Warning: The opinions expressed in this blog are intended to educate and NOT to offend. This Blog discusses racial and gendered variant stereotypes with strong language.Looking through Flickr, I happened upon the above photo... It's actually from a collection of degrading and humiliating photos created to spread intolerance at the cost of an entire group of minorities struggling to raise themselves up. I guess this begs the question:
What can any of us do about being exploited as minority?
Ya know, life as a trans-person can be pretty tuff at times - literally living in the “moment to moment”. You have your good days, and your bad. With each day that comes, you hope to put distance behind you from the ignorance by educating people by example. If you’re lucky, you may change the minds and even hearts of a select few around you. Maybe…
Over time, you cry; you struggle, you anguish every day to just be “tolerated” or even humored. Being truly accepted is rare… however, given time, slowly, some people around you start to “get it”. They start to see you as you see yourself – as you present yourself, now. Over time, they may even start calling you by your chosen name and use correct pronouns and even give you a genuine hug on your birthday. After living SO long with hate and disgust for what you are and what you see in the mirror and having to deal with all the turmoil that comes with transitioning, you turn on the TV, and you see this…
Now, I am not racist here, nor do I wish to even “go there”, but, follow me on this one for a second. If the media had said “a Black Man robed the Burger King”, Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and the NAACP would have been picketing the station the same day it aired. So, why is it ok to put a man in a dress and put him on camera in a joking manor and review a security tape like a NFL play book, referencing stereo typical phrases?
With no disrespect intended to black individuals - lets switch things around here and ask the question: Would it be ok to take that same White man that was on MSNBC in a dress, but instead dress him up in clothing by FUBU, paint his face black, put an Afro on his head? And if that wasn’t insulting enough, now add in a review of a security tape of another black man breaking into a KFC while discussing stereotyping questions in Jive about pork chops and collar greens?” RIDICULOUS!!!! No, it's OUTRAGEOUS!
...The message I (and everyone watching this garbage) is getting from the media, is that it's "ok" to minimize a minority , so long as that minority is Transgendered people - more to the point "Men in dresses"!
I don’t often get upset enough to swear, but this video that aired on MSNBC is Bull Shit! What MSNBC censors think was a big joke, is a slap in every transgendered persons face!
Every time I turn on the TV there is some snide remark or rolling of the eyes or making Gender Variance something to be a target of a joke and I am DAMN tired of it! This video undermines EVERYTHING Transgendered people have to struggle for each day - dignity.
Notice how the anchor man talked to the man in the dress - smirking and trying to keep his shit eating grin under control? THAT my friends, is exactly how the majority of people talk and smirk downward at me in my day to day life once they know I am trans. They feel that ALL the filters and society's constraints of manors can come off or be set aside *because* I MUST be a degenerate of society!! They think that all the world is laughing with every degrading and dehumanizing comment they can lump up publicly in front of an audience on me – whether it be a comment, or a roll of their eyes… I die another death every time I have to endure this type of humiliation and abuse!
I thought at first I shouldn’t even give it attention, but now, I think I should make an example of it. The guy in the dress on MSNBC and the way the anchor talks down to him is an example that sets a tone (for all that sees it), on how to treat me Monday morning when I go back to work.
On behalf of all the transgendered people in the world, "THANKS" MSNBC for airing something that is helping to make the world for transgendered people a lot “less” tolerable and bringing MORE misunderstanding that centers around mental illness, depression, loneliness and suicide.
-Chloe
[Photo above is downloaded from Flickr and does NOT represent the views of the author of this Blog]
My best advice for giving the public a better image of us in their minds? Tip generously. Like, at 20%, minimum. People may still laugh at us or tell their friends about us, but they'll treat us better and give us better service. Eventually, they'll look forward to seeing us, which means they'll get to know us. It's hard to hate or demean someone you know.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought.
The difference between ethnic minorities and the LGBT community is that so many people still have the mistaken notion that we are the way we are because of a "lifestyle choice". And for us transsexuals specifically, most people can't see the difference between a transsexual woman, a crossdressing male, and a drag queen.
ReplyDeleteChloe, I'm so sorry that you are still experiencing negativity on the job. One would think that it would have subsided by now. You must work with some fairly immature people.
Yeah, sadly enough, we've got a long way to go...no doubt. But with out and proud people like yourself, and others who aren't ashamed to stand up for transgender rights, we'll get there eventually. Glad you're not putting up with this...bullshit!
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing this story in the news six months or so ago, but it wasn't on MSNBC. I watch MSNBC daily, but I never saw this "Zeitgeist" feature before this morning. It's not really in character with Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, is it?
ReplyDeleteI can relate a little to the work negativity. I came out to them months ago, and I was told that they (my employers) didn't care what I did outside of work, but they'd prefer that I worked in drab. "But I'm planning to transition," I said. "Not here," they told me.
You make a number of excellent points, Chloe. Equality should be the standard for every human being. However, until this community collectively finds a measure of self respect, it will be a challenge to gain the acceptance & respect of the world at large.
ReplyDeleteI'm not too sure that day is anywhere near the horizon or just over the rainbow. The reason is both our blessing and our curse: diversity. It's what we've grown to symbolize; a concept we want the world to embrace. It's also our Achilles heel.
