think you're all lovely - now can we get back to me?

You're lovely too.

"and my dog wants to hump her leg" Now, that's love!

It pleases me deeply that this topic has travelled from intolerance to canine frottage .

Our work here is done...

Frottage? I'm learning new things all the time!

It's a great word - and doesn't set off the smut filters .