A "minority group" as fragmented and polarized as the trans-community will continue to bear great difficulty finding fair & objective representation--not to mention equality--because of its very own calling card of "diversity".
Lingerie and high heel fetishists, drag queens, recreational CD'ers, "illusionists", submissive BSDM thrill seeking TV's, gender queer, non-op, pre-op and post op TS's each claim a hue within the unwittingly united colors of Transland.
Some will honorably step from the shadows and advocate with conviction, grace, sensibility and dignity as a matter of course in their everyday lives. Others will abstain, favoring anonymity. Yet, far more will retreat to the comfort of their alter ego: A male life of privilege. How does one lobby a victory that ends discriminatory practice and derogatory parody in that complicated scenario?
Not easily that's for sure.
There is another minority that it is still considered OK to target as well. Actually not so much a minority... FAT people. Watch what you say about ethnic minorities, homosexuals, drug addicts, criminals, and the zealously religious, but hey make fun of Fat people and Trans people all you want. After all they are not real nor do they have any feelings at all. But you know what? Sadly, often, we hardly tolerate each other, how do we expect others to do it when we can't? Starting with a united front on our part will help us go farther with our cause. Like Keri said... not easy.
ReplyDeleteShouldn't we be sending comments to MSNBC instead of Chloe? I wonder what they would think if we all sent heartfelt, calm, educated letters or emails to their offices? We can let them know what WE know. Perhaps give them some links that might help them understand.
ReplyDeleteI get so mad when they lump every man in a dress into one big bowl and then pour in tar and feathers. We can either cry in our tar soup or we can begin to organize some way to speak out to the powers that be...and the most powerful people in America are the media.
Thanks for getting mad Chloe...it made me mad too. :)Suzi
Hi Chloe,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with everyone above. This is outrageous. When I see junk like this it also makes me want to jump up and down and scream. But what do you do with a nation/world that's to lazy to do a little research for themselves to find the truth? What do you do with the trans people who are to afraid to come out and show their support? I'm sure there millions of trans folk that see or hear crap like this everyday, but are afraid for their own lives to speak up. Recently we had our TDOR as a reminder of how the world sees us and its a shame that more people can't see past their bigoted thoughts to see the human side of this condition. A human side that just wants to be true to ourselves and be better for it. The human heart that feels the dagger thrust deep within with every insult or joke. This day and age we almost have to live with a heart of stone to get past all this crap.
Keri - I would also like to add to you comment that is does not help out cause to have so many trans folk seems to seek out their sexual fantasies in such a public way either. I don't don't know how many times I've turned down friend request from people how seem to be seeking only a sexual friendship. Not all say it directly, but they post very provocative photos on the profiles. I usually ignore them right off the bat because I have more serous things to worry about. Like keeping my job, home, my wife and kids and just surviving. So how do we get around those stereotypes to have people take us serous, it is and will continue to be a challenge.
Lori - I could not agree with you more. We all need to stand up and be proud of who we are and speak out against this type of bullshit. I wish more of us would do that. It took me a long time to get to a point where I am now in accepting my life as it is. It took a lot of crap like this to finally make me feel strong enough to speak out and I have in many negative article and blog comments. It may not be something big, but its a start.
Suzi - I would love to join in a organized group of trans people and get the ball rolling. Where do I sign up :) Something really needs to be done somehow. It seems like most national trans spokes people are not really trans but spokes people of a LGBt org and it seems we tend to get ignored there also or the org have more pressing gay (in there minds at least) issues to deal with. In the mean time we are trying to stay alive and sometimes struggle to do so.
And Chloe, I'm also sorry that you still have to deal with the bigoted comments at your job. I'm dealing with some of this now at work and its no fun. If more people would just stop and really think about this for a moment they would realize that this is something that we have to do. I said it before and I'll say it again. Who in there right mind would put themselves threw all this bigotry and hate if it where not something that they felt deep in their heart and soul.
Ok, I've carried on much to long, lol. Like you said things like this get to me too. Lets all do something about it in some way.
Hugs Michelle
It is the responsibility of every individual within a stigmatized group to break the stigma. That's a burden we each bear individually: to come from our highest, to conduct ourselves with taste, tact, intelligence, and decorum. Dr. Morbius has it right: the way to break a negative stereotype is to create a positive stereotype.
ReplyDeleteTrying again here...Blogger didn't care for my first response...
ReplyDeleteHaving grown up in "the Stone Age", I remember always being told that "if I couldn't say something nice, don't say anything". This despite the gossip fests my Mom and her neighbor friends used to engage in, along with she and my Grandmother and my Aunt.
The other one I was always admonished with was about "people who live in glass houses..."
I used to always hear about "civil" society..."polite" society...I wonder if they ever existed or were just figments of imagination? Is television the great satan? Don Rickles?
Those who look down on others to try to cover up or feel better about their own inadequacies are just one more on that list of "change we need"!
I some quotes once from a book someone was putting together. They were asking the influential and famous what they thought the most important word in the English language was.
Hedy Lamarr's answer struck me as golden:
"Empathy"!
alan